News from Zeiss on Wednesday

[fotografz]

You can access the pages if you click on the links in your e-mail notification. It doesn't seem to work here.

I see what looks like the top of a F-6 poking it's head up on one of the pages. and the word "Hochleistungsobjektive" = High Performance Lens. The lenses must be full 35mm F mount versions of C/Y lenses huh?.

But, man-o-man, if the Zeiss F lenses are AF, Nikon will have a Canon Killer on it's hands. Even if they are Manual but retain all auto-diaphram functions it will be a real consideration.

Anyone know if the F-6 retains focus confirmation when using a manual focus lens on it?

 

[jsmisc]

Thanks Ken,
I tried that and I got it to work.
I suppose it's good news if you are a Nikon (MF only ?) user.
John

 

[jsmisc]

If it is Nikon producing new digital cameras to match with CZ lenses presumably new AF ones, that would be exciting.
John

 

[roberto1]

> [When they say F mount they don't say anything as AIS mount. Maybe it's the same issue as with ZM lenses: The patent life is over and anybody can make and use this mount. Don't know if they will be manufactured by Cosina or Nikon. I would go for Cosina -as they already are a Zeiss partner and have the toolings and rights- and just arranging another partner in 6 months does not make sense. But then, why are they picturing a F6 and an old Nikon F series?

Does Nikon have something to say here? It's kind of intellectual property and I guess Nikon will have given his permission.

I think this is kinda stopgap measure. They will see how the lenses sell and, if everything goes ok, maybe we'll see some kind of S3 with Nikon mount...

And don't forget that Cosina, apart fron FX-3, also produced the S2, the Nikon FM10 and the Vivitar, this last one with Pentax K, and that there are some Yashica FX3 Chinese clones out there with the nikon f mount...

Nikon FM3a, hybrid shutter, with Titanium cover, F-mount and the Contax or Zeiss name on it, and Zeiss top cover styling? YUM YUM! I want one, now!

Regards Robert] >

 

[dirk]

Hey guys,

I want to manage the expectations here. The new ZF lenses for Nikon mount will be manual focus lenses.

Basically like the old Nikkor AI lenses. So the metering will work the same way like Nikkor AI lenses on specific Nikon bodies, which has limitations for specific Nikon bodies.

The Nikon D70/D70s for ex&le do not really work well with AI lenses. The D2x and D200 are different.

Sorry, but I am not allowed to say anything more specific. We have to wait until Zeiss is disclosing all the details.

Thank you for your understanding

 

[albert4321]

D2x/D200 with Zeiss lens?

This combo would not interest me neither. Manual focus is okay, but I won't spend that kind of money for the 1.5x chip system.

 

[leeming]

New lenses, Nikon mount, manual... man this is the worst I expected. New lenses to suck some more blood out of Zeiss supporters, and manual configuration means Nikon can keep their own lenses safe from Zeiss competition. I say Zeiss just landed them self a humiliated deal. Nikon wins, Zeiss makes living, and I'm losing my pants off.

 

[wang]

It is just like last year when they introduce Zeiss Ikon. They like to keep us waiting by announcing dates of announcements. This time it becomes 28 December 2005.

I don't mind waiting. I can see why they choose F mount. It was just like last year they chose Leica M mount. The Contax line has to remain silent, well, at least for a couple of years until the contract with Kyocera has finished. They have to look for a mount with long history and has passed its patency. Nikon F is the choice.

 

[wang]

I am just reading about Nikon F history, it could be the first camera with 21mm to 1000mm from day 1, first camera with mirror lock up, first camera with 100% view. It took over the sale from Leica M and Leica never recovered completely.

http://www.cameraquest.com/fhistory.htm

Zeiss wishs to play a serious role in classic cameras. She first introduced Zeiss Ikon last year, now she wish to revive the Nikon F.

Looking to the past, I ask myself if there is a camera body from Kyocera Contax as durable and collectable as Nikon F. The answer could be no. S2 is just too small. RTSIII is a very complicated camera, its service now is in serious question.

For autofocus digital systems, I think Zeiss will leave it to Sony to compete with the other giants. Four years ago she made a great 5 million pixel camera, two years ago 8 million, this year it is 10 million. Although Canon has always played a dominant role in this game, she certainly can certainly feel the approaching threat from Sony.

Few years ago, Sony produced a noisy sensor. However, despite the fact that it was noisy, it gave more punch than the Canon counterpart. Canon can produce a crisp clear image, but it feels less contrasty and less dimensional than Sonys. This was the reason why I sold my Canon.

Sony is full of fundamental innovative ideas. The new R1 has the Zoom lens in close distance with the sensor, it could be even closer than my Zeiss M 24mm 2.8 to the film. The LCD monitor can move in all sort of angles. It also lights up automatically when you move your eyes away from the viewfinder, and switch off when the eye move the other direction. The placement of the flash is also innovative. The new R1 becomes more stable to hold when you put up the external flash.

The invention of digital sensors is the central part of Canon development. I consider partial framming as a negative development in the history of photography, althoough it might help the companies to earn a large part of the market.

I do believe Sony will win one day over the sale of digital cameras.

 

[dirk]

Hi Ming Lee,

I disagree. If you use for ex&le a Nikon F100 or F6, you can use the AI lenses also with the internal light meter. So this would make a Nikon F100 and F6 an serious alternative for a Contax RX for ex&le.

Regarding the DSLRs, there are differences depending on the body. The D2x and D200 for ex&le work also with AI lenses for Spot and Centerweighted metering. Matrix I am not sure.

We have already the first D200 users in our German Nikon Forum and they are all blown away from that camera, just judging from the first shots they made.

Look here (7MB Jpeg file):
http://www.modelshootings.de/testD200/jehef.jpg

The guy shot in RAW modus (NEF) and just tranformed it into Jpeg with the Nikon software. a little bit sharpening, no other correction.

Lens was the Nikkor 85/1.8D AF

Exif Data in the image or in this thread in the exif sheet:
http://www.nikoninfo.de/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?6/87007

Now imagine this with Zeiss lenses

I expect that Zeiss will try to use 2006 and especially Photokina in autum 2006 to get back on the "front seats". They can not afford to sit and wait, which is good for the costumers

So hopefully, we will hear & see even more exciting news in 2006...