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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Contax Zeiss Survival Guide

Matthew Robertson said:
http://youtu.be/PEcvRKsmeoE

New video, almost all contax. Used the fantastic new Rokinon 16mm f2 for the wide shot (call me crazy but I prefer this to the Tokina 11-16mm, and find it easier to match with contax glass). Rest is 35-70mm for the side shot with slight zooms, 85mm f2.8 AEG for the handheld front 3/4 shot, 50mm f1.4 MMJ for the CU, and the 25mm f2.8 AEG at the end after the video (accidently had it back-focused in the first half of the clip, doh!).

Shot on Sunday, edited and finished last night at 3:30am haha. Pretty rushed grade, could have tweaked some clips to match slightly better, but really happy with the result considering the time constraints.
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Looking good Matthew! I love your passion for the 35-70!
 
If any of you are looking, I have a Cooke 20-100mm, 18mm, & Duclos 11-16mm listed in the marketplace before my Contax set goes up.
 
Really interested in snagging a 28mm f2, anybody got experience with one? How did you like it? Heard its soft at f2, which is expected to some degree, but is it still usable at that aperture? I want to get a contax wide that I can get some seperation with. Really like the look of wides with some bokeh. Nothing too crazy. My 25mm f2.8 just isn't cutting it in that regard. Much sharper at f4 than 2.8

EDIT: Also, the 28mm f2 is only available in AE yes? Does it have ninja star? Can't find much info on it
 
EDIT: Also, the 28mm f2 is only available in AE yes? Does it have ninja star? Can't find much info on it[/QUOTE]

No, it's available in MM.
 
Matthew Robertson said:
Really interested in snagging a 28mm f2, anybody got experience with one? How did you like it? Heard its soft at f2, which is expected to some degree, but is it still usable at that aperture? I want to get a contax wide that I can get some seperation with. Really like the look of wides with some bokeh. Nothing too crazy. My 25mm f2.8 just isn't cutting it in that regard. Much sharper at f4 than 2.8

EDIT: Also, the 28mm f2 is only available in AE yes? Does it have ninja star? Can't find much info on it
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The 28 f2 is almost always an AE. But you only notice the ninja star on MACRO type shots, so in general use it's not really an issue. It does have good separation, yes see this little video which was shot mostly on the 28 f2 (notice the open and close, the nice bokeh):

 
Matthew Robertson said:
Thanks for the example nick! Snagged one for $850, what a deal! Selling my 25mm f2.8 now! Liked the lens but not super usable wide open and I actually think i will like the 28mm perspective vs. 25 on APS-C. A little tighter fast 35mm equiv is very appealing.
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Makes sense. I know of a number of film makers who are partial to 28mm. You appear to be in good company!
 
Nick, thanks for starting this enjoyable and informative thread. I've been putting together a set of 'standard' speed Zeiss C/Y lenses (28 f2.8 / 35 f2.8 / 50 1.7 / 85 f2.8 / 135 f2.8) in their MM incarnation. I'm still debating which 100mm to go with (f3.5 or f2.8). I just picked up the 28mm and it's got some problems, oil on blades, aperture doesn't fully open up - 2 blades peak out a bit, focus ring sounds and feels like it has sand or grit in there. My question is whether anyone can recommend a place to get it serviced in New York and if it's worth it. I bought it for $200 and could return it, the seller also offered to pick up the tab on the repair. The rest of the lens is in good shape, clean body and glass. Cheers Keiran.

Keiran Watson-Bonnice
Director + Editor
redlodgefilms.com

Lenses / Zeiss Contax 'Standards' + Nikon AIS Primes + Nikon AFS ED Zooms
 
Just landed a 35 2.8 on EBAY. Totally an accidental purchase of "well, I will put in a max bid that will never win" and it won! lol. Good price, around $220
 
Keiran Watson-Bonnice said:
Nick, thanks for starting this enjoyable and informative thread. I've been putting together a set of 'standard' speed Zeiss C/Y lenses (28 f2.8 / 35 f2.8 / 50 1.7 / 85 f2.8 / 135 f2.8) in their MM incarnation. I'm still debating which 100mm to go with (f3.5 or f2.8). I just picked up the 28mm and it's got some problems, oil on blades, aperture doesn't fully open up - 2 blades peak out a bit, focus ring sounds and feels like it has sand or grit in there. My question is whether anyone can recommend a place to get it serviced in New York and if it's worth it. I bought it for $200 and could return it, the seller also offered to pick up the tab on the repair. The rest of the lens is in good shape, clean body and glass. Cheers Keiran.

Keiran Watson-Bonnice
Director + Editor
redlodgefilms.com

Lenses / Zeiss Contax 'Standards' + Nikon AIS Primes + Nikon AFS ED Zooms
Click to expand...

