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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

Hi Mike, I too have the 28-85 as well as the 35-70mm f/3.4 and the 80-200mm f/4.0. The latter two are of course, constant aperture. I haven't bothered with de-clicking the iris because I usually set it and forget it. Also, my Sony S-35 camera has a very good 'auto gain' feature where I can set shutter speed and the iris manually then let the camera work out the exposure. In this case, I use a thumb wheel to modulate or trim the gain sensitivity up to +/- 2 stops in real time based on viewfinder histogram, zebras and experience! This works very well, especially as on this particular camera. Because Sony's CMOS sensors are said to be 'ISO less', I can use +12dB of Gain as my 'native' ISO so consequently 'trim' the Gain +/- to suit the lighting situation. The thumbwheel 'trim' is linear and more convenient than manually ramping a de-clicked iris.

I'll try to post some photos of my rig because I now have a LH handle and shoulder brace attached to the rails which offers me a nice 'three point' stabilization but I can still hold the lens barrel with the Left Hand for focus & zoom. I do have a Follow Focus gear set and matte box but I don't bother with them when using the Contax zooms, only the primes.

PS: There's some recent pix on my Dropbox site. What's the best way do display .jpgs on this Forum?
 
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Regarding zooms, filters, and shades.

SHADES:
For a while now we've been using a custom shade from Schneider Optics. They made us a beta model, and we've been using 3 of them for most of the past year. Here are the part numbers, straight from David Contreras at Schneider:

0DS-FA82-00 SUNSHADE, 82MM FILTER DV $199
We currently have 6 Sunshades in stock and can build 17 more units 2-3 weeks ARO.

0FA-8272-00 82 to 77mm Step Down Ring $95
The custom step down adapter ring would need to be manufactured. Delivery 30 days ARO
This is the best we can offer at this time.
Click to expand...

What this is....is a 80mm CLAMP ON SHADE (that works perfectly with the Cordvision step up rings)...but has a 77mm thread.

I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but Mark Toia has been doing something similar, and it just works: as we're shooting on Full Frame Lenses...on a sensor that's quite a bit smaller...the filter thread being a smidge tighter than the shade (80mm vs 77mm) has NO effect on the image.

In fact, we've used these shades on Academy 35mm Standard Primes (a 24mm T2 last week), and even there...they work great!

So basically...we add filtration to the front of this SHADE, and just clamp the shade on/off when we switch lenses. Much faster than unscrewing filtration every time we switch glass. Has been a fantastic improvement to our workflow (which is generally fast paced interviews and b-roll).

ZOOMS:
As for for zooms, yes....the 35-70, 28-85, 80-200 and 100-300 are all super useful. We have all ours fully modded - Leitax EOS mounts, focus gears, and dampened iris. I know these are push pull designs, but sometimes having the gear is still useful - especially when using them as variable primes. In fact, one advantage of these zooms is their expanded FOCUS THROWS. The 28-85 for example has an incredible 180-270 degree focus throw...even at 28mm....and therefore much, much longer than the Contax 28mm primes (the 28 f2 or 28 2.8). So def convenient (and advantageous) to make full use of these fantastic focus rotations. The 80-200 for example has a superb near 270 focus throw...much much longer than most auto-focus 80-200 and 70-200 designs. And that's a major plus, especially as focus gets very thin at longer focal lengths (and in particular at 6K on the unusually large Dragon sensor).

FILTRATION:
As for filtration, I have to also agree with Craig. The Contax coatings are indeed very forgiving, and do indeed seem to expand the DR in a very pleasing (and useful way). We've been using some Standard Primes at times in conjunction with our Contax primes, and the coatings have been very similar (and pleasing). Diffusion can certainly add to this DR. Lowcon does indeed have a lot of bloom (perhaps why Kubric always loved it). Ultracon is sort of the ultimate "vintage" looking filter - appears to noticeably expand and lower contrast in a very compelling way. I've always found Ultracon to be a pretty strong look, and so far we haven't found an ideal use for it. Craig's right, digicon I believe is not avail in 77mm, so we haven't able to use/test it. For diffusion/beauty, Classic Soft and Hollywood Black Magic are always interesting choices to consider (for the right job). For more retro looks, Promist and Smoque can be interesting too.

