If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
Gordon Moat wrote:
Which would not be a bad move at all. The implied message for someone buying into the system is that you would be able to use the same lenses in the future on a direct digital camera. With Epson already offering one, and Leica stated to be developing a digital M body, it looks like Zeiss is well prepared for future products. And where does all this leave Contax, and the Carl Zeiss lens manufacturing plant in Japan? |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
TP wrote:
Perhaps the only possible explanation is that Carl Zeiss believe that Contax has no future ... I think you're over-dramatizing. They want to sell a few lenses with an M-mount. They know that the lenses alone won't remotely gain the attention they get by offering a complete system including a camera body. So, they're having Cosina make yet another customized version of their Bessa line of rangefinder cameras. Cranking up the R&D machine at Kyocera's would have been total overkill. And, mind you, for anyone with a minimum of sense for the history of German cameras and their makers, a Contax with an M-mount would have been more than a trifle odd. Ralf -- Ralf R. Radermacher - DL9KCG - Köln/Cologne, Germany private homepage: http://www.fotoralf.de manual cameras and photo galleries - updated April 29, 2004 Contarex - Kiev 60 - Horizon 202 - P6 mount lenses |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Hello Tony,
TP wrote: Gordon Moat wrote: Any way you look at this, these are really interesting products. The Zeiss 15 mm seems to immediately avoid an off angle light issue for a digital sensor, though it is much larger than their old 16 mm Hologon, or the Voigtländer 15 mm. Leica will still have faster lens choices at every matching focal length with the other lenses, though it seems like the prices might move some purchases to Zeiss. I wonder what will happen to Leica M sales when this system gets released to the public. The big question is: Why has Carl Zeiss abandoned Kyocera Yashica (Contax)? Given the close and long enduring relationship between Carl Zeiss and Kyocera Yashica, and the existence of ranges of Japanese-made Carl Zeiss lenses for Contax 35mm medium format SLRs and the G Series point-and-shoot autofocus compact cameras, why on earth would Carl Zeiss turn to Cosina? There is no particular mystique to designing a 35mm rangefinder camera, and Yashica made some fine rangefinder cameras, so why didn't Carl Zeiss collaborate with their long term partners at Kyocera's Contax division? I really wonder about that. With all the fans of the G2, it would have seemed easy to name this new camera a G3. However, the move they have made does more to strengthen the Zeiss brand name. This type of branding move is currently a popular direction in Germany, and not at all a bad idea. Perhaps the only possible explanation is that Carl Zeiss believe that Contax has no future ... I hope that is not the situation, though I wonder if the agreement with Kyocera / Yashica is in good condition. I was also surprised to see Zeiss Ikon's choice of distributors in the UK and USA - Hasselblad UK and Hasselblad USA. We live in exciting times. ;-) These are luxury products, even while being less than Leica products in price. Partnering with Hasselblad, and using their dealer network, makes perfect sense. Ciao! Gordon Moat A G Studio http://www.allgstudio.com |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
TP wrote:
Gordon Moat wrote: Zeiss also state that the new lenses (except the 21 mm) will be built in Oberkochen. Even if you dismiss the new camera body, can you also dismiss the lenses? Gordon, There is an inconsistency here. The statement about making lenses in Oberkochen relates only to the 15mm and 85mm lenses: Yeah, someone else pointed that out . . . it was just a little confusing on the first reading. Either way, these look to be some nice lenses. Ciao! Gordon Moat A G Studio http://www.allgstudio.com |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
TP wrote:
Gordon Moat wrote: Which would not be a bad move at all. The implied message for someone buying into the system is that you would be able to use the same lenses in the future on a direct digital camera. With Epson already offering one, and Leica stated to be developing a digital M body, it looks like Zeiss is well prepared for future products. And where does all this leave Contax, and the Carl Zeiss lens manufacturing plant in Japan? Maybe just SLR systems, like the 645, and the various 35 mm choices. I guess we should wonder if the G2 will be discontinued. However, as the only autofocus rangefinder, and some cult following, it might continue. Ciao! Gordon Moat A G Studio http://www.allgstudio.com |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
TP wrote:
Gordon Moat wrote: Which would not be a bad move at all. The implied message for someone buying into the system is that you would be able to use the same lenses in the future on a direct digital camera. With Epson already offering one, and Leica stated to be developing a digital M body, it looks like Zeiss is well prepared for future products. And where does all this leave Contax, and the Carl Zeiss lens manufacturing plant in Japan? Maybe just SLR systems, like the 645, and the various 35 mm choices. I guess we should wonder if the G2 will be discontinued. However, as the only autofocus rangefinder, and some cult following, it might continue. Ciao! Gordon Moat A G Studio http://www.allgstudio.com |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
TP writes:
Given the close and long enduring relationship between Carl Zeiss and Kyocera Yashica, and the existence of ranges of Japanese-made Carl Zeiss lenses for Contax 35mm medium format SLRs and the G Series point-and-shoot autofocus compact cameras, why on earth would Carl Zeiss turn to Cosina? There is no particular mystique to designing a 35mm rangefinder camera, and Yashica made some fine rangefinder cameras, so why didn't Carl Zeiss collaborate with their long term partners at Kyocera's Contax division? Time to market would have been much longer - after all Cosina has been designing manufacturing M bodys and lenses for some time now, and might even use some existing production equipment for the new camera and lenses. OTOH, I would not have thought that time to market would be an important criterium for this kind of product. Regards, Chris -- Bokeh test images: http://www.bokeh.de/en/bokeh_images.html |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
New Zeiss Ikon camera system | grandguru | 35mm Photo Equipment | 113 | October 11th 04 12:30 AM |
Linhof Technica back movements | Mark Baylin | Large Format Photography Equipment | 32 | August 19th 04 03:09 PM |
X-sync on Old Zeiss Ikon | Peter | Medium Format Photography Equipment | 3 | June 30th 04 01:34 AM |
Zeiss Ikon 517/16 information needed | m II | Medium Format Photography Equipment | 4 | March 18th 04 08:25 AM |
Film holders for Graflok back for Nikon Multiphot | Edwin Barkdoll | Large Format Photography Equipment | 0 | March 9th 04 02:07 AM |