B&H Now lists Zeiss Lenses

[Aoresteen]

This may be old news but B&H now has the Zeiss ZM lenses listed on

their web site. None in stock at this time though.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?

O=breadCrumb&A=search&Q=&ci=9802

 

They have had the ZI body listed for a while but this is the first

time that I've benn able to find the ZM lenses on their web site.

[Aoresteen]

Also note that the 85mm f/2 Sonnar is listed at $2,759 and the Leica 90mm f/2 Apo Summicron is listed at $2,295 on the B&H website.

 

$500 more for Zeiss glass? What happened to 2/3 Leica prices? I know the 85mm is made in Germany but I think Zeiss has put the price a bit higher than they should have.

[terrestrikon]

Yeah, but look at the prices for the 21, 28, 35, etc. These seem more than reasonable.

[al_kaplan1]

85/2 LTM Nikkors are moving up in price too.

[frank granovski]

Re: "...the 85mm f/2 Sonnar is listed at $2,759...."

 

That is pricey. My car isn't even worth that, nor my motorcycle. I like Leica and Zeiss is nice too, but only the Electro GSN is the poor man's Leica. (The CL comes second.) ;*)

[terry_rory]

"$500 more for Zeiss glass? What happened to 2/3 Leica prices?"

 

I dont recall Zeiss DE promising that their lenses should only be 2/3rds the price of an equivalent Leica product. I am not aware that Zeiss have to work to such a formula.

 

The 85mm f/2 Sonnar is going to be hand built in Germany and has floating elements etc. There seems to be the assumption (also) that Zeiss are going to produce lenses at 2/3rds Leica quality.

 

What happens if one or more of the Zeiss Ikon lens range are as good or better than the Leica counterpart?

 

Many people have commented that Cosina's Voigtlander 35mm f/2.5 Mk II 'Pancake' lens has the same image quality as a pre-asph Leica 35mm Summicron and yet it only costs less than half the price of a (used) Leica. With Zeiss T* coatings and Schott glass and Zeiss QC and designs added to the 'mix' there may be a shock or two to come yet.

 

Maybe this will be the kick that Leica need to spur them into some more genuine innovation. Especially if a Cosina/Voigtlander/Zeiss/Epson partnership can get a great Leica M mount Zeiss Ikon digital rangefinder solution to market before Leica do.

[frank granovski]

Trevor, forgive me, but what's the deal with this digital M push? The sensor won't be able to resolve what the M lenses can. Not for a few more years, anyway.

[bill_marshall1]

Just a clarification, Trevor. Hasselblad did tell anyone willing to listen at Photokina & subsequent photo shows that the new Zeiss camera & lens line would cost about 60% Leica prices. They also said that this would not be true of the 2 lenses to be manufactured in Germany - the 15/2.8 Distagon & 85/2 Sonnar. At those same shows, leica was telling everyone to expect a price increase in january & since then it has been reported that another price increase should be expected in July.

 

Otherwise, I like your sentiments.

[terry_rory]

Frank,

 

May as well ask... "what is it with this digital anything?"

 

As for what the Leica lenses can or cannot resolve, well, name me one person who is currently getting the absolute maximum from their Leica lenses. How many of us are using the finest grained films, tripods, cable releases, top grade pro lab D&P and master printers to do great enlargements from all our work?

[terry_rory]

OK Bill. I did not know that. Thanks

[frank granovski]

I knew you were going to say something like this, and you are correct, of course. But with the high cost of high end digital cams, if Leica enters this game they'll have to upgrade the cam every 6 months. So at this stage of the digital cam racket, I don't think it's worth it.

[terry_rory]

Not if the digital solution is modular (more modular than the DMR)

[terry_rory]

I do not mean some 'lashed up' M digital back but a genuine ground up re-think of the whole M design which will allow flexibility and upgradability.

[frank granovski]

If the sensor can be upgraded as better sensors are invented, this would be a good thing; that is if the sensor pricing isn't out of this world, eh? ;*)

[aizan_sasayama]

If they reduced build quality to go with a faster upgrade schedule, I'd still get a Leica.

[max_fun]

Frank, some would say that unless you use some of the slowest, finest and sharpest film in the market, you would find more resolution with a digital sensor. Anyway, when has Leica lenses been about resolution only? Last I heard, the other Leica qualities like color and bokeh would aid in digital photography too.

[max_fun]

Also, high end DSLRs can have fairly long product lives. Even for Canon that seems to have endless amounts of R&D money, most of the top end DSLRs took years to be upgraded, and in some situations with only minor feature upgrades.

[frank granovski]

Re: "...unless you use some of the slowest, finest and sharpest film in the market, you would find more resolution with a digital sensor."

 

You mean like my fridge full of Konica Impresa 50? I agree...but from what I've seen in way of "professional" digital prints, I don't agree.

[awahlster]

Never fear a beautiful condition Canon 85mm f1.2 ASP can be had for about $1000.00 or less throw in a nice F-1 and your all set for $1200.00

 

Believe it can out shot 95% of the guys who post work here.

 

If that's to much the 85mm f1.2L can be had for around $600.00 or less

 

and the wonderful little 85mm f1.8 can be had for less then $200.00

 

Hee Hee

[andrew robertson]

But would they take rangefinder 'style' pictures? I keep hearing that there is an ineffable

quality to pictures taken with a rangefinder, especially a Leica.

[terry_rory]

Ah well if it's 85mm lens we are talking about then my choice is the Contax 85mm f/1.4 Planar (Or a nice Nikon 85mm f/1.4 AF-D which would make a fine portrait set-up with my D70)

 

Actually I lie. What I REALLY want for portraits, and a lot more, is a brand new Rolleiflex 2.8FX with TTL and a (yet to be invented) 22mp digital, swappable TLR back so I can use film or digital as the mood takes me. (And TTL sync flash at any speed)

[frank granovski]

Re: "Hee Hee."

 

And, drumroll..., the sharp Nikon E 100mm F2.8 can be had for under $100 USD, in nice shape.

 

I believe the camera companies are paying off the film companies to discontinue making their sharpest/low ASA films, so the camera companies can say, "See! It's sharper than film." Yeah, right. ;*)

[rj]

Lets not forget pentax currently offers the 77mm limited lens, I have it and can say its a wonderful optic, especially for black and white.

[frank granovski]

Speaking of Pentax, I should have gone with a Spotmatic 11a along with some of Pentax's super sharp screw-on lenses for my SLR. Then I would have a better SLR and I would have had more cash to slap down on a brand spankin' new MP. Live and learn, I guess, and then you're die. ;*)

[frank granovski]

Ugh, my grammar. :-((