AbramG wrote:
I've been wondering if this was going to arrive on ZE mount but it looks like it could be a while? I'm planning on getting the ZE 85 hopefully soon and I was going to plan on the Canon 24L II if the ZE 25 never arrives or is only f/2.8
You should wait until September to make a decision.
Sam tran wrote:
Check out this review from FM and see how many mentioned "CA" or similar comments... Did I mentioned the ZE 35/2 (not the ZF) ? It could be I had a "bad luck" copy, but others too?
In those reviews most say slight CA in cornors.......what is more interesting is most say by far the best 35 they have ever owned. No one mentions anything about "any" zoom being better......
As a member of the Zeiss headquarters I am in regular communication with told me yesterday, the design of the new 2/25 ZF.2 is in operation. It might be presented officially by the end of the year.
He also gave me details of it's specifications and strong points compared to the former versions and the 21. Unhappily I'm not legalized to publish what I learned. Just that much: waiting pays well!
Vincent Kluwe wrote:
As a member of the Zeiss headquarters I am in regular communication with told me yesterday, the design of the new 2/25 ZF.2 is in operation. It might be presented officially by the end of the year.
He also gave me details of it's specifications and strong points compared to the former versions and the 21. Unhappily I'm not legalized to publish what I learned. Just that much: waiting pays well!
So let's see what happens.
Vincent Kluwe-Yorck
My guess is the new 25 is going to be a f2 lens with no field curvature like the old one and similar to the ZA 24/2. Am I hot or cold?
Can you tell us if Zeiss will design any tilt/shift lenses in the near future?
I would love a Zeiss T/S 35. The new Hartblei's are pretty pricey.
Vincent Kluwe wrote:
As a member of the Zeiss headquarters I am in regular communication with told me yesterday, the design of the new 2/25 ZF.2 is in operation. It might be presented officially by the end of the year.
He also gave me details of it's specifications and strong points compared to the former versions and the 21. Unhappily I'm not legalized to publish what I learned. Just that much: waiting pays well!
Interesting. It's consistent with my thought that they would turn it into a more expensive, higher spec-ed lens, that they originally mis-judged what they market wanted from the company. Figure that the lens will probably go for a good $1500-1750. Still, would have preferred a 25/1.4, even at $2500. Will be interesting to see how the design compared to the Sony ZA (especially given the timing), not to mention the performance. All in all, good news for owners of the 25/2.8 ZF as its value should hold firm (half the price of the newer 25/2).
Wayne & Lotus, you're getting quite close to it. It will be a smaller - longer that is - brother of the 21.
Unhappily I will not own it. As a former Linhof user for more than 20 years I am much more in need of the Nikkor PC-E 24, which has a reputation of being ultrasharp and extremely useful even untilted / unshifted, being manageable enough to even serve as a somewhat clumsy walkaround.
BTW the Hartbleis are beautiful but are too long for most of outdoor photography though. I would see their main use for studio work. However Nikons PC-E 45 and 85 are hard and even much cheaper competitors for the sheer quality they represent. Especially the 45.
P.S. Please excuse my few and short statements. My english isn't trained enough to try long explanations, even understanding any word of your extremely useful writing.
Saying that I still would like to add some thoughts on the hefty discussion about the superior quality of Zeiss lenses in general from further above. I have browsed through the Z* thread, looking carefully at all the masterpieces of Luka, Philber and the rest of the Zeiss gang. All I can say is, who doesn't see the differences must be suffering from eyeball debilitas. Who doesn't believe should just try his best to compete with any equipment of his preference and let us see the results.
Just to give you an idea about my own photography I will try to upload one sample I have done with a Biogon on my Linhof some years back.
Unhappily there is only a very small JPG copy left on my computer. The original scan I have done after processing the 4x5 film sheet is lost. And I can't redo the scan for the original film sheet is stocked at my customers office.
Thanks for the info, Vincent. A new 25 will be good news, because I often find my 21 to be too wide for me, and only its sheer quality keeps me from selling it. Still, it usually is soooo long between the moment Zeiss announce a new lens and the time it is actually shipping that you will forgive me for not holding my breath. I still have no news of the 35 f:1.4 I ordered a year ago. I was told January, then promised February, and now it is May...
I really do feel with you, Philber. As far as I can judge by looking at your breathtaking Paris photos I can see how much you deserve that new 25!
But let me ask you frankly. What do you expect from the new 35? Do you need it for that one stop extra? I use the 2/35 and it is hard to believe, that the 1.4/35 will do much better quality wise. And the 1.4 is a monster. Big & heavy and not really lending itself to using it as a walkaround.
But what do I say. You will know much better what you need of course. Sorry for my picking around on foreign grounds.
P.S. Ooops. Sorry Wayne. Forgot about the Hartblei 35mm, which lends itself perfectly well to city pics. My bad.
Congratulations on your new lens, John! Don't worry, there is no risk at all that the new lens can give you regrets considering how much (or how little) you paid. I look forward to seeing your shots, as a properly used ZF 25 is a captivating image-maker
It was a pre-owned but unused at 500gbp, so i decided to bite, seems like a reasonable price for the zf version, as i'm using it on Canon there would be no point paying the premium for the zf.2
If this lens works out well for me it will proably send my E55 Leica 28 to ebay land, currently it's at Leica for CLA as I've never got the results this lens should deliver, but it's very critical of adapter. I hope the Zf 25 will deliver good results on my Rayqual adapters.
Thanks Vincent for the info.
That cityscape shot looks beautiful, sorry you lost the original scan for it.
Hartblei currently makes a 40/4 tilt/shift which is equivalent to 31mm in 35mm format.
The old one was a 35.
I even didn't know there is a replacement for the Hartblei 35.
But thx for compliments, Wayne. Truth is, it's much worse. After having sold all my Linhof & Hasselblad gear & big Agfa scanner and having stepped into the pixel world with Nikon I even don't have a scanner anymore. So even if I asked the customer to send the film for a day or two I could't redo the scan. What a shi**.
Anyway. I trust the experiences of Herb and others in the gang. I just ordered the 2.8/25 this morning, taking the promise of my dealer, that I will be the first to get the new 2/25 when it comes.
The Hartblei 40/4 is equivalent to 40/4 in 35mm format
Yes, if you don't shift and stitch but after you pay the price for one of those babies you would want to use every square cm of that 6x6 image circle of Zeiss glass goodness!
Liam, I have the 24G and it is incredible wide open at f1.4.
Depends if you really value that extra stop.
At least you have it now to use for the next year until the new 25 is released.
