Any sign of the new Zeiss 21/4.5 lens?

[Joe S]

Has anyone purchased or even heard when the Zeiss 21mm/4.5 lens will be available and who will have them for sale?

[dseelig]

I heard it will not boe out till June David

[Joe S]

Well that is only 2 weeks off. I hope they are making a bunch of them as I expect it to be a popular item.

[wlaidlaw]

Originally Posted by Joe S

Well that is only 2 weeks off. I hope they are making a bunch of them as I expect it to be a popular item.

I would wait a few weeks for the Japanese market price to drop a bit. If it is as good as the Biogon 21/2.8 I have, it will be a very good lens. A few weeks ago, I would have said "why bother - get the 2.8." Now having been using a collapsible f2.8 Elmar-M 50, I understand the attraction of a tiny but slightly slower lens.

Wilson

[rvaubel]

Originally Posted by wlaidlaw

......... If it is as good as the Biogon 21/2.8 I have, it will be a very good lens. A few weeks ago, I would have said "why bother - get the 2.8." Now having been using a collapsible f2.8 Elmar-M 50, I understand the attraction of a tiny but slightly slower lens.

Wilson

My sentiments exactly. The more I use the tiny little VC and 50's symmetrical lenses, the more I value their size. After a while, the extra F stop of a much larger lens starts to look less attractive

Rex

[sean_reid]

Originally Posted by Joe S

Has anyone purchased or even heard when the Zeiss 21mm/4.5 lens will be available and who will have them for sale?

I did a full review of it a few months ago (part of the 21 mm RF Lenses article). It's an excellent little lens in virtually all respects.

Cheers,

[Joe S]

It was your review, Sean, that finalized this lens on my list. Any idea what the street price will settle out to be?

[sean_reid]

Originally Posted by Joe S

It was your review, Sean, that finalized this lens on my list. Any idea what the street price will settle out to be?

I don't blame you, its a very appealing lens. I don't yet know what the price will be.

Cheers,

Sean

[wlaidlaw]

Originally Posted by Joe S

It was your review, Sean, that finalized this lens on my list. Any idea what the street price will settle out to be?

Joe,

The list price was on the Zeiss online store but I don't know if it has been taken off along with the Sonnar 85, now that both have been delayed.

Wilson

[wattsy]

Robert White are quoting GBP 597 excluding VAT.

[stunsworth]

Ffordes - ffordes photographic : Main Index - have an ex-demo 85mm Sonnar in their used section for £1675

[wlaidlaw]

I paid less than GBP 597 for my 21/2.8 - new.

The 85 Sonnar must, I think, be one of the early versions which were withdrawn for redesign. I understand they had odd characteristics. The 90mm f2.8 Sonnar G was an odd lens too. It would go from in focus very suddenly to OOF, which was very muzzy. The G2's auto-focus struggled to cope. I never liked mine very much. In comparison, the 85mm f1.4 Planar I had for my Contax SLR's, was a wonderful lens.

Wilson

[sdai]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

Ffordes - ffordes photographic : Main Index - have an ex-demo 85mm Sonnar in their used section for £1675

Zeiss has always denied that there were some 85 ZMs slipping out the door ... one of my friends has seen one in Nagoya, it stayed in the shop very long till it was gone.