Zeiss Contax Y lenses

C

Colinelves

Well-known member
Hello.

I'm just wondering: has anyone had any experience with Zeiss contax lenses on the FS700? I've currently got a decent set of old M42s that I use (and quite like) but I don't think they're sharp enough for 4K - so I'm thinking of upgrading.

the Zeiss contax have a good rep, but I'm a little concerned about colour fringing As they're designed for film rather than digital.

otherwise I was thinking Samyang 35mm/85mm and Zeiss ZE 50mm and maybe Canon 14mm for the wides.

anyone have thoughts?
 
Hey Colin,

An M42 mount is for the Contax S system (i think). I have a set of Contax Yashica mount lenses which i think are what most people think of when we say contax. They're all 70s, 80s an 90s with T* zeiss coatings and the forerunners of the modern ZE zeiss primes. I actually prefer the older contax lenses, i side by sided new and old and found the new technically sharper but also colder and less, well, organic.

At that time i compared with Zuiko, Canon FD and whatever else i could find. The Zeiss out performed them all. The only thing i'd consider would be Lecia R but i had no access to them and they're quite a bit more expensive

Having said that performance across the range can vary and also vary at different apertures. The gems in the series (IMHO) are the 28mm f2 and the 100mm f2. There are few options wider than 25mm. The 18mm i had, performed quite poorly and for a 18mm f4, the Sony Zeiss ZA1635 blew it out of the water, even wide open. The 35mm (i have) has the triangular bokeh. The 35mm has quite limited focus throw too for some reason. The 50mm f1.4 is small and versatile. The 85 f1.4 is very good in some cases.

All suffer from veiling flare and softness wide open along with CA. The 85 and 50 quite a bit.

I've found myself mostly using my ZA zooms recently. I've not often needed to go wider than 2.8 and to be honest every time i do then focus is such a nightmare that it's not always worth it. The modern zooms have higher contrast and are sharper. I really ought to side by side these lenses at 2.8 and see whether stopped down they perform as the zoom does. One issue with some of those often overlooked is the minimum focus distance. The 100mm is like a metre of so and can be awkward at times, same for the 85. The modern zooms have floating elements that allow for much closer focusing.

But, for a set of classic looking primes in all their organic beauty, i think these are the ones to go for...

With the advent of the speed booster though i would consider trying the much cheaper 2.8 versions of the 25 and 35. I suspect that the quality of these lenses could be pretty good as the design didn't require fast apertures. The speed booster would get you some of that extra light gathering.

I keep meaning to do some comparisons, maybe i will get a chance over the xmas break..

cheers
Paul
 
I have a full set of all the best Context Y/C mount...clients love them ...and i must admit....they have a lot of style ...great for fashion and music videos ....oh i use them with the speedboooster. I Pick them many times over some of my expensive ones
 
I have the Zeiss C/Y T* 35mm 2.8 and 50mm 1.7 and when coupled with SpeedBooster, both deliver an image unequalled by any other lens and I wouldn't trade them for any reason.

Regards,
Scott
 
Has anyone put the Contax 50mm and 85mm up against the Samyangs? I ask because p, Serge, I think, seemed to say they out performed CP2s - which are an update on the Contax 50mm & 85mm.
 
I dont think you can go wrong optically with any old lenses, contax, some canonFD, whatever. Ive not experienced the Samyangs.

I would get your self into a physical shop and have a feel, you will just know what feels right for throw and focus torque, especially used lenses.

I have copies of the same lens, one I love, the next is horrid (for focus feel)

You probably want to avoid nikon due to the focus direction.

S
 
morgan_moore said:
I have copies of the same lens, one I love, the next is horrid (for focus feel)
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Very often overlooked. Copy to Copy variation is such an unknown both mechanically and optically. How many of us are in a position to side by side multiple copies of the same lens. If you have a good one you rave about it and everyone assumes all are like it.

I have a ZA1635 that focus feels great and a 2470 that is much stiffer, but i don't know if it should be or not.

