andrew_hall1

Zeiss lens names and what they mean: http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A8003B58B9/allBySubject/0944A93A7129E9DF41256A53003735CE

 

The Zeiss website also has comprehensive technical info (e.g. block diagrams) on camera lenses.

Harvey, look up Contax lenses at www.zeiss.de and ZM lenses at www.zeissikon.com

 

>Where did you read that the ZF Distagon will be a 21?

 

Sheldon, you misread Gary.

>30 year old Takumars are 'digital ready' too.

 

Yep, all those wideangles are more ready to vignette on a digital sensor than on film.

Eric, I think you're right:<P>

<img src=http://www.cosina.co.jp/seihin/co/zf-50/zf-50top.jpg><P>

Looks like it will be compatible with Spotmatic open aperture metering.

>I would not be at all averse to a KM DSLR with Sony sensor expertise and development money behind it. On the other hand, with Zeiss lenses coming available for Nikon F mount too, Nikons become even more interesting to me again.

 

Those KM DSLRs will only serve as the bases from which Sony develops their own, sort of like Rollei developed their SL35 series from the Zeiss Ikon Voigtlander Icarex.

 

The ZF lenses are manual focus. Latest promo photos do not show any electronic contacts on their mounts. Not particularly conducive to Nikon dSLRs. The EOS digital range with an F, M42 or C/Y adapter offers more compatibility with Zeiss lenses.

These are not CZJ lenses. They are CZO(berkochen)-designed, made in Japan and digital ready. (So there should be new formulations for the wideangles.)

 

To ensure maximum compatibility with M42 cameras, I don't think they will have auto diaphragms.

 

Those who use the original M42 Contax SLRs can now have brand-new Zeiss lens to go with them. Nice.

>it still comes as a shock when a major brand name dies!

 

Make that TWO major names! Sigh.

 

Konica (formerly Konishiroku) was the oldest Japanese camera maker. Minolta (formerly Chiyoda) also dates from the pre-WWII era. It's hard to believe they are going to join the likes of Miranda, Petri, Zunow, Topcon, etc...

 

I snatched up a Konica Lexio 70 last year, shortly after the merger with Minolta. Now I'll have to stock up on Konica (formerly Sakura brand) film ... so very sad.

Konica (formerly Konishiroku) made the first camera in Japan back in 1903. Minolta (formerly Chiyoda) also dates from the pre-war era -- made their first folder in 1929, the first Japanese TLR in 1937. Both were camera makers long before post-war upstarts like Pentax (formerly Asahi Optical) and Nikon (formerly Nippon Kogaku.) So very sad that they have to terminate the business that got them started in the first place.

 

And I thought the 4/3 system of Olympus, with their tiny sensors, would be the first to bite the dust...

 

I'll go grab some Konica film and stock them in a freezer. Japan's first photo paper in 1903, Japan's first colour film in 1940...Sigh, anyone remember their old brand name Sakura Film?

The ZF/ZS series are going to be digital ready. The 50 and 85 are the first to be released probably because they are just re-mounted Contax versions with insignificant light fall-off when used with a digital sensor. (Of course their focal lengths are popular too.) The wideangles will need more development in this respect.

Vivek, thanks for reminding me of the OM 90/2. Still, the ZF/ZS could be marginally faster in effect because it allows a slightly slower, hand-holdable shutter speed at 60mm. ;)

>That is interesting Andrew. The old S-Planar 120/5.6 has a restricted aperture disc compared to the 120/4 Makro-Planar. Same scenario repeating here with the 60/2.8 (Contax) to 60/2 (ZF)?

 

Vivek, I think the ZF/ZS could very well be the fastest macro lens ever.

So, what do we call the limited edition f/1.2 55mm and 85mm lenses? NASA? DOD? ;)

...just add an adapter.

Jochen, I have good news for you: these lenses will be available in M42 mount.

>It appears (the above photo with focal lengths are false speculations) that there is a 28/2 Distagon and 60/2.8 Makro-Planar.

 

I agree, except that the Makro-Planar is an f/2 lens.

I would be very surprised if the Makro-Planar (Double-Gauss design) has a 30mm focal length AND clears the mirror of a 135-format SLR.

 

These lenses cover a 24x36mm frame size, not just the DX format. http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A8003B58B9/ContentsWWWIntern/5ABD5BC6297EB165C12570F900407E35

That's a Makro-Planar. I don't think any 30mm Double-Gauss formulation can clear the mirror of a 135-format SLR.

 

>The reports of distortion and vignetting in the Zeiss Ikon Planar 50mm f/2 M mount is not encouraging news either.

 

FWIW, the ZM 50 has exactly the same amount of distortion and light fall-off as the G 45, and their MTF graphs are practically the same. Funny how people don't seem to complain about the G lens.

Okay Denis, I admit to having certain preferences in stuff I buy, an all-too-common human weakness.

 

You must be an excellent dresser, with your disdain over trivialities such as colour.

Why the "hollywood" appellative?

>With the center filter on, is the lens then an evenly lit 15mm f/4 or so?

 

http://www.zeissikon.com/files/0512_DB%20Distagon%202.8_15%20ZM_EN.pdf

Here are a couple of usage reviews, not just fondling impressions: http://elekm.net/zeiss_ikon/pages/zi_blog111905.html

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15483

>noticed in pictures of the ZI that there is a bump on the rear of the top surface of the camera in stead of it being flat.

 

It accomodates the oversized (compared to Leica) eyepiece while keeping a lower top deck.

>These filters blur the entire focal plane... with the Thambar, the plane of focus is composed of both blurred and sharp image-forming light.

 

This could have been lifted from the product description of the Zeiss Softar: http://www.zeiss.de/c12567a8003b58b9/Contents-Frame/2ae977442718e5c9c12569bc005c3a47?opendocument&highlight=softar

 

http://www.zeiss.de/C12567A8003B58B9/Contents-Frame/9E75D9B13153559CC1256A1D00562A35

>Only about a dozen manual focus lenses are discontinued. Nikon continues a fair list of zooms and more popular slower primes. I saw the Nikon list in Japan almost 3 weeks ago

 

The Jan 11 list is different from, and a lot shorter than, what you presumably saw: http://www.nikon.co.uk/press_room/releases/show.aspx?rid=201

>... should read "The ENTIRE autofocus lens lineup"

 

This is the latest list of discontinued Nikon products. You will find more than a couple of AF lenses: http://www.nikon-image.com/jpn/products/discontinue/others/index.htm