The return of Zeiss in Medium Format.

[Bo Dez]

To me it's almost criminal that we have no current Zeiss Medium Format option.

Lenses like the Hasselblad 110mm f2 planar, most of the original Zeiss Blad lenses for that matter, the Contax 80mm f2 are in my opinion undeniably stunning, beautiful and legendary lenses, something that deserve and, demand a place in our gear bags. I find both the HC Blad and Phase One Schneider lenses indistinct and boring and sadly I see no future for Zeiss in Medium Format. I find it very hard to believe I am the only one who wants Zeiss back in Medium Format. I wish we could see a rebirth of Contax 645, the original Blads, resigned for the modern age. Though alas, I am left to dream and mourn.

Does anyone else here share my opinion?

[rolleiflexpages]

I see what you mean and while Zeiss certainly has/had some excellent glas, I tend to find the Schneider-Kreuznach lenses on Rolleiflex of a more modern construction and ahead of the Zeiss ones for Rolleiflex. I am talking about the Schneider-Kreuznach lenses made in Germany for Rolleiflex 6000/Hy6 mount. That said, DHW has reintroduced several Zeiss construction lenses under their own "Apogon" name (same optical calculation as Zeiss but avoiding the Zeiss name licensing fee).

[eronald]

I see what you mean and while Zeiss certainly has/had some excellent glas, I tend to find the Schneider-Kreuznach lenses on Rolleiflex of a more modern construction and ahead of the Zeiss ones for Rolleiflex. I am talking about the Schneider-Kreuznach lenses made in Germany for Rolleiflex 6000/Hy6 mount. That said, DHW has reintroduced several Zeiss construction lenses under their own "Apogon" name (same optical calculation as Zeiss but avoiding the Zeiss name licensing fee).

I think much of the Zeiss quality has to do (historically) with their coatings.
As I remember it, the Planar design was actually computed prior to the Tessar, but only fabricated later when better coatings appeared.

Edmund

[Hank Keeton]

I use all of my CF-CFI glass with a Leaf Aptus back (on Hassy-V)...and some outstanding Schneider & Rodenstock glass as well (on a Sinar P-2).

 I think the internal shutter (wind-mechanism) for the CF-CFI led some folks astray.......wandering into other lens-lines.

The Zeiss is hard to beat, one-on-one.......and it's more than just coatings!

[Telecaster]

I think much of the Zeiss quality has to do (historically) with their coatings.
As I remember it, the Planar design was actually computed prior to the Tessar, but only fabricated later when better coatings appeared.

Yep, the Planar design was around for 50+ years before coating technology caught up with it. If I remember right an 80mm Planar for the Rolleiflex TLR was tested in the 1930s but scrapped due to flare & ghosting issues.

-Dave-

[Chris Barrett]

I've recently started using CFi/e lenses on my A7r.  I've got the 40,50,60 & 80.  I tested them against my Schneider and Rodenstock digital lenses before making the transition and was quite pleased with their performance.  I'm loving how the retrofocus designs make LCCs a thing of the past.

CB

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi BC,

Used Hasselblad lenses come quite cheap. CFE and CFi are a bit more expensive, CFE have electronic bus for FE cameras, CFi is improved in some sense over CF-generation.

I guess that I paid an average of 800$ for my 6 lenses. I will also add HCam/Mirex T&S adapter and a 24/3.5 T&S lens to my Sony A7rII. So my setup will have some similarity with CB's.

Personally, I don't see a lot of difference in rendition between my Hasselblad/Zeiss/P45+ and Sony/Minolta lenses, but I don't have a lot head on comparisons. P45+ has better resolution than the 24MP Sony Alpha 99. When the A7rII, we will see…

CB has a great point on the Hasselblad lenses reducing the need of LCC.

A small point. The Zeiss 120/4 APO Macro is a very different design from the Hasselblad 120/4 lens. It is a truly modern lens.
Best regards
Erik

CB

Love it.

You make me look sane, (which is damn hard to do).

Your the only cat I know (actually not true but  . . .) that would take a $2,700 camera and start building lens sets that will probably total $30,000.

Shoot if only you could get Cooke to design you some bigger glass.

IMO

BC

[hasselbladfan]

They are indeed legendary lenses. It would be nice to see how they perform on the new CFV 50c.

Anyone experience on this yet?

[jng]

I guess that I paid an average of 800$ for my 6 lenses.
Erik

That's been my experience as well for the excellent samples of CF lenses I've picked up recently (50 FLE, 100, 120, 180) once I factor in the CLA/shutter overhauls that a few of them required. Getting back to the OP's point, they all render beautiful images on my Hassy V-mount 60 Mp P1 back. Ditto for my 150 C T* (bought new in 1976!) and SWC/M 38mm Biogon, although the latter requires stopping down to f/16 to pull the corners in sharp and application of LCC in Capture 1 (which is no big deal). Suffice it to say that for landscape and still life, I've been thoroughly enjoying making images with my "back to the future" Zeiss/Hasselblad/P1 medium format kit.