I have a couple of my Contaxes that i felt weren't performing but i sent them all off for declicking and a rebuild so i know that they should all be up to spec - but even so how do i really, really know...

cheers
Pual
 
paulcurtis said:
Very often overlooked. Copy to Copy variation is such an unknown both mechanically and optically.
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I developed a poor habit of wandering off to camera shops while the missus was looking for a new handbag/shoes or whatever women look for when in towns. So I've bought lenses always after feeling them. Of course such small shops often don't know what they are selling!
 
morgan_moore said:
I developed a poor habit of wandering off to camera shops while the missus was looking for a new handbag/shoes or whatever women look for when in towns. So I've bought lenses always after feeling them. Of course such small shops often don't know what they are selling!
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me too. I think it kind of pisses her off! I would do the same in Canterbury (where the father in law lives) - but I suspect Paul may have swiped all the bargains...
 
I have a set from 18mm to 300mm, and love them. The lens coatings are from the same era as the Zeiss Super Speeds and Standard Speeds cine lenses, and match the looks quite well. The faster Contax lenses have the Super Speed look while wide open at f1.4, and at f2.8 they match the Standard Speeds lenses.
 
from my point of view u cant go wrong with 50mm t1.7- its very sharp wide opened, and its price is like 250$, i dont think u can find anything better for the same price! but in general i would not recommend to start building the contax zeiss cy lens set from the ground.... 50mm t1.7 is the only cheap exemplar with in its fast family.... good exemplars are too expansive for the used lenses.... 85mm f1.4 will be 800-850 usd used.... Plus the problem with CY is breathing, all of them suffer from it. but if u get lucky to find one for a good price (not 850$) - i would say take it..... i think its all depends on a money u are ready to spend for the particular lens.
 
Colinelves said:
me too. I think it kind of pisses her off! I would do the same in Canterbury (where the father in law lives) - but I suspect Paul may have swiped all the bargains...
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Sadly the only shop like that here closed down a while back and the other camera shop has some very lame second hand 'bargains'. I would recommend ffordes though. I do occasionally look in on the boot sales, just on the off chance someone is offloading grandpas old Leica lens set and have no idea what they are, but it's not happened yet.

I get occasional comments about taking too many photos and not living the moment, which is fair enough sometimes... But one big advantage of being married to a Writer/Director is the gear side is tolerated, even encouraged...

On a more informational note. I did have a Samyang 85 and a CY 85. They were pretty close actually, the CY had the edge slightly in image quality and flare control but not by much - not enough to make a decision, but the build of the samyang was quite inferior. I'd also read quite a few cases of the aperture blades falling apart inside, so i sold it before that happened. Whether the newer VDSLR versions are better i don't know. I do have one of the Samyang vDSLR 35 f1.4s here and a CY 35 f1.4 so that's ripe for a comparison but not had the time yet...

cheers
Paul
 
paulcurtis said:
On a more informational note. I did have a Samyang 85 and a CY 85. They were pretty close actually, the CY had the edge slightly in image quality and flare control but not by much - not enough to make a decision, but the build of the samyang was quite inferior. I'd also read quite a few cases of the aperture blades falling apart inside, so i sold it before that happened. Whether the newer VDSLR versions are better i don't know. I do have one of the Samyang vDSLR 35 f1.4s here and a CY 35 f1.4 so that's ripe for a comparison but not had the time yet...

cheers
Paul
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Hmmm. If you do get a chance to compare - let me know the results. To be honest, I'm tending toward upgrading to the Contax lenses. The M42s are a bit of a mixed bag - I've a Jupiter 9 85mm f2 which is really nice, but these days people expect a 1.4 in an 85. Plus I do think these is a lot to be said for saying to clients "I've a set of nice zeiss primes I can hire to you" - Samyang, not so much. In my heart I'm less worried about resolution than I should be. 4K sounds good in theory but it can look a bit ugly in practice - having a slightly softer, lower contrast, old lens might just look better in the big screen.
 
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