wolan Posted October 13, 2020 Share #1 Posted October 13, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi, in the Zeiss ZM lineup there are no lenses beyond 50mm ( with the exception of a probably good but for me useless 85mm f4) I was wondering why... Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 13, 2020 Posted October 13, 2020 Hi wolan, Take a look here No Zeiss ZM lenses beyond 50mm: why?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted October 13, 2020 Share #2 Posted October 13, 2020 I wonder too. I quite like my ZM Tessar 85. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/361552-REG/Zeiss_1355_732_85mm_f_2_ZM_Lens.html 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted October 13, 2020 Share #3 Posted October 13, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, wolan said: Hi, in the Zeiss ZM lineup there are no lenses beyond 50mm ( with the exception of a probably good but for me useless 85mm f4) I was wondering why... Cheers. I obviously don't know for sure, but my guess is that the market for longer focal length M lenses is limited relative to wide/normal lenses, so perhaps it doesn't pay for Zeiss to develop M-mount lenses over 50mm 🤔 Edited October 13, 2020 by logan2z Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted October 13, 2020 Share #4 Posted October 13, 2020 (edited) There was, and you can still find them, the 85mm f/4 M mount. A very nice lens. Edited October 13, 2020 by jdlaing Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted October 13, 2020 Share #5 Posted October 13, 2020 Or the ZM Sonnar 2.0/85 An impressive lens. https://www.adorama.com/zi852sb.html?utm_source=rflaid63773 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted October 13, 2020 Share #6 Posted October 13, 2020 For those in Europe https://www.robertwhite.co.uk/zeiss/zeiss-85mm-f4-tele-tessar-t-standard-lens-zm-bayonet-silver.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joakim Posted October 13, 2020 Share #7 Posted October 13, 2020 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Funny replies since OP mentions the 85/4 and one could argue that the 85/2 isn't relevant here since it is no longer part of the line-up. I don't have any insight in Zeiss plans or decisions but they have only released one M-mount lens in recent years, the 35/1.4, and even that was some time ago so I get the feeling they are no longer interested in the M-mount. Edited October 13, 2020 by Joakim 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted October 13, 2020 Share #8 Posted October 13, 2020 1 hour ago, logan2z said: I obviously don't know for sure, but my guess is that the market for longer focal length M lenses is limited relative to wide/normal lenses, so perhaps it doesn't pay for Zeiss to develop M-mount lenses over 50mm 🤔 It's probably like you say... CV continues to offer a choice of 75s , but discontinued its interesting 90 (a lens I vaguley think to buy, time to time... ) and none has ever tried to introduce a 135... clearly an unfashionable focal, disregarded also by Leica (and a focal I still use and enjoy...) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
verwackelt Posted October 13, 2020 Share #9 Posted October 13, 2020 I think the last 20 years they put all human resources in the development of the ZX1... 😉 1 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted October 13, 2020 Share #10 Posted October 13, 2020 I'd say the existing ZM line covers the most popular focal lengths / apertures, and are fairly easy to produce. Since Cosina makes the lenses for Zeiss, they are not a drain on Zeiss resources, so I expect them to remain in production for some time, unless the far-east brands gain a reputation so Zeiss loses their niche of high quality / moderate cost. WIth CV increasing their quality and range of offerings, there is less room for Zeiss to add new designs involving more investment for more limited return. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted October 14, 2020 Share #11 Posted October 14, 2020 Most of the ideas above are probably correct,. But the extension of the idea that "longer than 50" lenses are less popular also means there are many LEICA-made 90s and 135s out there, that are relatively cheap since they are not attracting many buyers either. Makes it hard for Zeiss or C/V to compete on price when one can get a "real" Leica 90 Tele-Elmarit-M or nearly-APO 135 Tele-Elmar for $399-$699. Or a 90mm Elmar-C/Elmar f/4 or 135 Hektor/Elmar for even less. Geez, when the Zeiss ZM Sonnar 85 f/2.0 was being made (in Germany), it sold for $3350 new. And one could (and still can) turn around and get a clean compact 90 Summicron-M v.3 for around $800-1000. The Zeiss was a little better in this way or that way at f/2.0 - but not 3-4x better. And only the Leica brand name can get away with that kind of price/performance premium. As Luigi said, in their early screw-mount days (2000-2003 more or less) C/V made a really nice 90 f/3.5 APO-Lanthar. And a nice 75mm f/2.5 as well. Those didn't make the cut to appear in M-mount for the same reason - cheap competition from used Leica 90s (and now 1st-generation 75 Summarits) of various types. