Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/02/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark, Well all I can say is the copy they had on display at Photokina this past year felt cheap and poorly constructed in my opinion. ?I was seriously disappointed as their reputation had me ready to see a top notch lens with all the positive press and reviews I had read. ?As to Jet Lag, not an issue as I had been in Germany for over a month at the time. ?Now the Nikon mount Zeiss lenses were of far better construction in my opinion, and definitely felt like a Zeiss quality level lens. ?Also, they did have the ?ZM 85mm lens that I looked at, and it did have better build quality. ?And it was the Zeiss booth as it was right next to the Leica booth. ?I suppose the copy they had at the show was a well worn press test unit or possibly a pre-production unit they were using for show. ?Either way, in my opinion, it was not up to my expectations. Gene -------------- Original message from Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com>: -------------- > Gene you're the only one on the internet to use the term "cheap" in > relation > in any way to the Zeiss Distagon T* ZM 15mm f/2.8 lens a copy of which I'm > sure is sitting in a glass case in the Louvre; with invisible laser beams > all over the place. > My only thought of is that at Photokina you had jet lag. And funny > lighting. > Or you were in the Diana booth by mistake. > It's fit finish and results get nothing but glowing reports from all I can > google. > A large photo of it is here it looks like Zeiss Hasselblad or Zeiss > Contarex > to me. > http://www.luminous-landscape.com/images62/zm15-pic.jpg > http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/zeiss-m-mount.shtml > > The fact that a Cosina lens might not have such a great build and finish > does not bother me. I use nikon lenses which cost 99 bucks and feel like > Barbie accessories. The image quality is most all I care about. > I use a Nikon lens made by Cosina, the 45mm 2.8P and its finish is at par > with Nikon though its price would assure this. > > Cosina is an innovative company which gives Leica users added choices. > I'm glad they're around and use their stuff. > > My smart money is on the finish and build of a real Zeiss made in Germany > mount or lens or Garlic press over one made by Cosina. > > Read Herbert Keppler visits the factory in April 20006 and notice his > Tilley > hat: > > " Gone is the ryokan, replaced by a multistoried hotel. Gone, too, are the > Yashica, Olympus, and Chinon factories: to Asia or oblivion. But not > Cosina, > which remains one of the few camera and lensmakers, manufacturing > exclusively in Japan." > > " Kobayashi has gained something of a triumph with his 19?35mm f/3.5?4.5 > lens, sold under the Phoenix, Promaster, Ritz Quantaray, Tokina, Tamron, > and > Vivitar labels, all at the same time." > > http://www.popphoto.com/blogsandcolumns/2307/speaking-frankly-the-contrary-m > ind-of-hirofumi-kobayashi.html > > > > Mark William Rabiner > > > > > From: > > Reply-To: Leica Users Group > > Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:22:38 +0000 > > To: Leica Users Group > > Subject: Re: [Leica] New 18 mm lens > > > > > > > > Mark, > > > > > > That was not a complaint, just a bit of info as to the possible price > > difference. ? Personally, I have not been impressed by the Cosina Zeiss > > lenses, but that is just my impression. ?I took a close look at the > > Zeiss 15mm > > M mount lens at Photokina and thought that it was very cheaply made, > > which was > > a shock as it is supposed to be made by Zeiss in Germany. ?The others > > which > > are made by Cosina seem similar to me. ?I now others here own and have > > used > > the CZ lenses and think very highly of them. ?JMHO. > > > > > > Gene > > > > > > > > -------------- Original message from Mark Rabiner : > > -------------- > > > > > >> The reason a lot of photographers over the decades justified not using > >> Leica > >> was that reason; > >> The price of the German Mark. > >> They'd say your just paying for Economics. > >> > >> What your paying for are higher grade materials, Glass, metals and > >> plastics, > >> better design and lenses made in smaller amounts with all that comes > >> with > >> it, a main thing being quality control. > >> > >> But other than that, yea, Leica is just a waste of money. > >> > >> > >> Mark William Rabiner > >> > >> > >> > >>> From: > >>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group > >>> Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:20:13 +0000 > >>> To: Leica Users Group > >>> Subject: RE: [Leica] New 18 mm lens > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> The Zeiss lens is made by Cosina and in Japan. ?The Leica lens is made > >>> in > >>> Germany, which most likely accounts for the higher cost. > >>> > >>> > >>> Gene? -------------- Original message from "Frank Filippone" > >>> : -------------- > >>> > >>> > >>>> Maybe it is a change in marketing focus rather than a small sensor > >>>> issue..... Focusing the lens into the hands of the M8 users..... > >>>> > >>>> But still, I would prefer it say that it covers the 24x36 > >>>> format......( > >>>> because no M8 lives with me......) > >>>> > >>>> Competitively the Zeiss 18 is $1000 or so.... F4 ( as well), and is > >>>> small ( > >>>> I think). This lens is $3K or so..... > >>>> Is the Zeiss lens made in Japan by Cosina or is it a German lens? > >>>> How is > >>>> the build quality on the Zeiss? > >>>> > >>>> I wonder... if the M8 is only a smaller sensor, why introduce lenses > >>>> for > >>>> the > >>>> "old" (24x36) market....? > >>>> I just have to believe there is a M9 with full 24x36 sensor coming > >>>> soon....... or maybe an M10? M11? > >>>> > >>>> Frank Filippone > >>>> red735i@earthlink.net > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> I'm quite convinced it covers 24x36. > >>>> > >>>> a. Kaufmann said all their lenses would. > >>>> > >>>> b. It's very large for a lens that only covers the M8 format. > >>>> Remember, a lens that covers the same angle of view and has the same > >>>> speed and was also designed very recently (the 24/3.8) is a lot > >>>> smaller. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>> Leica Users Group. > >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Leica Users Group. > >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Leica Users Group. > >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information