p.49 #1 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
gordec wrote:
Honestly, as a long time RX1Rii user, this looks like a pretty good replacement. It fixes many of RX's issues such as horrendous battery. I like how EVF is not a popup. I wish Zeiss would weather seal it, but it's not weather sealed. The whole package looks pretty slick. A friend and I both own the RX, and we both wish we can edit and share photos on the fly.
"Honestly," to the extent that a large portion of the purchasers of the RX1 series cameras were attracted to it for its compact size, this is not a pretty good replacement.
p.49 #2 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
'looks pretty slick'
Some like the novelty of it all and the images it makes will be excellent (as long as you don't need EC), and more power to them. But once I stopped laughing and wiped the tears from my eyes at the first sight of the black block, that was the next thing that came to mind: what happens when you try to grasp a machined smooth block of polished Al when you wear gloves and/or it gets wet, or you get bumped? Real world issues.
It looks like a HDD with a robot handle and lens stuck on to it. That, plus its sheer size are why you see a lot of 'both hands images' when CZ PR staff dragoon human beings into holding the device. I say we get Ken R interested in it, he hates Sony cameras for their sharp edges (!).
840g of this block, or 10 seconds for a battery change on a tiny light discreet camera? Not so hard to decide if you want to use a camera. The PR videos have this 'look at the guy with the camera' thing going too, not much of usage.
Also, the best street work comes from keeping a low profile. What else are you going to use it for? Travel is out (still need a non-35mm set of lenses), so are dodgy 'hoods and events, LE will keep an eye on you for sure.
How it goes when you are carrying something that looks like it was found in an alien space craft. It can appeal in a sort of AC Cobra or WW2 Benz way, good to look at without having to own one. Was Elon Musk the consultant?
p.49 #3 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
I think if they priced it lower, it could be somewhat compelling as an all around package. It might not be a bad camera, but just bad in comparison with others.
p.49 #4 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
hsiunghsiung wrote:
I think if they priced it lower, it could be somewhat compelling as an all around package. It might not be a bad camera, but just bad in comparison with others.
IMO the magic number should've been $3,990 at launch. Zeiss would sell a bunch of these but I'm not sure if this price is even realistic to them.
p.49 #5 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
At this point, we just need someone who actually owns this camera to really chime in on it. Hopefully they also own an RX1Rii to copmare. I think all the negative points are valid, but you never know for sure until you've used one. The sample images don't lie. Images are sharp, and the transition area look buttery smooth like the Sonnar on the RX. That is certainly a plus.
p.49 #6 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
Three used ones at B&H in the $4k’s. I expect to see many “open box” ones pop up for big discounts soon. But maybe it is selling well in China or Japan or Russia or Nigeria or Miami thru luxury boutiques to the offspring of oligarchs and warlords and capitalists and potash monopolists or something like that that just doesn’t intersect much with this crowd.
p.49 #7 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
darrellc wrote:
Three used ones at B&H in the $4k’s. I expect to see many “open box” ones pop up for big discounts soon. But maybe it is selling well in China or Japan or Russia or Nigeria or Miami thru luxury boutiques to the offspring of oligarchs and warlords and capitalists and potash monopolists or something like that that just doesn’t intersect much with this crowd.
ZX1 wasn't released in Japan at all. I think it only got launched in U.S. and Germany. Maybe gray imports could still be sold somewhere but never seen any signs of it in Japan except a mockup in Zeiss area at CP+ trade show in 2019...
p.49 #8 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
Juha Kannisto wrote:
ZX1 wasn't released in Japan at all. I think it only got launched in U.S. and Germany. Maybe gray imports could still be sold somewhere but never seen any signs of it in Japan except a mockup in Zeiss area at CP+ trade show in 2019...
Juha, more a “maybe the ZX1 was ‘Big In Japan’” joke (like Finnish band Hanoi Rocks that apparently sold well in Japan before influencing American glam rock bands of the 80s) than a serious suggestion that the ZX1 might have sold well in Japan or anywhere else in the world.
p.49 #9 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
They cannot keep it from us much longer, it's too funny. All the pent-up frustrations at CZ are embodied in this project. If I whipped out something like this at a border post, big trouble would be visited upon me!
p.49 #10 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
darrellc wrote:
Juha, more a “maybe the ZX1 was ‘Big In Japan’” joke (like Finnish band Hanoi Rocks that apparently sold well in Japan before influencing American glam rock bands of the 80s) than a serious suggestion that the ZX1 might have sold well in Japan or anywhere else in the world.
Yeah I figured your comment wasn't so serious but I thought it was still good to mention that ZX1 was not actually big in Japan (like Hanoi Rocks) so far as some might have thought it was actually available outside of U.S. and Germany
p.49 #11 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
Fred Miranda wrote:
IMO the magic number should've been $3,990 at launch. Zeiss would sell a bunch of these but I'm not sure if this price is even realistic to them.
