Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/10/06

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Subject: [Leica] Zeiss Normal 50mm f/2 Planar T* ZM
From: wendythurman at gmail.com (Wendy Thurman)
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 17:26:05 +0500
References: <ee8fa51c0910060215j290a421foda64394ccc5decbd@mail.gmail.com> <C6F08D48.55FBB%mark@rabinergroup.com> <ee8fa51c0910060406w62db29cdt2898f91746c90d1a@mail.gmail.com>

Marty-

Here's the listing on B&H's site at $692:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/361551-REG/Zeiss_1365661_50mm_f_2_ZM_Lens.html

I think I got it right :)

Wendy

On Tue, Oct 6, 2009 at 4:06 PM, Marty Deveney <benedenia at gmail.com> wrote:

> Mark,
>
>  The cheapest $US price I can find is $876.  The Leica 50/2 is $1995
> and the 50/2.5 is $1295.  None of the Zeiss lenses are exactly
> "budget" lenses.  The Nikkor 50/1.8 that you have often sung praises
> of, that's a budget lens.  If you can direct me to the $600 ones I'll
> buy a pile and on-sell them.
>
> Have you tried a ZM 50/2?  Erwin says: "Now at last we have a lens
> that equals the Summicron-M 50mm and is even a trace better in the
> curvature of field area."
> http://www.imx.nl/photo/zeiss/zeiss/page65.html  I found the same to
> be true.  Its resistance to flare is much better.  I agree the
> mechanical construction is not as good as a Leica lens, or as good as
> the Konica Hexanon 50/2, which appears to me to be the best
> constructed modern 50/2 for M cameras (the seven-element Summicrons
> are the 'most built' ever, but they are all now approaching 50 and
> optical design, glass making and other factors have come a long way
> since then).
>
> The flare in this shot with the 50/2 Summicron:
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene/Russia/St_P_XXXV.jpg.html
> was what finally made me stop using my 50 Summicron.  It did it often.
>  In extended use the Zeiss didn't do that sort of thing:
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene/Randomness/File1101.jpg.html
> and neither did the Konica:
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene/Randomness/File1187.jpg.html
>
> Some day when we catch up, I will bring a big pile of prints, all
> three lenses (I still have them all) and a lens spanner so you can
> pull them apart and have a look at how you think they're constructed.
>
> Marty
>
>
>
> On Tue, Oct 6, 2009 at 8:29 PM, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com>
> wrote:
> >> It's optically better than the Leica 50/2: it doesn't flare and the
> >> formula has been tweaked.  Even Erwin puts says it is an improvement.
> >> Mechanically the ZM lenses aren't as sturdy as the Leica ones, but it
> >> seemed sturdy enough to me that it would survive just fine.
> >>
> >> The Summilux ASPH is another thing altogether.  It's the ultimate (in
> >> both senses of the word) fast (as opposed to superfast) 50.
> >>
> >> Marty
> >
> >
> > The ZM glasses are of a lesser quality.
> > The tolerances are lower.
> > Its a 600 dollar lens.
> > Leica lenses cost thousands.
> > They could be made for hundreds with cheaper glass. Lower tolerances.
> > No one would try to pawn them off as "better".
> >
> > Mark William Rabiner
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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
>


Replies: Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Zeiss Normal 50mm f/2 Planar T* ZM)
In reply to: Message from benedenia at gmail.com (Marty Deveney) ([Leica] Zeiss Normal 50mm f/2 Planar T* ZM)
Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Zeiss Normal 50mm f/2 Planar T* ZM)
Message from benedenia at gmail.com (Marty Deveney) ([Leica] Zeiss Normal 50mm f/2 Planar T* ZM)