[Leica] Zeiss Ikon Focus Shift

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Why do you need a long-term commitment? First off, with film use fading
faster than a print that hasn't been fixed, the market for film
equipment is going to be miniscule five years from now - and there will
be far more than enough used M lenses around to keep the diehard
aficionados in equipment. Second off, assuming for a moment that the
Zeiss offerings are even close to as good as Zeiss is claiming they'll
be, if they offer them for a year that's a year longer than not having
they available at all. I don't know about you, but in the 46 years I've
been involved with photography one way or another (starting at age 12) I
have NEVER had to send a lens for service. I buy them and use them.
Period. So I can't say I'd lose any sleep over Zeiss only offering this
stuff for a year - or for a month. Of course the body is another matter.


But again, we really don't know how good this stuff will or won't be. It
may, in fact, be the gussied up equivalent of the Cosina/Bessa
equipment, and then all of this angst will be moot. :-)

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Frank Filippone
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 1:18 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: RE: [Leica] Zeiss Ikon Focus Shift


Isn't this whole argument a moot point if Zeiss is not committed to the
program for the long term?

The worst thing that can happen is that Zeiss produces stunning lenses,
then, after the first year ( or whatever short time frame you wish to
insert
here) decides there are not enough 35mm users out there, and folds up
shop.

My concern is not the quality of the lenses ( 85 or 15) but rather the
long term commitment to the M lens lineup.  They have not offered a film
camera made in Germany since the Contax or Contarex or Contaflex ( I
forget which) ;They have lost Hasselblad ( well, in truth, Hasselblad
(or the market) decided that 6x6 was pass?, and went to digital; and to
be honest, the sales of film cameras is in fast decline. Some day a
young ( read that as Harvard MBA) will go to the boss and ask what all
the R+D is being spent on.. a declining market?  Then the accountants
will get into the fray, and the next thing you will see is the lack of
anything further for the M mount.

My prediction ( that no one asked for) :Get the lenses when you can...
they are not going to last long in production.  Argue about quality
lp/mm or any other techie stuff you wish to argue about later.

Frank Filippone
red735i@earthlink.net


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