View Full Version : YES I have a ZeissIkon
Lars Menzel
11-10-2005, 21:58
Good News,
ZeissIkon is real and the 1st customers have got one.
I am really happy to own one now.
First impressions:
- It is really solid build
- The opening machanic is clever and you cant open it accidental
- the viewfinder is very bright and i can use the 28er frame as wearer of glasses
I will shoot some rolls and report when i have results.
look forward the other ZI's are on the way
Greetings
Lars
Congratulations, Lars! Did you get a lens with the body too?
sheepdog
11-10-2005, 22:30
Quick! Put a 12 frame no-name roll through and have it processed at the local lab to check for light leaks, pierced shutter curtains, unadjusted rangefinder mechanism and the likes!
Er, wait.. A NEW camera?
Have I been buying too much FSU-gear lately? :rolleyes:
Have a lot of fun with the new tool!
Kind regards
Kjetil
great, I can't wait for your report.
Frank Granovski
11-10-2005, 22:39
That's why I've held off buying the black professional Voigtlander Bessa R3A...I wanna look at this Ikon to see if I should go with it instead.
Lars Menzel
11-11-2005, 05:14
Yes I have some ZI-Lenses too.
I own 2,8/80 and 2/50 and my "old" rollei lenses 40 and 80
I have shot a roll today and can't wait until its ready.
The store can't give me a guaranty that it will be ready tomorrow, but i hope so.
I have taken shots with ZI 2/50 and Rollei 80 in BW (Kodak BW400cn)
More impressions now:
- the camera is not as alaoud as my rollei 35rf but you have still a significant noise
- the Viewfinder is a pleasure; it is very bright also in difficult light conditions and it is very
usefull to show focal length in the right frame so you can't used it wrong
- the weight is perfekt for me
- one problem, like leica, the viewfinder correction lens is screwed in, so you can loose it;
check this before using it after get the camerea out of package
- the filmload is very simple better than leica, bessa and rollei
- if you want to check, whether the film will be correct transported, you can do it easy by
holding the camera with the left hand and touch the bottom
- the ae lock is odd but very usefull. you can use it to lock several pictures
- there is a on/off switch around the trigger, so you can avoid taking pictures randomly
- i don't like the tripot mount, not having it at center, but the camera is not to heavy for it
so it is just odd for me
- you can use several types of battery, so there is no problem, if one type is out of stock
So the next impressions come, if i have a developed film, hopefully tomorrow.
But untill now i can say, it is a pleasure to take pictures with the Zeiss Ikon.
I hope you get yours as soon as possible and can share my pleasure.
Greetings
Lars
So you own the 80/2.8 Rollei Planar, 40/2.8 Rollei Sonnar and the 50/2 ZM Planar right? Is the 80/2.8 all that good for it's price?
Lars Menzel
11-11-2005, 06:09
Yes the 80/2.8 Rollei Planar is a very good lens and you can get it from rollei for the half list price, but you have to hurry, because they don't produce it anymore :(
I haven't checked the close focus dinstance until now. So i can't judge about it.
But be aware, the 80er frame is only on the rollei. But the difference to the 85er frame of the Zeiss Ikon shouldn't be to much.
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 07:17
I also received mine yesterday, but I got locked out of the system. Zeiss has done an admirable job with assembly and packaging, and there are several notable things about the camera and lenses (in a good way). Fit and finish are very nice.
My goal over the next few weeks is to run through between 20 and 30 rolls. I want to give it a very strenuous workout and see how it responds.
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 09:59
I'm going to be working on a "mini-site" for the camera. So lots to do and write. I hope everyone else gets their cameras soon.
JoeFriday
11-11-2005, 10:08
let's see lots of photos of it.. and please include ordinary objects in a few shots so we can get a sense of perspective to compare it to other cameras
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 10:16
That was way too small. Let's try again. Here's what's good about the world.
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 10:18
It's noticeably larger than the Contax IIa. The physical dimensions are nearly identical to the Leica M7. The Zeiss Ikon is 1mm shorter.
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 10:20
Three lenses: f/2.0 Sonnar for the Contax, f/2.0 Planar for the Zeiss Ikon and f/2.0 Planar for the Contarex.
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 10:35
I'm going to do a much more in-depth review, but in general Leica users won't be that satisfied with the camera. It does have a very different feel, and if you move back and forth between the two, you'll get a feeling that it's not as substantial.
It's similar to using a vintage Zeiss Ikon Contax and a Leica. They each are excellent cameras in their own right, but each is very different from the other. The user experiences (to use modern lingo) aren't comparable.
The more I handle the camera, the more I like it. There are some very nice things to say about the camera, and the shape and styling of the top deck are very curious and I believe will lead to some interesting discussions.
