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Author Topic: Nikon-Zeiss  (Read 15387 times)

BernardLanguillier

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Nikon-Zeiss
« Reply #20 on: January 02, 2006, 05:51:17 pm »

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Form Zeiss's point of view, Nikon is already "FF", as in 35mm Film Format: Zeiss's camer and lens division is a 20th century style operation, about to release some 20th century style, manual focus lenses for 20th century style, manual focusing, 35mm film using photographers.

I repeat, ALL cameras appearing in the leaked photos are Nikon 35mm film cameras: an F6 and and F3m. Not even a Kodak 14/n in sight!
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You might be right, future will tell.

There are indeed probably many nostalgic elderly Nikon owners who have no interest in digital, but want to buy something new anyway. There might be a market there, similar to the market for the Leica M series cameras.

I don't believe that such Zeiss lenses would deliver any actual benefits compared to their Nikon counterparts when used on film bodies, but the move from Zeiss might indeed not be driven by technology, but only by business.

Regards,
Bernard

jani

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Nikon-Zeiss
« Reply #21 on: January 18, 2006, 10:07:12 am »

Well, it's official, the ZF lenses for Nikon F mount are coming.

They make a point out of all ZF lenses supporting "full frame" format. They are manual focus, fixed focal length.

First out are the 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4.

But there's more! There's a ZS lens system, too, using the M-42 mount:

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CLN: Canon users would love to be able to use Zeiss lenses, too!
Müller: …and they keep telling us day-in day-out. So along with the ZF line, we are also introducing "ZS" lenses. Carl Zeiss ZS lenses come with the same optics as the ZF line; only the mount is different. ZS has the M-42 screw mount, the one that used to be called the "Universal SLR mount." We don't think the M-42 screw mount is going to take the market by storm, but it has a unique advantage: there are M-42 adapters available for any SLR bayonet mounts, including Canon EOS and FD. So you can adapt a ZS lens onto any 35 mm SLRs (and many other applications as well) if you crave the optical characteristics of this lens line and are willing to get along without the convenience functions of recent lenses.
(www.zeiss.de)
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Jan

gryffyn

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Nikon-Zeiss
« Reply #22 on: January 18, 2006, 11:35:22 am »

I think that Nikon put Zeiss up to this, in order to give us Nikonians something to crow about, after having to take a back seat to Canonites FF sensors and higher megapixel counts.

So Nikonians can now say "Nah, Nah....we have Zeiss lenses and you don't"!

<wide grins>

On a more serious note, I see this as a good thing. Zeiss is known for making some of the best lenses in the world, bar none.  But they need a platform for that glass. It would be a shame if Zeiss left the market, like so many other manufacturers are doing due to the rapid changes in the photographic market.  So from that perspective it's a good piece of news.  

Personally, doesn't interest or affect me that much.  I like high end zooms for their convenience and the quality of the pro-level zooms is pretty close to that of primes.  For all but the nitpickiest of pixel peepers, there is no effective difference.  And I am not about to give up my vibration reduction (VR/IS) and silent-wave high speed autofocus (AFS) capabilities just so that I can brag that I have a Zeiss on my rig.

And I can say "Nah, Nah....you have to use an adapter and we don't...Nah, Nah!", until Nikon announces their 53.1mp OF (oversize frame) model this Fall. ;-)
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.....Andrzej

macgyver

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Nikon-Zeiss
« Reply #23 on: January 18, 2006, 12:59:39 pm »

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Personally, doesn't interest or affect me that much.  I like high end zooms for their convenience and the quality of the pro-level zooms is pretty close to that of primes.  For all but the nitpickiest of pixel peepers, there is no effective difference.  And I am not about to give up my vibration reduction (VR/IS) and silent-wave high speed autofocus (AFS) capabilities just so that I can brag that I have a Zeiss on my rig.
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I agree.
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BJL

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Nikon-Zeiss
« Reply #24 on: January 18, 2006, 05:57:23 pm »

Any thought of Nikon involvement or collaboration is gone now; just days before Zeiss makes the final announcement on these manual focus 35mm format lenses in Nikon F mount, with the FM3N featured in the banner photo on their web page, Nikon announced the end of production of five of their six remaining 35mm format cameras, including their last manual focus body, that FM3N. The Cosina made manual focus FM10 student camera might stil be offered in some markets (not Europe), but that hardly seems a match for these Zeiss lenses, even though Cosina also makes the lenses.

An interview at the Nikon site makes it very clear what they have in mind: continuing the line of lenses for the discontinued Contax RTS (not even the more recent auto-focus Zeiss/Contax lenses). Apart from camera traditionalists, there is apparently considerable use of Nikon F-mount lenses in various scientific and technical work; I suppose the purely mechanical operation of the basic MF version of the F-mount is preferred to systems that rely on electronic lens-body communications.
« Last Edit: January 19, 2006, 10:42:57 pm by BJL »
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johnvr

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Nikon-Zeiss
« Reply #25 on: January 18, 2006, 06:10:40 pm »

I'm actually saddened by this news. It decreases the likelihood that the Contax brand and look-and-feel will re-emerge. I loved my Zeiss lenses on the various Contax cameras I used to own, but I also liked the way those cameras themselves handled and preferred them over Nikon or Canon.
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Gabe

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Nikon-Zeiss
« Reply #26 on: January 22, 2006, 05:14:53 am »

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According to most reviews that I have seen the Nikon 17-35 F2.8 lens is reckoned to match or exceed the corresponding Nikon primes, though performance is said to drop as you approach the point of close focus.

I own that lens, and while it isn't quite a prime, it's stunning none the less. It's actually my favourite lens. Extremely versatile and wickedly sharp.

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It is always possible that Zeiss have outsourced manufacturing to China, in which case the lenses will be price competitive with Nikon. But I doubt that as Zeiss tend to go for the high end of the market.

According to this interview, the lenses will be produced in Japan in order to keep the costs reasonable.



Not thrilled that they appear to be MF, but curious all the same,

Gabe






EDIT - Also wanted to say that "Let Biogons be Biogons" has to be one of the silliest forum alias' ever! Very funny
« Last Edit: January 22, 2006, 07:09:00 am by Gabe »
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