[leekil]

Cosina has discontinued the Zeiss SLR Classic series of lenses: Digital Photography Review

[Digitalis]

Expect the price of lenses like the 21mm f/2.8 and 100mm f/2 to skyrocket.

[Jeff Lopez]

Cosina has discontinued the Zeiss SLR Classic series of lenses: Digital Photography Review

70% price upped on Ebay since tommorow..

---------- Post added 12-14-17 at 03:07 PM ----------

There are some PF members, proud owners of these gems..
Time for a nice review?

[RobA_Oz]

Expect the price of lenses like the 21mm f/2.8 and 100mm f/2 to skyrocket.

They weren't on the list of discontinued lenses, but they could possibly be classified as endangered species, now.

At least Pentax users won't feel so discriminated against, from now on.

[Mistral75]

The report published by Digital Photography Review is a bit misleading.

Most of the so-called Zeiss Classic lenses have been replaced by their Milvus counterpart, sometimes with an identical optical formula (e.g. Makro Planar 100mm f/2, Apo-Sonnar 135mm f/2 and more), sometimes with an improved optical formula (e.g. Planar 85mm f/1.4 or Classic Planar 50mm f/1.4 --> Milvus Distagon 50mm f/1.4), sometimes with bigger max. aperture and, of course, a new optical formula (e.g. Classic Distagon 18mm f/3.5 --> Milvus Distagon 18mm f/2.8).

There are still 6 Classic lenses presented as current lenses on the Zeiss website:

ZEISS Distagon T* 2/25 |

1. Distagon T* 25 mm f/2 ZE/ZF.2
2. Distagon T* 25 mm f/2,8 ZE/ZF.2
3. Distagon T* 28 mm f/2 ZE/ZF.2
4. Distagon T* 35 mm f/1,4 ZE/ZF.2
5. Planar T* 50 mm f/1,4 ZE/ZF.2
6. Planar T* 85 mm f/1,4 ZE/ZF.2

Cosina, Zeiss's contractor for the manufacturing of the Classic lenses (and the Milvus and Otus lenses too) reported the following news on their website on December 7th:

2017.12.07 カールツァイス
【生産終了案内】 ZEISS SLR classicシリーズの 一部製品
（2.8/15, 3.5/18, 2/25, 2/28, 1.4/35, 2/135) が生産終了しました

Translation

07.12.2017 Carl Zeiss
【Notice of production end】 'ZEISS SLR classic' series of products
Manufacturing of (2.8/15, 3.5/18, 2/25, 2/28, 1.4/35 and 2/135) has ended.

In Cosina's list there are:

• three lenses already presented as discontinued by Zeiss: Classic Distagon T* 15mm f/2.8 and 18mm f/3.5 and Apo-Sonnar T* 135 mm f/2. Their Milvus successors were announced on 9 September 2016
• three lenses still presented as current by Zeiss: Classic Distagon T* 25mm f/2, 28mm f/2 and 35mm f/1.4. The Milvus Distagon T* 35mm f/1.4 was announced on 21 June 2017. The Milvus Distagon T* 25mm f/1.4 (not f/2) was announced on 18 October 2017. So far, there is no 28mm in the Milvus series.

By the way, Cosina is the manufacturer of the Zeiss Classic lenses and can only announce that the manufacturing of a specific lens has ended. Zeiss, and Zeiss only, can announce that such lens is discontinued.

[Mistral75]

Cosina took the news down. It was there yesterday, it isn't any more.

cosina Top

[Digitalis]

Cosina took the news down. It was there yesterday, it isn't any more.

I checked the Voigtlander/Cosina websites discontinued items list, and the Carl Zeiss lenses appear to still be in production. I fired off an Email to one of my contacts who works closely with Cosina who is himself rather puzzled over exactly what the hell is going on, as far as he knows the Zeiss lenses are still in production.

Must be a slow news week for the staff at DPR.

[Tas]

I posted this link to the Zeiss ZK thread a few days ago: Cosina officially discontinues the Zeiss SLR Classic series of lenses | Photo Rumors It's the same info as what the OP linked to via DPR.

Of interest though might be one of the older links on that page dating back to 2015: Zeiss discontinues nine different lenses in various mounts | Photo Rumors It links to the Nikon rumours page that lists the 'to be discontinued' lenses: Zeiss just discontinued some of their DSLR lenses (ZF/ZF.2) | Nikon Rumors

That doesn't make it any clearer than mud, but maybe there's something you guys can read into it?

At least the latest Zeiss rumour is good news for them, whatever the truth is: Zeiss reports record revenue and earnings | Photo Rumors

Tas