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted October 15, 2020 Share #12 Posted October 15, 2020 On 10/13/2020 at 10:49 PM, luigi bertolotti said: It's probably like you say... CV continues to offer a choice of 75s , but discontinued its interesting 90 (a lens I vaguley think to buy, time to time... ) and none has ever tried to introduce a 135... clearly an unfashionable focal, disregarded also by Leica (and a focal I still use and enjoy...) Another thing might be that a 135 is on the limit of (or slightly beyond) the capabilities of a Leica rangefinder and they did not want to deal with the hassle. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ko.Fe. Posted October 15, 2020 Share #13 Posted October 15, 2020 On 10/13/2020 at 3:15 PM, wolan said: Hi, in the Zeiss ZM lineup there are no lenses beyond 50mm ( with the exception of a probably good but for me useless 85mm f4) I was wondering why... Cheers. M market is taken by Leica for pricey lenses. Zeiss is having ball where is no Leica lenses. Within all bunch of mounts and built in lenses. For example, in Canon EF mount ZE lenses were considered higher than Canon L lenses. By some and many. Even then Zeiss didn't even bother to make them as AF ones. For F mount also no AF and 85, 100, 135 mm and fast primes. 5K USD for 100mm f1.4 EF lens. No IS, no AF, but they could do it because no Leica on this market. They are the luxury brand for this mount and pricing, profiting accordingly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 15, 2020 Share #14 Posted October 15, 2020 The 85/4 is discontinued now also. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 15, 2020 Share #15 Posted October 15, 2020 Maybe cosina are concentrating more on the voigtlander lenses and quietly dropping zeiss named lenses? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Nordvik Posted October 16, 2020 Share #16 Posted October 16, 2020 17 hours ago, steve 1959 said: Maybe cosina are concentrating more on the voigtlander lenses and quietly dropping zeiss named lenses? Zeiss ZM lenses are designed and sold by Zeiss, not Cosina. Zeiss is not another brandname for Cosina. On the other hand: Cosina got a license to use the trademark Voigtländer from Ringfoto, but they design and sell the lenses themself. Voigtländer/Ringfoto have nothing to do with it apart from getting license fees. I can understand the confusion because of the Sony Zeiss lenses (like Panasonic Leica) where it is just a brandname. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted October 16, 2020 Share #17 Posted October 16, 2020 37 minutes ago, J.Nordvik said: Zeiss ZM lenses are designed and sold by Zeiss Yes, but they are made by Cosina in Japan, with the possible exception of the 15mm/2.8 (and note the price disparity). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted October 16, 2020 Share #18 Posted October 16, 2020 The 1:2/85mm Sonnar was also produced by Zeiss in Germany - that‘s the reason for it‘s huge price tag. If you bought it with a hood it was more expensive than a Summicon Apo Asph. When it was discontinued - I think in 2010 or so - I asked a Zeiss representant at the Photokina for the reasons. He was not very clear, but said that the Zeiss people „ were not very happy with the lens“. It had a lot of problems with the focussing mechanics and there were reports about decentrated lenses. One might be happy if one got one which had no issues - then it was said to be brilliant. But other customers were not so lucky. Zeiss Germany has completely other priorities than producing rangefinder lenses. Therefore they are just giving the names and let Cosina do the work - which is reasonable and does not indicate less quality. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Nordvik Posted October 16, 2020 Share #19 Posted October 16, 2020 "Made by" "Manufactured by" "Assembled by". English is not my first language, but there must be a difference between them. I would say "manufactured by" fits here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Nordvik Posted October 16, 2020 Share #20 Posted October 16, 2020 Only the M-lenses are made/ assembled in a Leica owned factory (Portugal). Are all other lenses sold by Leica "giving the names" to other manufactures design? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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