Wait a few months, and the used copies at B&H will probably hit that price. I doubt they've seen much use, so they should be like new.
p.49 #12 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
"Stay evolving – SHOOT. EDIT. SHARE.
with the latest firmware version 1.4 "
"Today we are happy to introduce the exciting new features of the ZEISS ZX1, which are included in the latest firmware version 1.4. Discover the versatile possibilities..."
-Face detection - faster capture what's important
-Full-res DNG rendering
-Improved detail preview for RAW.
Included: the latest version of Adobe Lightroom(TM) (v6.2)
-The new ZX1 Companion App for Android and iOS.
(The new ZX1 Companion App expands the camera's capabilities and allows you, for example, to control the ZEISS ZX1 remotely. Here, the camera's screen is live streamed on the smartphone to allow an even more flexible response to different shooting situations. With geotagging, the camera now uses the GPS coordinates it receives from the smartphone to save them in the EXIF data, if desired.)
"Further improvements in detail:
Performance Updates
▪ Sharing images is now even easier, thanks to support for multiple recipients when sending a link or email. Auto-completion spares typing frequently used mail addresses.
▪ User names with special characters are now supported when connecting to FTPS servers.
▪ Screen texts and content are now available in three additional languages: French, Italian and Spanish.
▪ AF consistency is further enhanced.
▪ Battery consumption in sleep mode has been further reduced.
▪ The integrated user manual has been updated to reflect the new features."
p.49 #15 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
LBJ2 wrote:
"Stay evolving – SHOOT. EDIT. SHARE.
with the latest firmware version 1.4 "
"Today we are happy to introduce the exciting new features of the ZEISS ZX1, which are included in the latest firmware version 1.4. Discover the versatile possibilities..."
-Face detection - faster capture what's important
-Full-res DNG rendering
-Improved detail preview for RAW.
Included: the latest version of Adobe Lightroom(TM) (v6.2)
-The new ZX1 Companion App for Android and iOS.
(The new ZX1 Companion App expands the camera's capabilities and allows you, for example, to control the ZEISS ZX1 remotely. Here, the camera's screen is live streamed on the smartphone to allow an even more flexible response to different shooting situations. With geotagging, the camera now uses the GPS coordinates it receives from the smartphone to save them in the EXIF data, if desired.)
"Further improvements in detail:
Performance Updates
▪ Sharing images is now even easier, thanks to support for multiple recipients when sending a link or email. Auto-completion spares typing frequently used mail addresses.
▪ User names with special characters are now supported when connecting to FTPS servers.
▪ Screen texts and content are now available in three additional languages: French, Italian and Spanish.
▪ AF consistency is further enhanced.
▪ Battery consumption in sleep mode has been further reduced.
▪ The integrated user manual has been updated to reflect the new features."
p.49 #16 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
The timing on this is such a disaster. When it was announced it was back in the day when really good 35mm lenses for E were hard to get. I would have paid a couple weeks salary for an updated Loxia that was as good or better than the 25mm. And I might have considered the ZX (at a lower price, I guess) because of that. But now we live in the era of the GM35, CV AL 35 and even the Sigma i35, that ship has completely sailed....
p.49 #17 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
DavidBM wrote:
The timing on this is such a disaster. When it was announced it was back in the day when really good 35mm lenses for E were hard to get. I would have paid a couple weeks salary for an updated Loxia that was as good or better than the 25mm. And I might have considered the ZX (at a lower price, I guess) because of that. But now we live in the era of the GM35, CV AL 35 and even the Sigma i35, that ship has completely sailed....
Many forces against the ZX1 with pricing being the major one. I am expecting a sharp price reduction soon.
p.49 #18 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
The EVF looks horrible on the reviews. Doesn't look like it can be fixed with firmware updates. That may be the killer. Price will eventually come down, and more may be interested in trying it out.
p.49 #19 · In-Stock: 37MP Zeiss ZX1 full frame camera
DavidBM wrote:
The timing on this is such a disaster. When it was announced it was back in the day when really good 35mm lenses for E were hard to get. I would have paid a couple weeks salary for an updated Loxia that was as good or better than the 25mm. And I might have considered the ZX (at a lower price, I guess) because of that. But now we live in the era of the GM35, CV AL 35 and even the Sigma i35, that ship has completely sailed....
This is key and my thinking as well.
Realistically, by the time this hits the market with the appropriate price (if we see a deep cut) and usability with these firmware updates and accompanying app (if they are functionally meaningful updates), Zeiss probably should’ve been on/close to the second generation of their product if it’s successful. Instead, they are rolling out the first GEN in the sloppiest elongated way possible with intense competition.
