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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

TLS installed the gears to our ZFs, very happy with the work and the price.
Did send them away for it though, rather than attach ourselves
 
I have a question about cine modding these lenses. I know Dulcos, RP Lens etc. can add lens gears, but can they make them custom sizes? I mean height thickness specifically to make the circumference as big as possible without hitting 15mm rods. Also, what about adding permanent gears to the push-pull zooms, like a really really wide lens gear?
 
We did get them declicked at the same time.
The electric 'overide' for iris control still works on Nikon DSLRs after this (never could get it to work on the Red).

For Jake; I'm sure I've seen places fit extra wide gears for lenses during focus (the ZF 100mm macro comes to mind as that moves massively), not sure about the height...
 
Jake Wilganowski said:
I have a question about cine modding these lenses. I know Dulcos, RP Lens etc. can add lens gears, but can they make them custom sizes? I mean height thickness specifically to make the circumference as big as possible without hitting 15mm rods. Also, what about adding permanent gears to the push-pull zooms, like a really really wide lens gear?
Click to expand...

Jake in theory you can make gears any size. Peter at RP lens is pretty good about this. Although he generally keeps them all a custom size for me. Except the macro gears which are much wider to accomodate the much larger focus rotation of the macros (they can easily go 360 degrees multiple times). Ive had all my push pull zooms declicked and with gears added just so they can be treated like variable ¨primes¨ if needed.
 
Some porn.

60 AEG 5KFF@F8 25Fps 1/75
1150681_10201814362947138_1892128794_o.jpg



1277782_10201814373707407_1519117347_o.jpg


B.
 
Jake Wilganowski said:
I have a question about cine modding these lenses. I know Dulcos, RP Lens etc. can add lens gears, but can they make them custom sizes? I mean height thickness specifically to make the circumference as big as possible without hitting 15mm rods. Also, what about adding permanent gears to the push-pull zooms, like a really really wide lens gear?
Click to expand...
Jake, I am somewhat affiliated with RP Lens and pretty familiar with the capabilities, so I will try to answer your questions as well as I can. RP offers 3 different diameters of lens gears. The "standard" one is 80mm (about 3"), and then both 90mm (3.5") and 100mm (4") diameter rings are also available at an additional cost. Even larger rings like 110mm (5") can be cut on special order. We would have to do some measuring in order to calculate the number of teeth in the gear at a given diameter.

As far as width of the lens gears, the standard width is 10mm. For Macro lenses we typically install a 22mm wide gear (this is about double the cost of the standard width gear). We can also cut even wider gears for the push-pull zooms, but they are quite expensive, as Delrin is pretty pricey stuff. If you want to PM me, we can talk about any specific questions you have.

Here is a photo showing the 10mm and 22mm wide gears...

IMG_6580_sm.jpg
 
Alright got a couple questions guys,

While installing my leitax mount on my 35-70m, the mount slipped somewhat when the screws were removed and it was kinda tough to get it flush again. In the process, I disabled the stop clicks on the lens, i'm assuming the pin for the aperture just got out of alignment or so. Anyone had this happen? How would I go about fixing? Its not so terrible as its clickless now which in some senses is nice, but its not dampened of course, so a little afraid it can slip too easily during a shoot. In the interim could always just use a small piece of gaf tape to keep the aperture in a certain position if i've got a locked down shot during a shoot.

Also, on my 85mm f2.8 I couldn't get one fo the screws off, and I could feel it starting to strip. This was the only screw out of all my lenses that had an issue. I was using standard practice of putting a very firm amount of pressure on the screw and being careful with it, but not gonna try and push it anymore cause I knew it would strip and potentially become unable to remove. Might just have to bite the bullet and send it into duclos and pay $60 or so for him to install the mount. Any ideas?
 
I did what you did once before... accidentally making one of my lenses clickless. I think it's a little ball bearing type of piece responsible for that. I'm not a lens tech though so I'm sure someone else could chime in with more useful info. I never tried to reset mine, just kept it as is since I was planning on de-clicking it eventually anyway. I had it dampened after a few weeks but up until then it wasn't so loose that I couldn't shoot on it. It didn't slip at all.

I've also had that screw problem, twice. I had to drill it to fix it. Try dabbing acetone or liquid wrench on the screw. Be precise with it though. That could loosen it a little. If that doesn't work see if you can loosen it at all with a razor blade. Sometimes a razor blade can work for carving new markings if it's stripped and or just turning. And then there's drilling.
 
Robert Rif said:
Here's a test I did with Contax Zeiss 28-85mm f3.3-4 in the strong Scandinavian September light, DSLR footage. Lots of flare..

http://vimeo.com/73814370

Click to expand...

Robert, are you using a track from La Mala Rodriguez in there?

Nice flares. Some of those shots look TACK sharp, esp the closeups at the end.
 
Brian Robbins said:
I did what you did once before... accidentally making one of my lenses clickless. I think it's a little ball bearing type of piece responsible for that. I'm not a lens tech though so I'm sure someone else could chime in with more useful info. I never tried to reset mine, just kept it as is since I was planning on de-clicking it eventually anyway. I had it dampened after a few weeks but up until then it wasn't so loose that I couldn't shoot on it. It didn't slip at all.

