Huge price drop by Zeiss Ikon

Shadow 2

A
Shadow 2

  • 0
  • 0
  • 7
Shadow 1

A
Shadow 1

  • 1
  • 0
  • 9
Darkroom c1972

A
Darkroom c1972

  • 1
  • 1
  • 20
Tōrō

H
Tōrō

  • 4
  • 0
  • 38

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
198,824
Messages
2,781,466
Members
99,718
Latest member
nesunoio
Recent bookmarks
0

Rob Skeoch

Advertiser
Advertiser
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
1,346
Location
Grand Valley, Ontario
Format
35mm RF
I received an email from Richard the North American rep from Zeiss Ikon that there will be a price change starting June 1.

This is part of the letter........

"Despite our best efforts, there still remained a persistent gray market problem, requiring a new and aggressive solution.

Therefore, effective June 1, 2007, we are instituting a major price reduction on most of our serialized Zeiss Ikon and ZF lens products.

The reductions range from 6% to 21% and represents an unprecedented step on our part to ensure you remain competitive in the face of international competition."

So that's great news for everyone considering the Zeiss gear. The cameras have dropped by more than $200 and so have most of the lenses.
 

Chazzy

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
2,942
Location
South Bend,
Format
Multi Format
Have any U.S. merchants dropped their prices accordingly?
 
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
858
Format
Multi Format
Zeiss has quality control people at Cosina, and required Cosina to invest in new equipment just for the products they make for Zeiss. This is not like stating a Contax was just a re-badged Yashica, or Kyocera.

Cosina has a reputation of producing some truly crap SLRs and cheap lenses. Their Voigtländer line, and the products they make for Zeiss, are quite different in quality of build, and consistency. Obviously, they are not Leica, but the lower prices reflect that.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
Dead Link Removed
 

keithwms

Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
6,220
Location
Charlottesvi
Format
Multi Format
I do wish good financial health to Zeiss and Cosina... it's just that when I see big price reductions on premium gear it makes me a bit nervous. I do hope that I am not misinterpreting their marketing strategy.
 

sbelyaev

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
127
Location
ABQ
Format
Medium Format
For Contax/Yashica Zeiss built a new lens factory in Japan. That was a genuine Zeiss factory.

ZM and Zf lenses are manufactured at Cosina factory for Zeiss. These lenses look similar to Voigtländer with a nice bright and shiny front filter thread.

No doubts that Cosina can produce good lenses, but I don't think that it is reasonable to pay a premium price for a cosina lenses with T* coating.

I used to own Distagon ZF (sold it) and was disappointed by this lens. Too heavy, too bulky and too optically unrefined for such an expensive lens.
 

Donald Boyd

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2006
Messages
110
Format
35mm
Zeiss has quality control people at Cosina,
What if these Zeiss quality control people only speak German? Miscommunication can lead to unquality control.
 

PHOTOTONE

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2006
Messages
2,412
Location
Van Buren, A
Format
Large Format
What if these Zeiss quality control people only speak German? Miscommunication can lead to unquality control.

It is not people, it is quality control processes and equipment and procedures, with equipment manufactured by Zeiss for this purpose. Most people rate the Zeiss/Cosina "M" mount lenses right up there in resolution and quality with Leica. Not all Zeiss "M" mount lenses are made at Cosina, the extreme wides are made at Zeiss in Germany. One telephoto is made in Germany. The Zeiss Ikon camera bodies are completely different parts and castings from the Voigtlander bodies.
 

Roger Hicks

Member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
4,895
Location
Northern Aqu
Format
35mm RF
It is not people, it is quality control processes and equipment and procedures, with equipment manufactured by Zeiss for this purpose. . . The Zeiss Ikon camera bodies are completely different parts and castings from the Voigtlander bodies.

You are of course absolutely correct.

Are you familiar with the expression, 'My mind is made up, do not try to confuse me with the facts'. Persuading people that ZM/ZF etc. are not 'rebadged Cosinas' can be a bit like that.

Only the 15/2.8 and 85/2 are made in Germany at the moment, but there may be more in due course...

Cheers,

Roger
 
OP
OP
Rob Skeoch

Rob Skeoch

Advertiser
Advertiser
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
1,346
Location
Grand Valley, Ontario
Format
35mm RF
Hmmm...lower prices.

It'll be interesting to see what the new price for the 85mm ZF is....


Hi Copake,

The 15mm and the 85mm didn't have a price reduction. They were the only two that didn't.

-Rob
 

copake_ham

Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2006
Messages
4,091
Location
NYC or Copak
Format
35mm
Hmmm...lower prices.

It'll be interesting to see what the new price for the 85mm ZF is....


Hi Copake,

The 15mm and the 85mm didn't have a price reduction. They were the only two that didn't.

-Rob

Damn! :mad:

Oh not blaming you, Rob. Don't mean to "shoot the messenger"! :wink:
 

Petzi

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2006
Messages
851
Location
Europe
Format
Med. Format Pan
I hate to break the news to you, but most Germans speak English. :smile:

Antje

It is more correct to say that most Germans (except for elderly people) took English lessons in school.
 

Leon

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2003
Messages
2,075
Location
UK
Format
Medium Format
It is more correct to say that most Germans (except for elderly people) took English lessons in school.


ahh but many people in england took german and french at school, yet we're all still really cr@p at speaking it (well, mostly all)
 

copake_ham

Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2006
Messages
4,091
Location
NYC or Copak
Format
35mm
:smile: I like English very much actually. Just one look at the dubbed version of The Office and you will thank the Gods for a good English teacher.

Antje

I work in the New York Branch of a well-known Bavarian bank. One of the German ex-pats here originally had a Brit as her English language tutor. So, unsurprisingly, when she arrived here three years ago she spoke English with a "clipped British" accent.

However, we here in New York have "fixed" that problem and now she speaks American English with a bit of a Noo Yawk accent! :wink:
 

Mick Fagan

Subscriber
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Messages
4,421
Location
Melbourne Au
Format
Multi Format
My wife has nieces and nephews all born and raised in Bavaria. All of them speak German and English fluently. Some of them speak French as well, whilst another two speak Spanish all fluently.

Another niece was very interested in all things Japanese, she speaks German, English, French (not so well) and Japanese fluently. Recently, after studying international business at University, she ended up working in Japan for a year for one of the largest companies in the world (German).

I know that one of the requirements was the ability to "on the fly" verbally translate into either German or English, Japanese television or radio news broadcasts for at least 5 minutes to satisfy the company of her ability to understand real Japanese.

Most people working for companies in overseas positions are high achievers and suitably qualified in many facets of diplomacy, business standards as well as whatever position they are placed in. I know that the acceptance rate for these people in most companies is very strict, I would be quite comfortable of German engineering standards being upheld in a foreign country of manufacture.

Lets face it, Mercedes can manufacture a car in the USA and maintain their rigid standards for a world car, even though they are running a plant in another language to their mother tongue!

Mick.
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom