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Contax Zeiss Survival Guide

andy black said:
hi all, i have been through this entire thread and it has me very excited to get into contax zeiss lenses, great stuff. Alas, no one has addressed how to them onto the red one, mine currently has the pl mount but i was probably going to swap it out for the nikkon.

any advice regarding mounts/adapters is appreciated.

thanks.
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Most people use adapters on the Canon mount since it has the shortest flange focal distance (FFD) (44mm) which is the distance the lens mount must be from the sensor. C/Y lenses are designed for 45.5mm FFD so there is enough room to have a physical adapter (1.5mm thick at the flange) to work on the Canon mounts and still provide proper focus. Nikon F mount FFD is 46.5 mm so if you mounted a C/Y lens on a nikon mount it would be as if you were using an extension tube and you wouldn't be able to get the full focus range. (This is also why you can use NIkon lenses on Canon mount with simple physical adapters since it has even more room to make adapters that fit properly.
 
andy black said:
hi all, i have been through this entire thread and it has me very excited to get into contax zeiss lenses, great stuff. Alas, no one has addressed how to them onto the red one, mine currently has the pl mount but i was probably going to swap it out for the nikkon.

any advice regarding mounts/adapters is appreciated.

thanks.
Click to expand...

If you are on the RED ONE, a great way to switch btw PL glass and Contax glass is the ALL-STAR MOUNT (which has a customized kit specifically for the RED one)
 
thanks guys, looks like the allstar mount is the way forward for versatility, by far. nearly 200 dollars per adapter/lens stings a little tho. Especially as many of these lenses are around that price but still, looks like a great system.
 
andy black said:
thanks guys, looks like the allstar mount is the way forward for versatility, by far. nearly 200 dollars per adapter/lens stings a little tho. Especially as many of these lenses are around that price but still, looks like a great system.
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You can't beat the Allstar A-mount, Andy. Especially if you want to mix various brands and lens types. You can go from PL to Nikon to Contax to Leica to whatever in seconds...no back focus adjustments required. It is super convenient and gives a very robust mechanical connection to the camera. The adapters aren't cheap, but the convenience more than makes up for it. I've been using an A-mount on my R1 from Day One and couldn't live without it.
 
Nick Morrison said:
My favorite Contax pick on this thread!!!!

The 60 2.8 is becoming one of our faves too. Utterly destroyed on a shoot this week, as our portrait lens paired with the 21 on the B-Cam.
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OOps blushing.
Sorry about your lense, hope it's not too bad.
Cheers
B.

andy black said:
hi all, i have been through this entire thread and it has me very excited to get into contax zeiss lenses, great stuff. Alas, no one has addressed how to them onto the red one, mine currently has the pl mount but i was probably going to swap it out for the nikkon.

any advice regarding mounts/adapters is appreciated.

thanks.
Click to expand...

You have also the Contax mount from Cinemods.
B.
 
Brice Ansel said:
You have also the Contax mount from Cinemods.
B.
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True but there is a tiny amount of play in the contax mount from what I remember...

Ben Scott said:
Guys, do any of you 'Contax Hollywood' owners have any clips of it in action?

Cheers,

Ben
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I'd do it Ben if I weren't so busy, but are you sure you want to see what it's capable of?
You'll have to buy it then! ;)
 
Tommaso Alvisi said:
True but there is a tiny amount of play in the contax mount from what I remember...
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Well, on a set of 11 contax just one of them show the tiny amount of play you describe.
Just saying.

Best
B.
 
Tommaso Alvisi said:
True but there is a tiny amount of play in the contax mount from what I remember...



I'd do it Ben if I weren't so busy, but are you sure you want to see what it's capable of?
You'll have to buy it then! ;)
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Well I need to add some faster Contax at some point and that's currently a just little more than the 85mm f1.4 :)
 
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Nick Morrison said:
Haha, no meant the 60 2.8 "destroyed" in that it did AMAZING. It crushed a fashion shoot for us.
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Hé hé , I see.
The same as when you say the 100/300 melt faces.
Probably the way people talk in Brooklyn. :)

Feeling like one of those caracter in a Tex Avery Short movie.
The guy interpret a story in a funny manner, because of his English knowledge.

Coudn't find it with the sound.

Cheers
 
Well, the 180mm can melt faces just as well…

Just got me one from Denmark in excellent condition and went for a shooting with my loved one in a park.

But it's my heaviest C/Y !
 
Uli Plank said:
Well, the 180mm can melt faces just as well…

Just got me one from Denmark in excellent condition and went for a shooting with my loved one in a park.

But it's my heaviest C/Y !
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Haha, yeah the 180 2.8 is great also.

Another face melter is the 16 2.8 fisheye by the way...
 
Uli Plank said:
Well, the 180mm can melt faces just as well…

But it's my heaviest C/Y !
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Yes, but to quote Mr Morrison again, does it disolves metal as well?
 
Jason Bognacki said:
Anyone have experience with the Contax Zeiss 85mm f1.2 or Contax Zeiss 55mm f1.2 ?
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WOW. That is rare, elite glass indeed. Those two, and the 200 f2 and 300 2.8, are SO EXPENSIVE, their cost is pretty prohibitive. There are a couple of guys on the stills boards who own them, and they rave...but I don't believe they've ever been thrown on a RED. I'd be curious to find out more myself.
 
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Brandon Kelly said:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98118172@N02/9154330363/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98118172@N02/9154331251/

Hey guys. I just posted 2 screen grabs to Flickr with my new Contax 35-70. I am loving my new contax lenses! I have the 25 2.8 as well, and I am planning on getting the 50 1.7 next I think.

Both images are screen grabs from RED scarlet 3k 48fps. hand held with neck strap for support.
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Looking good Brandon! Yeah for run n gun, and for solo shooting by yourself, I love the 35-70. Its one of my faves. And the macro function (as you've discovered!) is so easy and fun to use. All around, one of the BEST contax lenses, and a real boon to any set.

Just got the 35-135 recently. Curious to see how that performs in the field. It loses a stop of light btw 35 and 135 which is a bit of a pain, but that focal range is pretty much where I live most of the time (plus the 21), so looking forward to seeing how versatile and convenient it is.

Def get the 50 1.7. Another gem.
 
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