The camera feels well balanced with either the 25mm Biogon or the 50mm Planar. The 40mm Sonnar from the Rollei 35RF makes for a very compact camera, despite its width.
The viewfinder is excellent and far exceeds the Voigtlander offerings. I always thought the Voigtlander viewfinders were good -- the precision of the Zeiss Ikon's rangefinder and viewfinder is just a huge step beyond it.
I don't want to scoop myself, but I'll try to add a bit more later.
how does the viewfinder compare to a Leica m-7? any thoughts? substantially better? i am a glass wearer..
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 11:45
With glasses, you can see the top and bottom frames lines for 28mm. You do need to shift your eye to see the right and left frame lines.
35mm lines are easily visible.
The 25mm lens brings up the 28/85 set. I'm interested to see if I can simply go out to the edges of the viewfinder for the 25.
The camera includes a strap that is vaguely similar to the Domke Gripper and what Cosina provides for it Voigtlanders but a step better in terms of quality. "Zeiss Ikon" is embossed in the leather that is on the either end of where the neck strap ends and the connecting thing nylon strap begins.
There are a lot of small details that may or may not go unnoticed.
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 11:49
I sold my M6, so I can't do a side-by-side. I have a very soiled M3 that won't do as a comparison.
I like the ability to see the shutter speeds. It's a bit complicated to explain in print. In use, it's an easy system that you can learn in a minute.
I think someone described the shutter sound as a "snick," and that's an accurate description. It sits comfortably between a Bessa and a Leica. It's a very positive sound, and of course being that it's electronic, no more buzz on the slower speeds (I'm one who actually likes that little sound).
The bayonet lens shades fit tightly to the lens, and there's no way that they'll accidentally fall off.
That was way too small. Let's try again. Here's what's good about the world.
That's a very clean-looking camera. Congratulations!
ZeissFan: I'm not asking you to "sccop yourself", but in your full on review, once you prepare it and post it on your site, could you try to include how you feel about the handling of the ZI versus the Contax? I really don't care as much about the ZI versus a Leica.
Also, could you speculate as to why the ZI is so much larger than the Contax? Maybe Hasselblad could help us out with that, but given the similarity of the baselines, the family heritage, etc., it would be interesting to know why the new ZI became a larger camera.
Trius
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 14:42
Trius, I'm going to try to find out the same thing. My uneducated guess has to do with aiming at the Leica market -- not necessarily existing Leica users but new users considering the Leica and others.
I was out shooting a bit today before the sun completely went down. I thought it handled very nicely, and the viewfinder is excellent. Again, I hope to shoot about 20-30 rolls in the next few weeks. I'll have a better overall impression of the camera.
The film take-up spool reminds me a bit of the one from the later Contarexes. Same goes for the lobe on the lens.
By the way, I still love my Contax IIa.
wlewisiii
11-11-2005, 15:26
Trius, my guess based on what I've read here and elsewhere online, is that it's larger only to make enough room in the top for the meter, the bits necessary for the electronic shutter mechanism and the optics of the much larger VF. As I get the impression from the Zeiss materials that Cosina was pushing them for a Contax "look and feel" as much as possible, they probably would have loved to make it as compact as a IIa. But look on the bright side, it's smaller than a prewar III :D
William
I woke up this morning with a serious case of GAS after a dinner of chicken fried rice. Now I'm going to go to bed with a serious case of G.A.S. after reading about the ZI. Gah!
Hope you enjoy your cameras :)
flamingo
11-11-2005, 18:49
Is it true the camera and it's new line of lenses are made in Japan by Cosina Voigtlander ?
Does the body actually have "Made In Japan" printed or engraved anywhere on it ?
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 19:08
The FAQ on the Zeiss Ikon site (http://www.zeissikon.com/) cover this. But yes, the body and the lenses (except for the 15mm and 85mm) are made by Cosina in Japan but under Zeiss quality control.
Gabriel M.A.
11-11-2005, 20:07
From the FAQ: "Will there be a digital ZI camera? <snip> Are the Carl Zeiss T* ZM-mount lenses ready for use with the future digital camera?"
Is this some tongue-in-cheek way of cranking the rumor mill to create speculation that Zeiss has a digital M-mount rangefinder in the works?
The finish of their rangefinder looks really nice. I'm actually very impressed by the wide-angle offerings; I just hope they hold this time and actually improve, and not just taunt like they did with the DOA digital Contax SLR.
ZeissFan
11-11-2005, 20:17
It's a bit complicated, but the Contax SLRs from Yashica and Kyocera were not products of Carl Zeiss AG. Although they used the Contax name, you never saw the Carl Zeiss logo or name on the body.
