New Carl Zeiss lenses for M

I have simply cut and pasted this leader to a thread from the Leica

Customer Forum. (I hope this does not offend anyone's sense of

protocol). Sounds interesting, especially since Rollei/Carl Zeiss are

saying that more than the 40, 50 and 80 will follow (see later on the

thread). They are to be available from Jan 03. It will be interesting

to see the quality and any responses from Leica.

 

< "Hello everyone, I just received confirmation via e-mail from

Rollei USA about the three new lenses for the new Rollei 35 RF

camera: Sonnar 40mm f/2.8, Planar 50mm f/1.8 and Planar 80mm f/2.8.

They confirm that these (Leica M mount) lenses were designed by Carl

Zeiss and will be made in Germany by Rollei of Braunschweig.

 

E-mail from Rollei USA:

 

Here are the answers to your questions:

Specifically:

 

1) Will the three lenses announced for the Rollei 35 RF be made in

Germany as is mentioned ("Rollei Germany") on the front of the lens ?

YES

 

2) Who was responsible for the design of these lenses ? Rollei of

Germany, Zeiss or Cosina of Japan ?

The lenses are designed in Germany by Carl Zeiss. The 40mm is based

on the lens design of the Rollei 35 - a world-class lens. The 80mm is

based on the design of the 2.8GX/FX TLR lens - again, an amazingly

sharp, high performance lens. The 50mm f1.8 is based on an equally

impressive formula used on earlier Rollei SLR lenses.

 

3) Who will manufacture these lenses ? Again, Rollei of Germany,

Zeiss or Cosina of Japan ?

Rollei fototechnic in Braunsweig, Germany will be the manufacturer of

the three lenses.

 

We hope the above information will be helpful.

Thank you

 

Rollei USA

1275 Bloomfield Avenue

Bldg 7, Unit 38

Fairfield, NJ 07004

973-244-9660

Fax 973-244-9818

info@rollei-usa.com

 

Some additional notes:

The Rollei HFT Planar 50mm f/1.8 lens was first introduced for the

Rolleiflex SL 35 (35mm SLR) back in 1970 (for more info, click on

http://rollei.tv/sl35/models.htm). According to the Rollei

Photographic Products catalog (1977), this lens was made of 7

elements in 6 groups. Again, according to this same catalog, the

Rollei HFT Sonnar 40mm f/2.8 was made of 5 elements (click on

http://www.rollei.tv/35/35_s.htm). As for the Planar 80mm f/2.8, its

lens design is traditionally given as 5 elements in 4 groups. For

more info, click on http://www.foto.no/rolleiflex/ and The optics.

 

The first lenses are due for Jan 2003, and prices should be very

competitive (half that of Leica). Think about it, a Zeiss lens on

your Leica M ...

 

Best regards,

 

John F." >

 

End of copy and thank you to John F.

Why does Zeiss offer 40 mm and 80 mm Lenses? No M-Camera does have a viewfinder-window for that focal-length (Except CL(E) - who cares?). Do they want to sell their external viewfinders or is it thought to be used with Bessas?

 

Gruss, Carsten

No M camera has a set of viewfinder frames that's anywhere near accurate, as far as I know. We might find that the 40 is pretty useful with the 50 frames, and 80 is not far from 75. I wonder what frame lines the lenses will bring up.

Robert:

 

The concept of Rollei is an excellent, it only came A year after I found a mint CL w/40mm..

 

Those lenses are the legendaries formula one found in the Rollei 35 mini camera. Indeed, the lens Sonnar 40mm/fé.! with HFT coating is a marvel.

Plus theay are made to mount the BESSA R2 re-worked by Rollei for the frame 40mm I guess. This product won't sell like hot cakes but coupled to the excellent Voigtlander 15mm--> 28mm it will be a very interesting product.

 

FWIW.

Sounds nice, esp. the term about the prices. But time will tell if they are finished better than the cosina products.

The lens formulas are quite old, so I do not expect wonders from them. But it is a nice addition to the existing lenses. I just hope the 40 brings up the 35 frameline, this would make it really usable on a M body.

The lenses are apparently screwmount - which means you can use them with the Leica LTMs.

 

For the 40mm 2.8, you can also use a 35mm adapter to ensure the 35mm frameline comes up.

 

I am disappointed that this is a F2.8 lens rather than a F2!

