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Zeiss Ikon for the camera or Zeiss Ikon for the lenses

mohican

Well-Known Member
I'm now seriously considering Zeiss Ikon as a system and just wanted to hear what you guys think about it in general. While we're all waiting to see some production Zeiss Ikon cameras (and not the "Limited" edition), I'm actually thinking that it might be a good idea to get ZM lenses, even if I end up not liking the camera that much.

The catch is - I don't have any M-mount rangefinders at the moment. So, to see whether I should get into it, I'm thinking perhaps I should buy a Rollei 35RF or Voigtlander Bessa R3A (or R2A) and Zeiss ZM Planar 50 f/2.0(how can one live without it?) and Zeiss ZM Biogon 35 f/2.0 and see what I can get with it? What do you guys think?

Or perhaps someone already tried the Zeiss Ikon or ZM lenses?

Thanks!
 
This is the first time I am using a lens with an angle as wide as 110 degrees. This is the first roll from my ZM15 2.8. Everythings become more dramatic.

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This lens is quite special in the way that it comes with a central filter with T*. This is the first time I see a T* coated filter for photographic instruments. Last time I saw this kind of T* filter was in a Zeiss surgical microscope.
 
I just ordered a chrome ZM 28/2.8 and hood for my chrome Leica MP3 LHSA. Leica doesn't make the 28/2 ASPH in a chrome version so I went with the Zeiss. I'll report back on it's performance after a trial roll.

That ZM 15mm better be good Joseph. It costs an arm and a leg.
 
Does the ZM15 worth an arm and a leg. Let's see.

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This is not a very interesting photos, but it could help us to see how good or how bad the lens is. The original file was a 227Mb (7920x5328) tiff file scanned by 5400 on Kodak gold 100. Photo taken by ZM15 at f8 with central graduated density filter. The scan was done without GEM and without ICE. You can see the upper margin of the negative.

459564.jpg


The 2nd photo is a direct crop ( about 800x800 ) from the original 227 MB file. Yes,it is grainy. It shows a good amount of details. The sky was the background and it has a very small margin of flare around it. The margin of flare looks quite even to me.

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The third photo showed details similar to the 2nd one.

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The 4th one is the right upper corner. It shows the "pull" of the lens. Acording to Zeiss, it has about 4% of distortion at this position. The resolution at this point is not as good as the earlier photos. The small part of the sky has a small blue margin at the outer edge.

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This is the last one and it showed similar degree of fringing as the 4th one.

I am quite pleased with the performance of this lens. With the central g. density filter it has good illuminations even at the corners. It has good resolution and contrast in most areas. Although you can see the distortion and resolution drop building up at the corners, this degree of reduced corner performance is quite acceptable for a lens with an angle of 110 degree.

I should think this lens performs better than N17-35 at 17mm. Would others agree with me ? Sorry about the grain and artefacts.
 
What's important about a lens like the 15mm isn't just the resolving power, which we all would expect to be decent given that it's a Zeiss wide angle.

Distortion control should be stellar for a range-finder type super-wide lens, especially one that is this expensive. Color fringing at the edges should be close to nonexistent also. Shots that have straight lines near the edge of the frame will be most revealing.

My ZM 28/2.8 Chrome arrived yesterday. Nicely made lens. We'll see how it stacks up against my Leica 28/2 ASPH. in practical everyday use. I've bet my hard earned money that it will do just fine.

This piece completes what I consider the perfect Range-finder kit. An all mechanical, non-battery dependent, super quiet camera, a sharp 28mm wide angle (that doesn't require a separate finder ), a stellar fast aperture 50mm, and a fast 90mm that is a more forgiving portrait lens than a razor sharp optic for shooting test patterns.

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OK, So you wish to see some straight lines. It just happened that I took one before your last posting. Straight enough ?


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Concerning the Leica, I suppose different people have different taste. I prefer ZM25 to ZM28. Yes, I agree that carrying an extra viewfinder could be something extra, but Zeiss viewfinder is something worth carrying. Zeiss 25/28 viewfinder has bigger and brighter view than Leica .58 view.


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Yes it's all personal preference and what you are using the equipment to achieve.

For my work, speed is of the essence. Capturing the "decisive moment" rangefinder style. Metering, focusing, framing all in one place at the same time. My primary use of the M is street photography and candid work at weddings and events.

The photo above while nice, doesn't demonstrate the 15mm correction of distortion. The use of superwides often involves lines of a building that are parallel to the frame edge. Whether there is barrel or pin cushion distortion is therefore a critical issue. I assume since this is a Zeiss, and a Zeiss wide angle at that, the distortion is minimal or non-existent.
 
If you are referring to me Joseph, I used to have a C/Y 28/2. I just sold it. I liked that lens a lot because it focused so close ... the subject could almost be touching the front lens element. Distortion was minimal and color rendition all Zeiss.

I have sold, or am in the process of selling, all of my C/Y, N, and 645 Zeiss lenses and cameras. Beautiful glass, but time marches on and I have a business to run.

Today I take delivery of a Hasselblad/Imacon H2/39 Digital kit, to go with all HC AF lenses from 35 to 350 ... and a CFV Imacon back for my 503CW for all my Zeiss CFE and CFi lenses from fisheye to 350 mm ... as well as the SWC.

This makes all systems optionally film or digital except the Leica M and Hasselblad 200 series gear. Hopefully Leica will make good on the promise of a Digital M by year's end.
 
Marc, it is quite hurting to see them go, especially like C-Y 28 2, C-Y 85 1.2. They are irreplacable stars.

I won an SWC a few days ago for USD2600. Here it is.

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It is the older version of 38mm CF as oppose to CFi. I brought this version because someone says the older version has better contrast whereas the current version has better corners.

Which version do you have ?
 
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