wlaidlaw Posted July 17, 2007 Share #1 Posted July 17, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have found I have ended up not using my 21/2.8 Biogon a whole lot on the M8. Not that there is anything at all wrong with it and it takes fabulously sharp and contrasty photos on the M8 with astonishing depth of field. I did not use the 28 Biogon I had for my G2 a whole lot, which has the same EFOV as the 21 on the M8, so I suppose it is not a total surprise. The EFOV just does not suit my particular style of photography. I am thinking of selling it and getting an 18mm f4 Distagon instead. Does anyone know if this lens is rangefinder coupled or not. Amazingly Zeiss' website and their tech download for the lens does not say. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 17, 2007 Posted July 17, 2007 Hi wlaidlaw, Take a look here Change my 21/2.8 Biogon for a18/4 Distagon??. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
sdai Posted July 17, 2007 Share #2 Posted July 17, 2007 Does anyone know if this lens is rangefinder coupled or not. Amazingly Zeiss' website and their tech download for the lens does not say. Being a Distagon means it's a retrofocus design, so there's no rangefinder coupling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted July 17, 2007 Share #3 Posted July 17, 2007 Does Leica have retrofocus M lenses with rangefinder coupling? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdai Posted July 17, 2007 Share #4 Posted July 17, 2007 Leica surely has some retrofocus lenses which are rangefinder coupled, such as the 21 elmarit ... so what I've said isn't accurate and should only apply to the Distagons specifically. The Zeiss Ikon's rangefinder coupling and frame parallax compensation are automatic down to 0.7m and the Leica MP is down to about 0.65m, I'm not 100% sure what it is for the M8 but when lenses focus closer than these on the cameras then there is no further rangefinder coupling or parallax compensation. The Distagon 15 close focuses down to 0.3m and the Distagon 18 close focuses down to 0.5m so you know for sure they are not rangefinder coupled. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vieri Posted July 17, 2007 Share #5 Posted July 17, 2007 The Distagon 15 close focuses down to 0.3m and the Distagon 18 close focuses down to 0.5m so you know for sure they are not rangefinder coupled. The minimum close distance per se has nothing to do with a lens being rangefinder coupled or not - the Zeiss 25mm f2.8 focusses down to 0.5m and it definitely is rangefinder coupled; the only thing that happens is, when you pass 0.7m the rangefinder mechanism uncouples and you don't get to focus closer than 0.7m. This doesn't mean anything about the 15 or 18 Distagons, just the fact they focus closer than 0.7m has nothing to do with a lens being RF coupled or not. Hope this clarifies things a bit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share #6 Posted July 17, 2007 So to sum up - everyone is as much in the dark as I am as to whether the Distagon 18 couples or not. I would slightly plump for the fact that it does, as the literature on the Distagon 15 specifically says it is non-coupled against the 18 tech spec which is silent on the matter. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdai Posted July 17, 2007 Share #7 Posted July 17, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) The 25 ZM is a conventional rangefinder formula and its distance to the film plane equals to its stated focal length, and you can focus accurately just by looking at the distance scale on the lens barrel thus it can't be compared to the retrofocus designs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share #8 Posted July 17, 2007 Here is a pic of the back of the lens. That looks like a focus cam ramp to me - anyone agree? Wilson Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/29199-change-my-2128-biogon-for-a184-distagon/?do=findComment&comment=308392'>More sharing options...
johnfriar Posted July 17, 2007 Share #9 Posted July 17, 2007 Here is a pic of the back of the lens. That looks like a focus cam ramp to me - anyone agree? Wilson Hi Wilson, I thought the same until I looked at the 15mm -- has the same ramp. I've been thinking of getting the 21mm too but have resisted for fear of finding out what you've experienced...I like 21mm FOV in 35mm but not 28mm so much. I think the CV 15mm may have to fill that gap for me despite also not being rangefinder coupled. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted July 17, 2007 Share #10 Posted July 17, 2007 Wilsom, I think your money is burning a hole in your pocket. Looking through the Frankenfinder, the difference between 18mm and 21mm is not that great and I certainly wouldn't give up a stop of speed for just a slightly wider field of view. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted July 17, 2007 Share #11 Posted July 17, 2007 So to sum up - everyone is as much in the dark as I am as to whether the Distagon 18 couples or not. I would slightly plump for the fact that it does, as the literature on the Distagon 15 specifically says it is non-coupled against the 18 tech spec which is silent on the matter. Wilson Hi Wilson, I can find out. I'll post again when I hear back. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted July 17, 2007 Share #12 Posted July 17, 2007 Wilsom, I think your money is burning a hole in your pocket. Looking through the Frankenfinder, the difference between 18mm and 21mm is not that great and I certainly wouldn't give up a stop of speed for just a slightly wider field of view. Yes, but you're Mark and he's Wilson. His priorities may not be the same as yours. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted July 17, 2007 Share #13 Posted July 17, 2007 I am thinking of selling it and getting an 18mm f4 Distagon instead. Does anyone know if this lens is rangefinder coupled or not. Amazingly Zeiss' website and their tech download for the lens does not say. Wilson HI Wilson - I've just been looking at Robert White's website (http://www.robertwhite.co.uk), and they are pretty scrupulous about mentioning if a lens is NOT rangefinder coupled - no word here suggests very strongly that it is coupled. Give them a ring - they'll certainly know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted July 17, 2007 Share #14 Posted July 17, 2007 Being a Distagon means it's a retrofocus design, so there's no rangefinder coupling. Actually, AFAIK, it's a biogon, and not a distagon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdewitt Posted July 17, 2007 Share #15 Posted July 17, 2007 Has anyone heard about expected availability of the Zeiss 18/4? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlm Posted July 17, 2007 Share #16 Posted July 17, 2007 Wilson and John: that cutawy in the flange you are calling the "ramp" is only a clearance for the roller/link. what actuates the roller is a moveable sleeve around the lens, inside the flange. the sleeve advances toward or moves away from the body as you focus the lens, thus moving the roller/link, yad de dah de dah. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipotto Posted July 17, 2007 Share #17 Posted July 17, 2007 I don't believe it is coupled, although I too could not find a definitive answer on Zeiss's site. Although I found this in the 18/4 Distagon PDF: Because of its wide field angle and the need of an external viewfinder this lens is ideally combined with the Zeiss Ikon SW camera body. The Ikon SW body does not have a rangefinder, which in my opinion means that if the 18/4 was coupled, it would not be ideally combined with the Ikon SW. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnfriar Posted July 17, 2007 Share #18 Posted July 17, 2007 Actually, AFAIK, it's a biogon, and not a distagon Jono, it seems that Robert White hasn't been quite so scrupulous with it's naming...all other descriptions, including from Zeiss, refer to it as a Distagon. I have assumed that it is closely related to the Contax SLR 18mm/f4 Distagon design with a modern update. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnfriar Posted July 17, 2007 Share #19 Posted July 17, 2007 Wilson and John:that cutawy in the flange you are calling the "ramp" is only a clearance for the roller/link. what actuates the roller is a moveable sleeve around the lens, inside the flange. the sleeve advances toward or moves away from the body as you focus the lens, thus moving the roller/link, yad de dah de dah. Yes, you're quite right. Hence the need for it whether the lens is coupled or not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted July 17, 2007 Share #20 Posted July 17, 2007 Jono, it seems that Robert White hasn't been quite so scrupulous with it's naming...all other descriptions, including from Zeiss, refer to it as a Distagon. I have assumed that it is closely related to the Contax SLR 18mm/f4 Distagon design with a modern update. John Ah well - I stand corrected (or they do!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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