Comments on: Zeiss announce 18mm f3.5 - not for Alpha http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/07/01/zeiss-announce-18mm-f35-not-for-alpha/ Search this site - over 170 articles on Alpha system topics! Subscribe to our magazine too! Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:47:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: admin http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/07/01/zeiss-announce-18mm-f35-not-for-alpha/#comment-988 admin Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:01:53 +0000 http://www.photoclubalpha.com/?p=779#comment-988 The departments of Zeiss which design for Sony are entirely separate from those which work with Cosina producing the retro-Z lenses. For Sony, Zeiss create new designs; for Cosina, they give access to historic designs to Cosina's own engineers, who rework the designs jointly with Zeiss. The same designers at Cosina also produce the Voigtlander range which sells for lower prices - we are currently using two Voigtlander designs on the Nikon D3, and they are superb. So the answer is not that Zeiss will or will not do any particular thing, it's whether Cosina or Sony will ask them to. If Sony wants superb primes, or allows permission for these to be made in Alpha mount, the Zeiss lenses may one day be there for Alpha just as for NF and PK. But the zooms made for Sony are very unlikely to appear anywhere else as they are SAL CZ designs and Sony would never release them for use in other systems. I think a 21mm Distagon is definitely possible, same goes for a 25mm. David The departments of Zeiss which design for Sony are entirely separate from those which work with Cosina producing the retro-Z lenses. For Sony, Zeiss create new designs; for Cosina, they give access to historic designs to Cosina’s own engineers, who rework the designs jointly with Zeiss. The same designers at Cosina also produce the Voigtlander range which sells for lower prices - we are currently using two Voigtlander designs on the Nikon D3, and they are superb.

So the answer is not that Zeiss will or will not do any particular thing, it’s whether Cosina or Sony will ask them to. If Sony wants superb primes, or allows permission for these to be made in Alpha mount, the Zeiss lenses may one day be there for Alpha just as for NF and PK. But the zooms made for Sony are very unlikely to appear anywhere else as they are SAL CZ designs and Sony would never release them for use in other systems.

I think a 21mm Distagon is definitely possible, same goes for a 25mm.

David

]]> By: harryshin http://www.photoclubalpha.com/2008/07/01/zeiss-announce-18mm-f35-not-for-alpha/#comment-987 harryshin Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:53:11 +0000 http://www.photoclubalpha.com/?p=779#comment-987 David: 1. As an avid former Contax user (currently Sony R1 user), I've been anxiously awaiting the further development of Zeiss / Sony line of products. Thus far--> things have been fairly disappointing from my point of view (mainly due to only one marginally produced APS-C lens and a very limited line of full frame lens). 2. The choices that Zeiss lens fans has become very interesting, especially with the introduction of the D700 etc... along with the anticipated Sony FF this fall (along with the supposed 16-35mm Zeiss). 3. What is your speculation in regards to the following questions: a. Zeiss continues to come out with more ZF prime manual lens for the Nikon (which is a good thing from my point of view due to similarity to the Contax Zeiss MM primes). But is Zeiss going to develop any of the autofocus zooms as they are developing for Sony? b. And vise versa the above question--> why isn't Zeiss coming out with more primes for the Sony mount when they obviously have the ability to do so. c. Basically, it's somewhat confusing to me as to why Zeiss would only come out with manual focus primes for the F mount (and K) but not for the alpha mount and at the same time come out with autofocus zooms for the alpha mount. d. Any guesses as to whether or not Zeiss will ever reintroduce the 21mm distagon? I'm surprised that they came out with the 18mm prior to the excellent 21mm distagon. Thanks for your thoughts. Harry David:

1. As an avid former Contax user (currently Sony R1 user), I’ve been anxiously awaiting the further development of Zeiss / Sony line of products. Thus far–> things have been fairly disappointing from my point of view (mainly due to only one marginally produced APS-C lens and a very limited line of full frame lens).

2. The choices that Zeiss lens fans has become very interesting, especially with the introduction of the D700 etc… along with the anticipated Sony FF this fall (along with the supposed 16-35mm Zeiss).

3. What is your speculation in regards to the following questions:
a. Zeiss continues to come out with more ZF prime manual lens for the Nikon (which is a good thing from my point of view due to similarity to the Contax Zeiss MM primes). But is Zeiss going to develop any of the autofocus zooms as they are developing for Sony?
b. And vise versa the above question–> why isn’t Zeiss coming out with more primes for the Sony mount when they obviously have the ability to do so.
c. Basically, it’s somewhat confusing to me as to why Zeiss would only come out with manual focus primes for the F mount (and K) but not for the alpha mount and at the same time come out with autofocus zooms for the alpha mount.
d. Any guesses as to whether or not Zeiss will ever reintroduce the 21mm distagon? I’m surprised that they came out with the 18mm prior to the excellent 21mm distagon.

Thanks for your thoughts. Harry

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