The lenses, however, were Carl Zeiss products and were marked as Carl Zeiss.
Depending on how you count it, this is either the second or third camera to carry the Carl Zeiss name. The first was back in the early 1900s. The second was the Werra from Carl Zeiss Jena. The Zeiss Ikon is the third.
However, I think most would agree that it's a matter of "when" and not "if" Carl Zeiss produces a digital body.
Depending on how you count it, this is either the second or third camera to carry the Carl Zeiss name. The first was back in the early 1900s. The second was the Werra from Carl Zeiss Jena. The Zeiss Ikon is the third.
This camera does not exactly carry the "Carl Zeiss" name but the Zeiss corporate logo. It's actually named after the defunct camera maker, a member of the Carl Zeiss Foundation AND a distinct entity from Carl Zeiss Oberkochen/Jena the lens makers.
The last time Zeiss Ikon was used as a brand (as opposed to being just the name of the maker) was in the early 1970s when the firm was in its death throes, e.g. the Zeiss Ikon SL 706 (which was eventually sold and turned into a Voigtlander, then Rolleiflex), Zeiss Ikon S 310/312 (which were really entry-level Contessas), and the ZI Hologon camera. That's why I've said this is not an auspicious choice of name.
However, I think most would agree that it's a matter of "when" and not "if" Carl Zeiss produces a digital body.[/QUOTE]
I think and hope that the digital zeiss ikon wil be a full frame one !
You can see that in the way they desisgnd teh lenses. The rear element film plane distance is generally greater than with the G series lenses. That's why i probelbly stay with my G2 as long as i shoot film. (i think that will be very long time to come)
By the way the new zeiss ikon is a beatifull picture taking machine.
Uncle Bill
11-12-2005, 02:11
I really have to finish up my PR program and get a practitioner gig in Marketing Communications so I can afford a new Zeiss Ikon with a set of lenses. If this ain't a motivator I don't know what is.
Bill
Streetfootballworld looks for a practitioner and they pay a whooping 200 Euro a month. If you don't eat and drink and live under a bridge, you could buy a ZI about this time next year :-)
Other companies who search for practitioners don't pay a dime :-(
All the Marketing/Advertising/Media companies are enslaving students at the moment, with the slight intention of an allusion to a better payed job in the not too distant future, but only if they can't get other practitioners.
Huck Finn
11-12-2005, 03:35
I think and hope that the digital zeiss ikon wil be a full frame one !
You can see that in the way they desisgnd teh lenses. The rear element film plane distance is generally greater than with the G series lenses.
Jaap, you're right on the money. It is the official position of Carl Zeiss AG that they will not build a digital version until they can do so with a full frame sensor - and they think that will be a while.
Flyfisher Tom
11-12-2005, 03:48
Congrats Zeissfan, that is one great looking camera ... and the ZI is cute too ;-) I'd be very interested in seeing your writeup on the 25/2.8.
Like I've said, the minute that any manufactuer offers a full-frame M mount RF, I'm there. Fingers crossed.
Thanks for the photos.
Mike Kovacs
11-12-2005, 04:06
This camera does not exactly carry the "Carl Zeiss" name but the Zeiss corporate logo. It's actually named after the defunct camera maker, a member of the Carl Zeiss Foundation AND a distinct entity from Carl Zeiss Oberkochen/Jena the lens makers.
You do know who Zeissfan is? The new camera is from Carl Zeiss AG and is named the Zeiss Ikon. That is not the same as a camera from the company Zeiss Ikon named Contax. Carl Zeiss is not traditionally a camera maker and has put its name now on exactly three models of camera, the last a long time ago!
Anyhow, lets see some &*(&%# photos man!
Jaap, you're right on the money. It is the official position of Carl Zeiss AG that they will not build a digital version until they can do so with a full frame sensor - and they think that will be a while.
I don't mind Huck for this time. When i walk out of my darkroom withe those beatifull fibre based prints on grade 2. But in the future i see myself shooting both on film and digital.
You do know who Zeissfan is? The new camera is from Carl Zeiss AG and is named the Zeiss Ikon. That is not the same as a camera from the company Zeiss Ikon named Contax. Carl Zeiss is not traditionally a camera maker and has put its name now on exactly three models of camera, the last a long time ago!
Mike, whoever Zeissfan is, not everything he writes is automatically the absolute truth. And you need to read my post again, this time without any presumption, misinterpretation or omission.
Besides, exactly where does it say on the Cosina-made camera "Carl Zeiss"? All I see is "Zeiss Ikon" and the Zeiss logo.
carl zeiss makes lenses. it says carl zeiss on the lenses.
carl zeiss makes lenses. it says carl zeiss on the lenses.
