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Contax Zeiss Survival Guide

Steve Sherrick said:
Cordvision also makes lens caps in two versions. One is fairly snug, the other very snug. I have one on the way along with an 80mm front ring. I have officially taken the bait and jumped into the Contax waters, first up is a 50mm F1.4. Probably going to end up building this set slowly but hoping to get a 35 and 85 soonish.
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Yeah I know, but those aren't very cheap either. Not far off from Schneider-prices. I'm guessing the more expensive one is the one that's really snug?

Was hoping to get front lens caps from the same place that sells Op/Tech rear caps. Anyone have experience with the Kaiser caps that BH sell?

Btw, Steve you'll not be looking back. The 50mm 1.4 is one of the best bang-for-buck lenses out there. Like the other super-speeds and the 28 2.0 it has this fantastic character and rendering to it that's just out of this world. Great for portraits!
 
Oscar Stegland said:
Yeah I know, but those aren't very cheap either. Not far off from Schneider-prices. I'm guessing the more expensive one is the one that's really snug?

Was hoping to get front lens caps from the same place that sells Op/Tech rear caps. Anyone have experience with the Kaiser caps that BH sell?

Btw, Steve you'll not be looking back. The 50mm 1.4 is one of the best bang-for-buck lenses out there. Like the other super-speeds and the 28 2.0 it has this fantastic character and rendering to it that's just out of this world. Great for portraits!
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This cap from Adorama used to fit SUPER SNUG on Cordvision fronts:

http://www.adorama.com/FLSLIP80.html?discontinued=t

Also seems to be very similar (if not identical) to the RP caps.

Looks like it's no longer avail, which is a shame...
 
Nick Morrison said:
This cap from Adorama used to fit SUPER SNUG on Cordvision fronts:

http://www.adorama.com/FLSLIP80.html?discontinued=t

Also seems to be very similar (if not identical) to the RP caps.

Looks like it's no longer avail, which is a shame...
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Yep, those are the ones that I was planning to get all along but they don't make them anymore. Adorama have said they're coming out with a replacement but have no date whatsoever.
 
I'm trying to decide on an 18mm prime lens to match the rest of my Contax set.

I'm tempted to get the Contax, but if the modern ZE is slightly faster, and also sharper wide open at that faster aperture, and only a couple hundred bucks more used....

I've the the 18-35 1.8 as well, but looking for better performance at 18, even if it's not as fast.

Any thoughts would really be appreciated.
 
Adam E said:
I'm trying to decide on an 18mm prime lens to match the rest of my Contax set.

I'm tempted to get the Contax, but if the modern ZE is slightly faster, and also sharper wide open at that faster aperture, and only a couple hundred bucks more used....

I've the the 18-35 1.8 as well, but looking for better performance at 18, even if it's not as fast.

Any thoughts would really be appreciated.
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Do you have the Contax 21 2.8? That's sort of the only thing I can think of that perhaps fits the bill. Not 18, but close.
 
Yes Nick, managed to snag that 21mm at a good price a couple of months ago. Love that lens. Seems so much better than the CP2 21mm.
 
Adam E said:
Yes Nick, managed to snag that 21mm at a good price a couple of months ago. Love that lens. Seems so much better than the CP2 21mm.
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Hmm...only other thing I can suggest is getting an old Arri 16mm T2 Academy prime (with the focus ears)...and mod it to EOS...which is what we did (RP had no fun on that mod, and vowed never todo it again!).
 
Adam E said:
I'm trying to decide on an 18mm prime lens to match the rest of my Contax set.

I'm tempted to get the Contax, but if the modern ZE is slightly faster, and also sharper wide open at that faster aperture, and only a couple hundred bucks more used....

I've the the 18-35 1.8 as well, but looking for better performance at 18, even if it's not as fast.

I have a lot of Contax lenses- a lot, and love them, but I prefer the 18 ze to the Contax, since I got it I also got the 25/2,35/2,50/2, and 135/2. Together they compliment my Contax's very nicely and make a great set by themselves with the DJI follow focus and Fool control.
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Me too, while I passed on the 21mm. I have a feeling that it somehow distorts less (or differently?) on the sides than other 18mm lenses. And I don't mean just the distortion of straight lines in this case, but also the typical 'bulging' of lenses in this range.

Even if this is one of the oldest constructions in the Contax line, there's something about it.
 
Well, now that I've got my mini set built (35,50,85) I'm experiencing the adapter process. As I will potentially be using these on multiple cameras, my research is showing the following adapters as best option. If anyone disagrees or has other suggestions, please comment. I'd rather not waste any money.

RED DSMC - EF Mount with lenses converted to EF.
Red One - All Star Mount via C/Y adapters (Mount $320, adapters $180 each)
Sony NEX Cameras - Novoflex C/Y to Nex adapter ($200)
Black Magic Cameras MFT - Novoflex C/Y to M4/3 adapter ($200)
Canon EOS (Leitax? Not sure yet what the best option is)

I can standardize on the Allstar mount. A five lens set would cost me $900 in adapters plus the following mounts.
- MFT $150
- Red DSMC $180
- Sony E Mount $200
- Arri Alexa $180
Canon would be the odd man out with the Allstar it seems but I don't shoot on Canon very much.