I've also had that screw problem, twice. I had to drill it to fix it. Try dabbing acetone or liquid wrench on the screw. Be precise with it though. That could loosen it a little. If that doesn't work see if you can loosen it at all with a razor blade. Sometimes a razor blade can work for carving new markings if it's stripped and or just turning. And then there's drilling.
Click to expand...
Razor blade is a good idea! hadn't thought of that! Thanks for the ideas. Think i might just find a time when i'm not shooting something and get it into duclos. I'm not the greatest mechanically and would be concerned about drilling out a screw on a lens
 
@Nick, No, the track is Ohos De Brujo - Quien Engana No Gana.

Thanks! Yes, and I am amazed I could get anything in focus, in the strong sunlight it was impossible to see anything on the LCD viewfinder. Although I am no fan of shallow depth of field, it was nice to realise that it was possible to get that with this f3.3-4 zoom on an s35 sized sensor, as can be seen in the hammock sequence.
 
DISCLAIMER: Shameless self-promotion!

I am doing a photo exhibition of some of my large format works at the end of the month in La Morra, Italy, during the "White Truffle Festival." Here is a link to the show:

http://visionsfromlamorra.com/

Anyhow, 5 of the images are frame grabs from motion streams captured with my Scarlet using a Nikon 24-70G. They are: "Late Harvest Grapes," "Osteria Veglio," "Coming Soon to La Morra," and the "Views From Gabetti Monument."

All the rest of the images were shot full frame with a 5DMkII-w- either a CY 21/2.8 or a CY 35-70/3.4.



_____________________________
Scarlet X # 1859 “Bettie Page”
“… preparing to ‘whip’ the competition …”

Zeiss Lenses:

CY 21/2.8
ZF 28/2.0
CY 35-70/3.4
CY 50/1.4
ZF100/2.0
CY 135/2.8

Nikon Lenses:
G 14-24/2.8
G 24-70/2.8
D 80-200/2.8

Tokina Lenses:

11-16/2.8
 
Bill Sepaniak said:
DISCLAIMER: Shameless self-promotion!

I am doing a photo exhibition of some of my large format works at the end of the month in La Morra, Italy, during the "White Truffle Festival." Here is a link to the show:

http://visionsfromlamorra.com/

Anyhow, 5 of the images are frame grabs from motion streams captured with my Scarlet using a Nikon 24-70G. They are: "Late Harvest Grapes," "Osteria Veglio," "Coming Soon to La Morra," and the "Views From Gabetti Monument."

All the rest of the images were shot full frame with a 5DMkII-w- either a CY 21/2.8 or a CY 35-70/3.4.



_____________________________
Scarlet X # 1859 “Bettie Page”
“… preparing to ‘whip’ the competition …”

Zeiss Lenses:

CY 21/2.8
ZF 28/2.0
CY 35-70/3.4
CY 50/1.4
ZF100/2.0
CY 135/2.8

Nikon Lenses:
G 14-24/2.8
G 24-70/2.8
D 80-200/2.8

Tokina Lenses:

11-16/2.8
Click to expand...

Hey I'm into shameless self promotion. Sounds great. Good luck with the exhibition. Speaking of shameless self promotion it looks like I'll have my Scarlet package within the next 4-6 weeks, and then I'm going to flip it out and upgrade to Epic. Once that happens (assuming I'm not completely lazy or full of shit) I can't wait to detonate this thread with tons of awesome stuff shot on Contax. Time to stop collecting...and start shooting!!!

Good luck Bill! Let us know how the show goes!
 
Hey Guys and Nick mainly. Any suggestions on Contax 21 vs ZE/ZF2 Zeiss 21? I am thinking that I will eventually want to buy this one to complete my Contax collection but I have read that the updated version has better handling of the distortion. I like that the Contax lenses allow iris change on the lens themselves. If I purchased the ZF version then I would get the on lens iris ability but then that would be reverse focusing which sounds like a turn off. Has anyone used both lenses and can chime in on the pros/cons. Since most of the Contax 21s I have seen a are MM versions are the renderings similar to the most updated lenses? Should I just go ahead and go for a ZE version to stick with same direction focusing (and knowing that 25/2 is only available in ZE/ZF2 anyway)?
 
Samir Patel said:
Hey Guys and Nick mainly. Any suggestions on Contax 21 vs ZE/ZF2 Zeiss 21? I am thinking that I will eventually want to buy this one to complete my Contax collection but I have read that the updated version has better handling of the distortion. I like that the Contax lenses allow iris change on the lens themselves. If I purchased the ZF version then I would get the on lens iris ability but then that would be reverse focusing which sounds like a turn off. Has anyone used both lenses and can chime in on the pros/cons. Since most of the Contax 21s I have seen a are MM versions are the renderings similar to the most updated lenses? Should I just go ahead and go for a ZE version to stick with same direction focusing (and knowing that 25/2 is only available in ZE/ZF2 anyway)?
Click to expand...

Samir, I don't have any experience comparing the two. But comparing their MTF charts (Contax 21, vs ZF/ZE 21), I don't see any glaring differences in distortion on the charts. Wide open the ZF/ZE appears to have improved edge resolution (though unclear how noticeable that will be, even on Dragon).

I'm a big stickler for matching coatings/looks. So my preference would still be the Contax. That being said, it's getting very expensive. So for convenience and savings it would also make a lot of sense to get the ZF/ZE. Can't go wrong either way!
 
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