You'r right. There are a million products that say "Carl Zeiss", only not on the Cosina-made camera to which Zeissfan referred.
Just because the camera is Zeiss commissioned, doesn't mean it exactly carries the "Carl Zeiss" name.
I'm guessing that ZeissFan is none other than Mike Elek. :cool:
ZeissFan
11-12-2005, 13:51
Oh, yes, that's me. I picked that name a long time ago. Just never bothered to change it.
Mazurka, I think we're saying the same thing.
What was the discussion? I forgot.
Oh yes, I sort of remember. I think my original point was that the Yashica/Kyocera cameras weren't Zeiss products. They were Kyocera products. I think that's the only point I was trying to make, but I got off on a tangent.
Everything else you wrote is correct. I agree.
New material: I think I would say that although the body doesn't say "Carl Zeiss," the presence of the Zeiss corporate logo indicates that it is a product of Carl Zeiss and not a Cosina product.
So, again, yes I agree with you on that point.
Zeissfan, I'm glad you read my post correctly, unlike the other Mike. :rolleyes:
Just so you know, I too like the Zeiss Ikon a lot and will buy it as soon as I find a reasonable price tag (i.e. one that I can afford) from a reliable dealer. :)
XXXGRAPENUTSXXX
11-12-2005, 19:32
how is the construction and the knobs and buttons.....are they all well built and solid?
are they plastic or solid feeling?
thanks and congrats to you
ZeissFan
11-12-2005, 23:17
The other Mike is a good guy too. He's a friend of mine, and we often share tips about repairing the old classics -- particularly the Zeiss Ikons ... the old ones.
The new Zeiss Ikon is really a nice camera. In addition to a full-fledged review, I'm also going to do an ongoing update (I guess a blog) to talk about my experiences with the camera and my thoughts and opinions as they go on.
As you know, once the excitement wears off, you can really take a harder look at it and think about its strengths, its weaknesses and what you like and what you'd like to see be improved.
I already have a lot of thoughts -- some are even useful. :)
Oh yes, I sort of remember. I think my original point was that the Yashica/Kyocera cameras weren't Zeiss products. They were Kyocera products. I think that's the only point I was trying to make, but I got off on a tangent.
that's not completely thrue. I know for example that the RTS 3 was engineerd in conjunction with the people in Germany (Carl Zeiss).
Lars Menzel
11-13-2005, 07:31
Hello
I've got my pictures from the photo lab.
All pictures are taken with Zeiss Ikon and 2/50 ZM Planar and are scanned by lab
You will see that we have misty wether condition in Dresden and I have shot the roll in 30min to get it developed in this week.
ok then go to my gallery and I am curious to know your opinion about it.
greetings
Lars
ZeissFan
11-13-2005, 10:40
that's not completely thrue. I know for example that the RTS 3 was engineerd in conjunction with the people in Germany (Carl Zeiss).
I have no reason to doubt you on this. However, they were not sold as Zeiss products. That simply was my original point, which was this is a new arena for Carl Zeiss -- as camera maker.
Flyfisher Tom
11-13-2005, 10:55
All pictures are taken with Zeiss Ikon and 2/50 ZM Planar and are scanned by lab
I am curious to know your opinion about it.
Lars
Lars,
Nice shots, thanks for sharing. I am impressed with the tonality and OOF signature of shots 3 and 5 in particular. Has a very pleasing smooth bokeh.
I use a late 50/cron and happen to be very fond of its bokeh. If you can give some insights into how the Planar compares to the cron, I'd be most interested.
So far, I'm impressed. But I probably won't be buying a planar anytime soon unless I'm convinced that it can do something my 50/cron can't do.
Thanks again, Tom
Sadimmock
11-14-2005, 04:17
You do know who Zeissfan is? The new camera is from Carl Zeiss AG and is named the Zeiss Ikon. That is not the same as a camera from the company Zeiss Ikon named Contax. Carl Zeiss is not traditionally a camera maker and has put its name now on exactly three models of camera, the last a long time ago!
Anyhow, lets see some &*(&%# photos man!
I am, by no stretch of the imagination, an expert in these matters but I believe that very late Contarex's were also badged as Carl Zeiss products (they were assembled from parts left over when Zeiss Ikon was dissolved). Also the camera's that we use on some of our Zeiss microscopes are also badged Carl Zeiss (although that's being pedantic to the extreme :D )
ZeissFan
11-15-2005, 16:07
that was a bit of a different situation in which carl zeiss ag was finishing cameras to sell off leftover inventory. it wasn't zeiss's original intent to be making contarexes, although i agree that's how things concluded.
again, i'm talking about zeiss formally entering the market as a camera maker.
sorry about no caps. i'm wearing gloves.
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