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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

Craig J Marshall said:
Have you seen the specs of Sony's new A6300? 14 stops DR, S-35 BSI, true 6K > 4K internal LOG without line skipping, Clean 4:2:2 out, monitoring LUTs and all for $995! Toy cameras are becoming serious...

Oh, and it shoots stills too. :001_smile:
Click to expand...

It looks pretty great. Wish I had waited instead of getting the a7sii
 
Well, you did well to wait for the Mk 11. I'm still waiting to replace my VG-20! :001_smile: I'm hoping they'll fit the innards of the A6300 into a 'video' form factor body soon just as they did with old NEX-5n = VG-20. I'm not a great fan of shooting video on stills cameras but at $995, if I think of it purely as an S-35 'sensor block', I might be able to convince myself...
 
Hello guys,
ok it is a bit of topic, yesterday I was watching breaking bad and sudenly this shot reminded me the AE ninja stars.
From IMDB it seems the serie was shot on Angenieux Optimo, Canon and Cooke S4 lenses.
I guess this Ninja stars look come from the Cooke S4 ?

12694836_10208292591778810_2600885621147789123_o.jpg
 
Hello all,

An FYI / recommendation for any UK based people - I was asking just before Christmas about repairs in London. I tried Aperture in Soho who said their technician wouldn't touch Zeiss Contax, but they recommended a guy called Graham Playford (02073945060 based near Tower Bridge. He sorted my 85mm (it took a knock when travelling abroad and couldn't reach infinity focus) for £45. He's just one slightly gruff man working on his own, but I'm very happy with the work.

Next up, I think I might be in the market for a long lens. If anyone is looking to get shot of a 200mm or 180mm (AE) then drop us a line (tom @ filmtom.com)...

Also interested to hear anyone's thoughts on other easily EF-mounted long lenses. I remember hearing wonderful things about the 180mm Zeiss Jena. Has anyone compared that to the Contax 180mm?

Tom
www.tomtdop.com
 
Tom Turley said:
Next up, I think I might be in the market for a long lens. If anyone is looking to get shot of a 200mm or 180mm (AE) then drop us a line (tom @ filmtom.com)...


www.tomtdop.com
Click to expand...

There's a few on ebay at the moment out of Japan (AEG) for around $350-450 USD. I have one which I love but now that I'm travelling with the 80-200mm zoom, I can't image I'll use it anymore.
 
Lens adapters for C/Y to E-Mount

Hi guys, I know this is a RED forum, but it's also one of the most knowledgable groups when it comes to Contax lenses. I've been fiddling around with 2 different lens adapters and they seem to all be of poor quality. One is a Kipon and the other some random Chinese one. Both have the same amount of play...... not enough to have a negative effect until you hit the focus ends.

Has anyone tried the Metabones CY to E? The reviews that I read about this adapter seems to be the same as every other adapter....Im a bit reluctant to order one as the 2 Canon to E autofocus adapters I have from Metabones both came with mounting problems. One was so bad, the lens couldn't even screw on. When you try these adapters on in the shop, they always feel ok, then 3 days later after using it bit....the play is introduced and becomes a bit annoying.

That new Tech-Art manual focus to autofocus adapter looks pretty cool....I wonder how they will work with the C/Y lenses. If it's a nice tight adapter with 0 play, I might just wait to get one of those after the public reviews are out.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance
 
Yes, I have the Metabones C/Y to E-mount 'Speed Booster' permanently fixed on my Sony. A match made in Heaven for Contax, especially as it restores the Contax FF lens original field of view to S-35/APSC and generally improves MTF. The optical device has a mechanical back focus adjustment which must be fine tuned. Mine would not mount 'out of the box' until I screwed it in approximately two full turns. Once set, it is perfect.
 
Thanks for the quick feedback, however I was referring to the none speed booster version of the metabones.

I havne't started considering the speed booster, might be a better idea, my question for you is, with the speed booster......correct me if I'm wrong, but if I shoot in full frame, it reduces the look to s35 and gives me 1 approx 1 extra stop of light? So what happens if I change the sensor to S35 mode?