Are you in NYC? Try giving it STEVE at DU-ALL, he's amazing. One of my DP's just dropped off all his Contax glass to be MODDED by Steve, and apparantly Steve did an AMAZING JOB!!! He'd be a good bet to look at that 28.

Congrats on jumping on the Contax train! They are hard to resist right? Especially the "standard" primes (haha, love that we call them that).
 
Keiran Watson-Bonnice said:
Nick, thanks for starting this enjoyable and informative thread. I've been putting together a set of 'standard' speed Zeiss C/Y lenses (28 f2.8 / 35 f2.8 / 50 1.7 / 85 f2.8 / 135 f2.8) in their MM incarnation. I'm still debating which 100mm to go with (f3.5 or f2.8). I just picked up the 28mm and it's got some problems, oil on blades, aperture doesn't fully open up - 2 blades peak out a bit, focus ring sounds and feels like it has sand or grit in there. My question is whether anyone can recommend a place to get it serviced in New York and if it's worth it. I bought it for $200 and could return it, the seller also offered to pick up the tab on the repair. The rest of the lens is in good shape, clean body and glass. Cheers Keiran.

Keiran Watson-Bonnice
Director + Editor
redlodgefilms.com

Lenses / Zeiss Contax 'Standards' + Nikon AIS Primes + Nikon AFS ED Zooms
Click to expand...

Also if you have to chose btw the 100 3.5 and 100 2.8, I'd go with the Macro. Having a 1:1 Macro opens up PHENOMENAL creative opportunities. The 100 3.5 is certainly more affordable however.
 
Jeffrey T. Morgan said:
Just landed a 35 2.8 on EBAY. Totally an accidental purchase of "well, I will put in a max bid that will never win" and it won! lol. Good price, around $220
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That is a great price! I purchased a "EX" from KEH for $310 back in March. I must warn everyone here though that since 7 months ago due to this thread I have purchased far too many Contax Zeiss lenses. Now the problem is which one to use. Far too many options. Just like potato chips you can't eat just one. IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU ALL!
 
Samir Patel said:
That is a great price! I purchased a "EX" from KEH for $310 back in March. I must warn everyone here though that since 7 months ago due to this thread I have purchased far too many Contax Zeiss lenses. Now the problem is which one to use. Far too many options. Just like potato chips you can't eat just one. IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU ALL!
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Haha. Yeah, I call it "Contax Trigger Finger". Once you start, it's hard to stop.
 
Nick Morrison said:
Are you in NYC? Try giving it STEVE at DU-ALL, he's amazing. One of my DP's just dropped off all his Contax glass to be MODDED by Steve, and apparantly Steve did an AMAZING JOB!!! He'd be a good bet to look at that 28.

Congrats on jumping on the Contax train! They are hard to resist right? Especially the "standard" primes (haha, love that we call them that).
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I'll be staying in Brooklyn for a week, so I'll look up Steve at DU-ALL. Thanks for the recommendation. The Contax train has definitely been hard to resist and I regret not making more purchases several years ago when I started looking into them. The prices out there are still hard to beat though.

Your advice on the 100mm f2.8 is the way I'm leaning. When I put together a 'superspeed' set there will be some crossovers like the 21mm and the 100mm.

I did a test between my 50mm f1.7 and 50mm f1.4, the f1.4 was significantly warmer in colour - is that unusual? The f1.7 is MMJ and the f1.4 is AEJ, the difference was pretty significant. Could it be the age of the T coating?
 
My 50mm f1.7 is currently sitting in a bowl of rice. :(

It went missing after a recent timelapse shoot and going back to the location this morning I discovered it had been out in the storms of the past week or so and was near enough full of water. No idea if it's going to be save-able but if not I might send it to Dog Schidt Optiks to bastardise as I already have one of their lenses and they're good fun.

Any tips for dealing with lenses with loads of internal condensation greatly appreciated :)
 
Keiran Watson-Bonnice said:
I did a test between my 50mm f1.7 and 50mm f1.4, the f1.4 was significantly warmer in colour - is that unusual? The f1.7 is MMJ and the f1.4 is AEJ, the difference was pretty significant. Could it be the age of the T coating?
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The coatings in theory are supposed to color match, but those color shifts do happen, yes. A part of it may be the age, and another part is Zeiss was presumably adjusting the coatings over the years (and decades). Sometimes it's noticeable, and sometimes it's not. Because of this, it's become pretty common on build matching sets...either all AE, or all MM....and even to try and get the serial numbers as close as possible, if you are being very diligent. However as these are stills lenses, there will always be minute differences between the lenses, but so far in my experience they have been so small as to not be an issue...and instead the uniformity of the look and feel of a set has really won us over.

Good luck with Steve! He has an impressive set of Contax himself!
 
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