Anyway, I knew there would be the issue of converting to various cameras so basically I'm just wondering what everyone else is doing. I'm sure a lot of people have gone Leitax route, but maybe there are other recommendations to allow for flexibility. The Allstar system benefits me because I already have 2 Allstar mounts. And for some of my Nikon collection I will keep (selling my RP Lens set in another thread) I have Allstar adapters for those and a PL adapter. So keeps it very flexible.

And if anyone has Allstar C/Y adapters they want to sell to me, please contact me ASAP. The cost of the adapters new is about the cost of some of the lenses I'm looking at, so....
 
Steve Sherrick said:
Well, now that I've got my mini set built (35,50,85) I'm experiencing the adapter process. As I will potentially be using these on multiple cameras, my research is showing the following adapters as best option. If anyone disagrees or has other suggestions, please comment. I'd rather not waste any money.

RED DSMC - EF Mount with lenses converted to EF.
Red One - All Star Mount via C/Y adapters (Mount $320, adapters $180 each)
Sony NEX Cameras - Novoflex C/Y to Nex adapter ($200)
Black Magic Cameras MFT - Novoflex C/Y to M4/3 adapter ($200)
Canon EOS (Leitax? Not sure yet what the best option is)

I can standardize on the Allstar mount. A five lens set would cost me $900 in adapters plus the following mounts.
- MFT $150
- Red DSMC $180
- Sony E Mount $200
- Arri Alexa $180
Canon would be the odd man out with the Allstar it seems but I don't shoot on Canon very much.

Anyway, I knew there would be the issue of converting to various cameras so basically I'm just wondering what everyone else is doing. I'm sure a lot of people have gone Leitax route, but maybe there are other recommendations to allow for flexibility. The Allstar system benefits me because I already have 2 Allstar mounts. And for some of my Nikon collection I will keep (selling my RP Lens set in another thread) I have Allstar adapters for those and a PL adapter. So keeps it very flexible.

And if anyone has Allstar C/Y adapters they want to sell to me, please contact me ASAP. The cost of the adapters new is about the cost of some of the lenses I'm looking at, so....
Click to expand...

Steve another thing to consider is Leitaxing your Contax glass to NIKON mount, to match the rest of your glass, ane allow you to use your Nikon All Star Adapters...
 
Nick Morrison said:
Steve another thing to consider is Leitaxing your Contax glass to NIKON mount, to match the rest of your glass, ane allow you to use your Nikon All Star Adapters...
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It's an interesting option. I'd have to have someone do the procedure as my hands are not up for the task. I wonder if Peter Sensor would do it. My only concern is whether it ends up costing as much as the adapters and the adapters are not messing with the lens.

I assume this achieves infinity focus. Any issues with this procedure?
 
Steve Sherrick said:
It's an interesting option. I'd have to have someone do the procedure as my hands are not up for the task. I wonder if Peter Sensor would do it. My only concern is whether it ends up costing as much as the adapters and the adapters are not messing with the lens.

I assume this achieves infinity focus. Any issues with this procedure?
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Yup - infinity focus! No issues at all. Leitax are AMAZING.
 
Nick Morrison said:
Yup - infinity focus! No issues at all. Leitax are AMAZING.
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All three lenses have arrived. 35mm F2.8, 50mm F1.4, 85mm F1.4. My good friend and DP Ken Willinger had 2 Allstar Contax adapters he is selling me (pick those up tomorrow) and I have ordered another from Allstar. And just for fun, I ordered the MFT mount from him as well to try these out on the Blackmagic Pocket Cam. Of course, on that camera a 35 is closer to a 105 FOV but that could still be interesting for certain things.

Wasting no time getting the lenses into action. I shoot a company promotional video on Thursday and I'm planning on using the Contax.
 
Just thought I'd put this in here.

I bought a complete set of gears for my Contax lenses from Sean (helicoptersean) on Ebay. He's a very nice guy and easy to deal with. My measurements were out in a couple of instances, so I have supplied him with new measurements based on his own fitting rings. He keeps records of all his lens fittings so he may have yours on file should you decide to purchase from him.

He will also do bulk discounts if you want to do a few at a time. I took the opportunity to include all my Mamiyas at the same time, so he gave me a great deal.
 

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Paul Russell said:
Just thought I'd put this in here.

I bought a complete set of gears for my Contax lenses from Sean (helicoptersean) on Ebay. He's a very nice guy and easy to deal with. My measurements were out in a couple of instances, so I have supplied him with new measurements based on his own fitting rings. He keeps records of all his lens fittings so he may have yours on file should you decide to purchase from him.

He will also do bulk discounts if you want to do a few at a time. I took the opportunity to include all my Mamiyas at the same time, so he gave me a great deal.
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That's my next purchase, so I am very interested. I have the Sigma 18-35 gears from him. Works great!
 
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