Announced over the next 12 months. Wish it was sooner than that, hope they're announcing a UWA as one of the first ones. There already is a good 50mm equivalent.
If the lenses are going to made by Zeiss themselves instead of Cosina, these could be really quite costly. Zeiss has indicated that aperture rings will be included, Yah. I hope to look at the first of these lenses at PhotoPlus in NYC in October and will report back to the forum.
Jman13 wrote:
I'm hoping they're at Photokina so I can get my hands on them.
That was the original Zeiss plan as I was told at PhotoPlus last October. Will keep my fingers crossed to see if there able to get any prepared at least as Prototype or Mock-up form.
These will made by Cosina if the standard Zeiss practices are followed...I don't believe the German manufacturing has the capacity for building consumer level lenses.
So far so goo, IMO. It is nice that they will have an aperture ring and there seems to be a commitment to make quite a few of them and to keep them small. Hopefully we will know shortly exactly how many they plan to make and what the focal lengths and apertures will be.
I'm sure they will be little mechanical jewels, but I think for many, or at leas myself, price could be the real issue.
I far prefer lenses in the$600-1000 range rather than $1500+ ones. Some of the ZM stuff got a bit too pricey even for me when I was shooting my M9 (which perhaps is an indication one shouldn't own a Leica in the first place ? lol )
Doesn't really matter how great it could be optically, if its $1800, I'm simply not willing to spend that type of money on a MF prime lens or a hobby camera. I'll spend it on a work tool, like a 70-200 2.8, but that is because its being used to generate income.
I think there is a big market for a line of high quality, compact, native primes, but for all but the most well do off hobbyist, price is an issue.
Leica can charge whatever they want, and still get a waiting list, because they are Leica.
Zeiss, while producing some great lenses, and some technically superior even, simply isn't Leica, and never will be, so I'd hate to see them try to become that by sky high pricing.
millsart wrote:
Zeiss, while producing some great lenses, and some technically superior even, simply isn't Leica, and never will be, so I'd hate to see them try to become that by sky high pricing.
As long as the pricing and quality are in line with ZE or ZF.2 lenses, I don't have any issues.
zephoto wrote
You've got it. Otus = owl = amazing low light ability/clarity for example just like an owl's sight.
As far as I know, an owl doesn't have very good low light sight, but a very good hearing to localize it's prey.
Zeiss has indicated that aperture rings will be included, Yah.