Zeiss launches lenses for Nikon F-mount
By
Shawn Barnett
(Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 01:22 EST)
After posting a new teaser graphic every Wednesday for the past few weeks, Zeiss has announced a line of lenses for cameras that use a Nikon F-mount.
The new line is also joined by another line, called ZS, which uses the same optic, but has a screw mount that with the help of an adapter allows users to connect the lens to Canon EOS cameras, among others, albeit without the usual electrical connections.
The first two lenses in the line are the Planar T* 50mm f/1.4-f/16 and the Planar T* 85mm f/1.4 - f/16. Both of these lenses are similar if not identical optically to lenses originally made for the Contax RTS, and are apparently both manual focus. More lenses are promised to be announced in Spring of this year, with a general rollout in the Summer of 2006.
Pricing is not available at this time, but is expected to be comparable to similar Nikon offerings. The lenses will be made at the Cosina factory in Japan "under the watchful eye of Carl Zeiss employees in charge of quality assurance," according to Dr. Winfried Scherle, Vice President and General Manager of the Camera Lens Division. This is to keep the costs similar to Nikon lenses which are also made in Japan, according to another Zeiss representative.
More information, including some technical specs, can be found at the following link (Click on "ZEISS for Nikon" on the right side of the page):
http://www.zeiss.com/de/photo/home_e.nsf
|