"The lenses are apparently screwmount" - no, they're M bayonet. I have to say I have no particular uses for these lenses (I've got a 40, 50 and 90 already), but I think it's great. 40mm is a terrific focal length - in partnership with a 28 and a 90, perfect kit. OK, it's only an f2.8 - but it's a legendary lens, as is the 80 - the second-best 80mm TLR lens ever, and then only by a short head. What I really want to see is if they can come up with something even more interesting.

let's see the price...if it's really competitive, then...*drool*

Now we just need to see Schneider produce some of their wonderful glass for M mount. Maybe they could do the Xenotar 75 3.5 from the Rollei TLR. I think the reason for people who already have these focal lengths to be interested is the different look that Zeiss gives from Leica.

Nick,

 

AFAIK, they are screw mount lenses sold with an M-adapter.

 

Those exhibited during Photokina were like that anyway.

I'd buy a screwmount 40 in a second. LTM or M42, or both.

If they ARE screwmount, then the 40 or 50 would be on my list for my IIf - so fingers crossed! And apologies for being misleading

And yes, a 75mm Xenotar would be bliss indeed - possibly my favourite lens of all (it's odd really, Zeiss is my first love, yet I prefer Schneider and Leica - why could that be?).

Hmm, I find it curous, odd, and doubtful that a lens designer

would use an 80/2.8 TLR lens formula to design a 35mm

coverage lens. The angle of view being different, seems that

formula would not be near optimum.

 

But anyway, if it is a compact and light lens, I'd consider

replacing my 90 Elmarit-M with one.

Using the 80mm F2.8 Rollei TLR lens and a 35mm adapter yields great results. Or just using the center section of the 120 roll film negative. You are using the more on axis part of the lens; with a much height MTF and resolution. Many portraits have been shot with Rollei's; and the center area used. Did this for years when in school. The TLR gets alot of great people shots; it doesnt scare people as much as a SLR or to a lesser degree a rangefinder.

Dan,

 

The Planar 80mm f/2.8 is not really compact.<div></div>

Has anybody actually seen published prices for these lens? Half Leica's

prices seems awfully optimistic for a classic Zeiss lens...

I had a Rollei 3.5E with the 75mm Xenotar. This was a very old camera. Pictures were usually razor sharp, but the lens was very flare prone. The Rollei 35S I had, had the f2.8 Sonnar. My 50mm Elmar-M is just as sharp as the 40mm Sonnar, but if I needed a lens in the 40-50mm range, I'd not hesitate to get the Sonnar. Great lens.

They are sure going to a lot of trouble to make them look like Leica lanses, knurling, finish, etc. It makes you wonder if we'll be seeing a frameline kit for retro-fitting M bodies for 40,50,80? An M2.5?

John,

 

>>No M camera has a set of viewfinder frames that's anywhere near >>accurate, as far as I know.

 

they are accurate if you know how to handle them. Please check http://nemeng.com/leica/006ba.shtml for an explanation.

 

Carsten

Those are some slow lenses, and how can a 50 f/2-ish compete with the legendary 50 cron that everyone here owns and loves. Hmn...

Hey Kelly, I have no doubt that you are right, I used to print the

center section of the Mamiya 7 lenses and they were superlative

35mm lenses indeed. I just don't see why Zeiss engineers

would choose this path to a lens design, unless it is a marketing

angle to leverage off the good reputation of the Rollieflex TLRs?

I'm dying to see what the 80mm f2.8 Planar sells for.

 

I've always thought that my 90mm Elmar-C was too darn slow, and this seems to be just the ticket for my CLE and Bessa-T.

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003oxi

 

the news came out 2 months ago here in the UK. In Japan these are selling already AFAIK.

I don't believe Leica users deserve Zeiss Lenses. Cosina lenses, okay..But the Zeiss name on a Leica?

 

I saw pictures of the Rollei Rangefinder yesterday and was terribly disappointed. The Rollei name does not deserve a Cosina camera. Then again, neither did Voightlander.

 

I am am avid user of mechanical cameras, including a TLR with a 2.8 Planar and Contax Pre and Postwar Rangefinders and shiver when I see the lack of cameras that take bold steps in any direction. The cosina RF was a good start, now give us some quality choices please! Great lenses for other makers RF systems does not make a great camera system!

 

Otherwise I will keep using my Contax IIIa, for which Leica lenses were never made!

 

Marco

How exciting, a few slow lenses by Zeiss in two focal lengths not covered by the Leica frames. And what framelines do they bring up on the M? Who knows and who cares.