John

[Iluvmycam]

OP, don't care. To me it is criminal there are no 6 mp FF backs for the old film Hassy's that are in the $2500 range.

[alatreille]

Hi Chris,

When you've gotten really familiar with the set up, could you let us know how they go on extreme shifts?
I'm interested to know as a comparision to the Pentax 645 lenses I use in a similiar fashion.

I've never shot any of these lenses, but I'd be interested to find out how they compare to the P645 ones which I really like.

Cheers

Andrew

[Chris Barrett]

Right away they allow more movements than my Schneiders and Rodenstocks.  This seems to be largely because they focus further from the chip, and so the cavity of the camera body cuts off the image more slowly.

I haven't seen any issues at all with sharpness at 36mp, we'll have to see how they fare on the A7r II.

Coots, I only spent $8k on 'em and looked for the nicest ones I could find 

CB

[JoeKitchen]

Right away they allow more movements than my Schneiders and Rodenstocks.  This seems to be largely because they focus further from the chip, and so the cavity of the camera body cuts off the image more slowly.

I haven't seen any issues at all with sharpness at 36mp, we'll have to see how they fare on the A7r II.

Coots, I only spent $8k on 'em and looked for the nicest ones I could find 

CB

On the Sony, is the sensor beneath the mount? 

I ask because I assume if this was the case, after enough movements eventually the mount would shadow the sensor.  Or is it only slightly below the mount, and/or the distance the lenses are from the sensor make up for it?   

[fredjeang2]

...there must be some 40k Angi or Cooke waiting for the CB Epic and those 4k + (pronunce pluussss) Fujinon are awesome

It's funny. We all have tics. That makes characters friendly
Because predictible.
CB is chassing the ultimate peice of glass, the one that
Will put an end to the search because you know you arrived,
There is nothing more above.
Me? I'm chassing the ultimate all-in-one nle-color app-compositing-coffeemaker,
Same story.
Or Coot, with his tic to stick into a painfull-rusty-oftheeonage-fcp7 he should have recycled centuries ago,
Just because, hey, those current refine technologies are for the pansy northens.

Yeah, Laird Hamilton also thought he reached the ultimate when
He did Teahupoo...
We will not change. Let's spend the bloody money like water to buy our toys.

[alatreille]

Why don't we have a 'like' button?

You can afford it since the camera cost less than a sandwich at whole foods.
IMO

BC

[uaiomex]

+1

Why don't we have a 'like' button?

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi BC,

Well, I thought that the main idea was making pictures and not spending money.

In many cases, you get what you have paid for. For instance, lenses are not easy to make and it takes a lot of expensive glass and precision in mounting to achieve an excellent large aperture lens. Using leaf gold on the camera would probably not make it a better picture taking device, however.

Getting back to lenses:

The Zeiss Distagon 25/2.0 costs 4500$ as a compact prime: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/895041-REG/zeiss_1875_600_cp_2_25mm_t2_1_compact.html

But only 1499 in Nikon mount: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?N=10839986&InitialSearch=yes&sts=pi

I am not saying that the CompactPrime is overpriced, just that having a different mount, higher precision calibrated aperture and perhaps an individual MTF test is making lenses much more expensive, although optical formulation is same. Obviously, requirement for video are very different from stills.

Best regards
Erik

OK, I don't want to see ANY tests until you drop 8k more on have them re-barreled and stamped Barretblad (gold leaf is fine).

Then I'll look at the test.

Come on.  Spend some money fella. You can afford it since the camera cost less than a sandwich at whole foods.


IMO

BC

[fredjeang2]

Right away they allow more movements than my Schneiders and Rodenstocks.  This seems to be largely because they focus further from the chip, and so the cavity of the camera body cuts off the image more slowly.

I haven't seen any issues at all with sharpness at 36mp, we'll have to see how they fare on the A7r II.

Coots, I only spent $8k on 'em and looked for the nicest ones I could find 

CB

By the way Chris, it's been ages since I didn't step a still photography forum room, and went to visit your site recently: really great Works indeed. I think that you made a huge step to full artistic maturity. 

[paratom]

Arent there several Zeiss lenses for the Hassy HC system?
Also you can use the Zeiss V lenses on a Hasselblad body with cv16/50 back, or with a cf39.
Also you can use several Zeiss lenses on Hy6 system, and you can use them on the Leica S2/S cameras.
On the other side: I loved the 110/2.0 an the Hy6 and I still own one with an adapter for the S2, but the Leica 100 and 120 impress me so much that I dont use/need the 110 any more.

[william]

On the other side: I loved the 110/2.0 an the Hy6 and I still own one with an adapter for the S2...

Since when is there an adapter to use Rollei/Hy6 lenses on the Leica S2?  That's news to me!