Recently, a good friend of mine (and very successful DP) suggested we look into DIGITAL DIFFUSION FX (looks like a small family of diffusion filters?)....for the very reason Craig brings up. According to my friend, DIGITAL DIFFUSION FX is a very, very subtle softening filter...and has very little to no halation...and appears to be the diffusion you should consider...when you'd like to avoid the appearance of "using" diffusion. I guess it's the quiet diffusion. The subtle one. The diffusion that doesn't look like diffusion. I think Dave Mullen once described DIGITAL DIFFUSION FX as being too "clinical" because, by being so neutral, I suppose it has no personality, but I have to imagine there's occasionally a place for that.

Hope this helps.
 
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Nick,
I finally completed my set with the wide angles: 18 f4 and--call me crazy--the 15 f3.5.
I've sent them to Duclos for Leitax EF mounting and de-clicking, but I wasn't sure what was definitively possible--or impossible--with the front elements for outer rings or focus gears. I know the 18 has no threads. And the 15 is a monster with a built-in lens shade. Would you put focus gears on these wide angles? Any other advice?
Thanks in advance...
 
Mike Favazza said:
Nick,
I finally completed my set with the wide angles: 18 f4 and--call me crazy--the 15 f3.5.
I've sent them to Duclos for Leitax EF mounting and de-clicking, but I wasn't sure what was definitively possible--or impossible--with the front elements for outer rings or focus gears. I know the 18 has no threads. And the 15 is a monster with a built-in lens shade. Would you put focus gears on these wide angles? Any other advice?
Thanks in advance...
Click to expand...

They can both get focus gears, sure. I have a focus gear on the 16mm fisheye, and that's tiny.

The 18mm can get a delrin 80OD "lip", so you can at least clamp on 80OD rings/hoods, etc (which can still be pretty useful).

The 15mm though, yeah its probably impossible to add a filter thread (the front element isn't really designed for that, under any circumstance, so even the 80OD "lip" wouldn't work on the 15, as it does on the 18).

Both Im sure can get focus gears no prob. Our 18 has a gear.

The 15mm isn't too crazy. I mean it's expensive, and technically not as "sharp" as the new 15mm 2.8, but my gut tells me it probably looks insanely cool on full frame. Im sure it will be a really fun, cool/interesting lens on Weapon. So congrats. I actually kind of applaud your bravery. It's the unusual choices sometimes that define us, so I'm a fan!

best
 
As I mentioned previously, I use my matte box with the Contax primes but here are some pictures of the lens/filter/shade arrangement I use with my Contax zooms when travelling. You might be able to see that the Speed Booster's 'swiss-arca' foot is set in a quick release mechanism which is attached to the fluid tripod's own quick release plate. When the latter is removed, the entire camera/rails/recorder setup shown here simply clips into a 'long' rails bracket I designed which supports the matte box, follow focus wheel, lens support and 'C' handle. The C handle also supports a Rode NTG-3 shotgun mic with XLR/Phantom Preamp as well as a 'top' handle so I can conveniently carry the entire 6kg rig from point to point.
 

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Had some fun shooting this over the last couple of days...

Stills here on A7s with 21mm 2.8

Lamborghini Huracán for XCAR by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Lamborghini Huracán for XCAR by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Lamborghini Huracán for XCAR by Ben Scott, on Flickr


And some screengrabs from FS7 at 150fps - really rough test 20sec grades to get ideas together for the final piece all 28-85 or 80-200 on speedbooster

Lamborghini Huracan - Screen grabs and test grades by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Lamborghini Huracan - Screen grabs and test grades by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Lamborghini Huracan - Screen grabs and test grades by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Lamborghini Huracan - Screen grabs and test grades by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Lamborghini Huracan - Screen grabs and test grades by Ben Scott, on Flickr
 
Look out Ben, they'll hire you to shoot for Top Gear if you're not careful!