Thanks
 
I assume by your question you are using a full frame camera? A7s or similar? If so, I've read that the A7S has certain advantages in S-35 mode like reduced rolling shutter artefacts so I'd recommend using S-35 mode. You only get the extra stop with Speed Booster on S-35 sensors as the
extra light has got to come from somewhere...

PS: I use the Fotga brand 'dumb' adapters and they are Ok but Contax are heavy lenses so I always use rails and support brackets for all my long lenses and its wise to check the tightness of all E-Mount screws (and Metabones screws) regularly.

Another thing: most of my big Contax lenses weigh far more than my camera so they are all supported by the tripod mount built into the Speed Booster, never via the camera's baseplate.
 
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The Techarte adapter I know about is adapting Contax G lenses with AF to Sony E-mount. It should be very interesting to mount a 45mm or a 90mm to an A7. They say it works very well.

Regarding your problems with cheap adapters: it could be Sony's mount, not the adapter. The mount on my A7R (half plastic) has play, while the full metal one on the A7S is pretty tight.
 
Tom Turley said:
Hello all,

An FYI / recommendation for any UK based people - I was asking just before Christmas about repairs in London. I tried Aperture in Soho who said their technician wouldn't touch Zeiss Contax, but they recommended a guy called Graham Playford (02073945060 based near Tower Bridge. He sorted my 85mm (it took a knock when travelling abroad and couldn't reach infinity focus) for £45. He's just one slightly gruff man working on his own, but I'm very happy with the work.

Next up, I think I might be in the market for a long lens. If anyone is looking to get shot of a 200mm or 180mm (AE) then drop us a line (tom @ filmtom.com)...

Also interested to hear anyone's thoughts on other easily EF-mounted long lenses. I remember hearing wonderful things about the 180mm Zeiss Jena. Has anyone compared that to the Contax 180mm?

Tom
www.tomtdop.com
Click to expand...


That's very strange. They fixed, regreased and declicked my 28 Hollywood (along with some Leica Rs) and the old fella who works there is a Contax veteran. Maybe he's retired or something...

Thanks for the headsup re the new guy you found. I have a bunch of Contax lenses with stripped/glued screws that I need to get sorted so I cna declick ad stick the leitax adapters on.

The 300 Contax is a bargain and I have used it with A7 and Red Scarlet.
 
Tom Turley said:
Also interested to hear anyone's thoughts on other easily EF-mounted long lenses. I remember hearing wonderful things about the 180mm Zeiss Jena. Has anyone compared that to the Contax 180mm?

Tom
www.tomtdop.com
Click to expand...

Hey Tom, we use the 180 MM quite a lot...and love it. The close focusing makes it stand out....it has a floating element in it...that lets it get in at 4feet (meaning you can stack the 85mm 1.4 and 180mm 2.8 side by side in an interview and get same close focus...VERY HANDY)

Not even our Nikkor 200 f2 can get the kind of shot (min focus on that is 10 feet!).

We have the 180 Jena as well (the older, classic Zebra) and it is MUCH more lowcon, and I don't believe as sharp. Mechanically...its a BEAST.
 
Zeiss East had excellent mechanics and optics (on a good day, sample variation is high), but coating was lacking a lot.

I love my Contax 180mm too!
 
Does any know know where to find good push-on lens caps for the Zeiss Contax Lenses with the 86mm Metal Lens Hoods? I've tried Schneider and Kaiser caps but found them both to be cheap and/or ill-fitting.
Would love to know if anyone knows where to buy some solid caps.

Does anyone use the Contax lens hoods? Pros/Cons?
I like the extra space they create for the follow focus when using a mattebox.
What lens caps are you using?

Thanks in Advance,

Dave
 
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Contax Zeiss 28 f2.8 with Duclos cine mod and Leitax EF mount on Ebay

Contax Zeiss 28 f2.8 with Duclos cine mod and Leitax EF mount on Ebay

Just put it on there and then remembered this thread.
Paid $415 for the mint lens and $409 for Duclos work.

I got a Hollywood 28 recently and decided to sell my
CZ 28 f2.8.

The last Ebay photo shows the Duclos cine mod gear.
Available for $575 at auction or $775 now.

If anybody needs a CZ 28 f.28 it's here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/281941084172?
 
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