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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

I really am impressed with my 35-70. Love the contax and leica r line.
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I'm in need of a wider (then 28 2.8). I like the 21mm but is price out of my range at the moment. Is there another option out there?
I have a MMJ set of the GL mods (28, 35, 50, 85 and 135).
 
regis larue said:
I'm in need of a wider (then 28 2.8). I like the 21mm but is price out of my range at the moment. Is there another option out there?
I have a MMJ set of the GL mods (28, 35, 50, 85 and 135).
Click to expand...

There's the 25 2.8 and the 18 F4.

The 21 is a gem, yes. But expensive...unfortunately...

You could also consider the GL 18-35 and throw a lowcon filter on it to try and get it too match? My DP won't use the 18-35 (he thinks it's too clinical)...but it's certainly sharp and a good lens...
 
I've tried the 18-35 and it's indeed a sharp lens and a good low light. I haven't looked at the 25 2.8 and 18 F4. Let the search begin.

As usual thanks, Nick!
 
I love my little 25mm f2.8 AE.
It's old and it flares at the slightest opportunity. Nowhere near as sharp as the 21mm MM that I have, but also nowhere near the amount of barrel distortion.
This one appears to be last on a lot of people's lists, but I pull it out of the box a lot. It's great for shooting hand-held or run and gun because you just set the focus at 7-8ft and run around with it. The size means that you can put handles on both sides of the Red, stick a RedVolt in the side handle and just use the camera like a fig-rig.

For examples: the boxer shot at 1:25, the fight scene at 1:40 and the final flared shot at 1:57 were all shot with the 25mm. On the final shot that blue flare was helped with Schneider True Streak, but the flares framing the girl's face are directly from the lens.


 
Paul Russell said:
I love my little 25mm f2.8 AE.
It's old and it flares at the slightest opportunity. Nowhere near as sharp as the 21mm MM that I have, but also nowhere near the amount of barrel distortion.
This one appears to be last on a lot of people's lists, but I pull it out of the box a lot. It's great for shooting hand-held or run and gun because you just set the focus at 7-8ft and run around with it. The size means that you can put handles on both sides of the Red, stick a RedVolt in the side handle and just use the camera like a fig-rig.

For examples: the boxer shot at 1:25, the fight scene at 1:40 and the final flared shot at 1:57 were all shot with the 25mm. On the final shot that blue flare was helped with Schneider True Streak, but the flares framing the girl's face are directly from the lens.


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Totally agree. The 25 is our run n gun too. We have an as-of-yet unfinished/unnapproved project (one of our best, too) shot almost entirely on the 25 AE. The client called the look "magical". One day I hope we can share - its a great spot!
 
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Oh that reminds me I must get some more!

In other news I can totally recommend Aperture in London on Rathbone Place for any manual lens work, specifically Leica and Contax glass. My Hollywood is now working as good as new again, and the guy put felt pads in the Hollywood and 35mm f2.5 iris rings to stiffen them up as the iris was occasionally slipping. 2 day turnaround for work regreasing and collimating 6 lenses.
 
regis larue said:
I'm in need of a wider (then 28 2.8). I like the 21mm but is price out of my range at the moment. Is there another option out there?
I have a MMJ set of the GL mods (28, 35, 50, 85 and 135).
Click to expand...

I can definately say that the Sigma 18-35 matches up so well that I had a hard time picking it out at 28 2.8 vs my Contax 28 2.8. Now add to that it goes to 18mm at 1.8.

The Contax 18 f4 is pretty great too.
 
Ben Scott said:
Oh that reminds me I must get some more!

In other news I can totally recommend Aperture in London on Rathbone Place for any manual lens work, specifically Leica and Contax glass. My Hollywood is now working as good as new again, and the guy put felt pads in the Hollywood and 35mm f2.5 iris rings to stiffen them up as the iris was occasionally slipping. 2 day turnaround for work regreasing and collimating 6 lenses.
Click to expand...

WOW. Felt pads sounds cool...
 
Ted Parkes said:
Unfortunately the Sigma 18-35 is not Full Frame. Has anyone played with other FF options on the wide end of the spectrum?
Click to expand...

The Contax 21 is amazing. I've always wanted to play with the Contax N 16-35 2.8...converted to EOS!
 
Sounds like there is a lot involved with the mount conversion on the N17 -35 but the reviews look promising. Not a cheap lens by any standard but its faster then the 18mm and fills that wide end nicely. Are Conurus in Vancouver still doing conversions?
 
Nick Morrison said:
Do you have the Conurus version of this lens? If so...jealous!!
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Nick, I don't but I used it a bunch of times... ;)

Much higher microcontrast than the Canon equivalent BUT it match well only the MM primes with late serials, and not all of them,
WO only the "standards" have the ability to work with the zoom...contrast wise (not microcontrast which the AEs have bags of)

The AEs, especially superspeeds, @2.8 are still lower contrast and flarey (which is good in my book!), the N WA zoom is too clean imho...

Ted Parkes said:
Sounds like there is a lot involved with the mount conversion on the N17 -35 but the reviews look promising. Not a cheap lens by any standard but its faster then the 18mm and fills that wide end nicely. Are Conurus in Vancouver still doing conversions?
Click to expand...

Yeah Ted, they raised the prices of their conversions to keep the value of used N lenses at a reasonable level (that's what they said...)

The 17-35 N once converted is an expensive beast...around $3K all in...
 
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