The Contax 28mm is a stunning lens on the Speed Booster for S-35. Shame you cannot use the combo with REDS and BMD cameras. I guess I'll remain a Sony customer too until that changes. Did you use a graduated ND for the top shot? Remarkable latitude if you didn't.
 
No grads in any of those top A7s shots although I did break out a .9 grad for some FS7 establishers (not pictured here).

If they're hiring I'll take the gig, as long as I'm not expected to punch any Producers ;)
 
Do you own the Contax 21mm? On S-35, with the Speed Booster almost restoring the lens' original 91 degree FoV, it looks fantastic. I've done a few test shoots of cars with the 21 and the perspective is amazing so long as you're careful not to distort reality too much.

It's a shame most 'noobs' seem to equate 'wide angle lens' with the dreadful warped horizon seen all too often from the ubiquitous GoPro PoV camera.
 
Ben Scott said:
I prefer not using the Speedbooster unless I have to though. I know it sounds silly but I quite like basing my lens choices on their S35 field of view instead of a FF35 stills one. Speedbooster tends to come out on the zooms though.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised to read that. In my case, the Speed Booster is a 'fixture' with C/Y lenses bayoneting onto one side and a couple of different S-35 cameras to the other. Unlike most people, I bought the Metabones device, not for the f/stop increase but for the Caldwell designed optics which correct a number of deficiencies when using Contax 35mm lenses with digital sensors:

* C/Y to E-Mount converter
* Field of View is Increased
* MTF is Increased
* Physical length is reduced
* Telecentricity is improved (moves the ‘exit pupil’ further from the image plane so improves corner illumination and reduces sensor artifacts such as colour variations caused by pixel crosstalk)
* ‘Filter Effect’ is Cured (corrects the aberrations cause by the low-pass/infrared/sensor cover glass filter pack when using ‘film’ lenses on digital cameras with an OLPF)

Ref: Metabones White Paper

PS: With reference to Telecentricity and the problems of 'shadows' created on photosites set below the circuitry plane, Sony's Full Frame 'BSI' sensor found in the new A7r MkII may be just the silicon device to really see what the Contax series can do on FF without the Metabones optics. A Back Side Illuminated sensor (which is in fact, front illuminated!) would appear to be the closest digital sensor yet to compete with a perfectly flat sheet of 35mm film.
 
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Craig J Marshall said:
I'm surprised to read that. In my case, the Speed Booster is a 'fixture' with C/Y lenses bayoneting onto one side and a couple of different S-35 cameras to the other. Unlike most people, I bought the Metabones device, not for the f/stop increase but for the Caldwell designed optics which correct a number of deficiencies when using Contax 35mm lenses with digital sensors:

* C/Y to E-Mount converter
* Field of View is Increased
* MTF is Increased
* Physical length is reduced
* Telecentricity is improved (moves the ‘exit pupil’ further from the image plane so improves corner illumination and reduces sensor artifacts such as colour variations caused by pixel crosstalk)
* ‘Filter Effect’ is Cured (corrects the aberrations cause by the low-pass/infrared/sensor cover glass filter pack when using ‘film’ lenses on digital cameras with an OLPF)

Ref: Metabones White Paper

PS: With reference to Telecentricity and the problems of 'shadows' created on photosites set below the circuitry plane, Sony's Full Frame 'BSI' sensor found in the new A7r MkII may be just the silicon device to really see what the Contax series can do on FF without the Metabones optics. A Back Side Illuminated sensor (which is in fact, front illuminated!) would appear to be the closest digital sensor yet to compete with a perfectly flat sheet of 35mm film.
Click to expand...

All of of this is fascinating as I only really 'sort of' get the magic of the focal reducer. At the same time though I love these lenses for their quirks and character and I am not 100% certain I want to dial any of that out.
 
Doing testing for a feature today on the 28-85. Turned out nicely.

Christina_Alone_Wide.png

Adrien_Smile_OTS.png

Christina_Laugh_OTS.png
 
Hi guys, I was reading about the new Zeiss Milvus line which are rated for 8K video and 50MP stills. What are the Contax Zeiss rated at?
 
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