Contax Zeiss Survival Guide

[Uli Plank]

Hmm, if it were breathing you'd see it with CPs too…

 

[Jean baptiste]

HI
I mean the contax zeiss focus ring with red dragon works like a zoom ring. So when you use the focus ring it zoom in the same time into your image. So when you put the camera on a tripod. You can't just play with focus without to have this zoom. it's really curious.
We don't have that on canon EF and on rokinon we used

hoppe I am clear enough because my english is not very good, sorry for this

 

[Craig J Marshall]

COULD THESE BE THE LAST CONTAX LENSES STILL IN CAPTIVITY?


Hi all, I'm back in Japan filming again in gorgeous Kyoto so stopped into the little camera specialty store here in Downtown. Apart from a good selection of second hand lenses of every brand imaginable, there's a couple of nice Contax primes here like the 85mm f/1.4 and even an AEG 180 f/2.8, the latter selling for twice the price of the later MM versions! As for their selection of brand New in Box Contax lenses, here is the list of their current stock at their asking price, in Japanese Yen.

Not bargain basement cheap but remember, this Zeiss glass is nearly all MM with one or two exceptions and this is brand new, unsold stock collected from all over Japan:

Zooms:

80-200mm f/4.0 constant aperture zoom: Y128,000 (US$1262)
100-300mm f/4.5 - xx zoom: Y230,000
35-135mm f/3.3 - xx zoom: Y240,000
35-70mm f/3.4 constant aperture zoom: Y110,000

Primes:

60mm f2.8 macro: Y128,000
300mm f/4.0: Y195,000
100mm f/2.0: Y178,000
85mm f/2.8: Y75,000
500mm f/8 (mirror) Y280,000

Mutar I x2.0: Y55,000
Mutar II x2.0: Y73,000
Mutar III x1.4: Y73,000

http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

The senior Japanese lady speaks good English so if you're interested, I'm sure deals can be done. Their phone number is + (075) 221-0721 or Fax (075) 223-5236

 

[steven strobel]

Excited to say I am dusting off the Contax AE set in 2 weeks to shoot a feature with. Haven't used them in a while and just had them tuned up at Duclous. Looking forward to playing with them again. Even went and picked up an 18 to fill out the set.

howd your feature go? Any thing learned using your ae's? Anything to share? I'm doing the same in a couple months. Still adding lenses as I can pick them up.

 

[Uli Plank]

With contax zeiss problem is when you make the focus, the lens zoom in for exemple for the 50mm mmj, after to zoom in it s like it will be a 55mm so focus only is not possible, this is the first time I saw this on a lens.

So it is breathing what we are talking about, see my other post. This is something you'll have to live with when using still lenses, the famous Leica-R lenses show it just the same. Some Rokinons too, BTW. I doubt that the new Cine lenses from Sigma will be free of it, probably being rehoused still lenses.

 

[Clermond Ferrand]

With breathing it's similar as with rolling shutter. If it catches your attention the story is probably boring.

 

[Ben Scott]

For me it was only really the 25mm that displayed it to a ridiculous degree where you couldn't help but notice. Tolerable with my other glass.

 

[Jean baptiste]

HI,
problem we had with this lens is called lens breathing it's really big, when you do the focus, the lens zoom in around 10%

 

[Ben Scott]

Yes most stills lenses do this.

 

[Jean baptiste]

yes but it's really big with the contax isn't it ?

 

[Ben Scott]

A few shots of the Contax 60mm macro on the A7sII

Spider Web by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Spider Web by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Spider Web by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Spider Web by Ben Scott, on Flickr

Spider Web by Ben Scott, on Flickr

 

[Nick Morrison]

Ben those look AMAZING

 

[Nick Morrison]

Yup, most stills lenses do this.

Generally, only much more expensive CINE-LENSES do not.

Breathing has known to happen with some some Cine Zooms too.

HI,
problem we had with this lens is called lens breathing it's really big, when you do the focus, the lens zoom in around 10%

 

[Jean baptiste]

HI
for information, I used LIthium grease for make the aperture ring smoother... after to unscrew it, I added a small quantity of grease all around the inside part of the ring... It works very good

http://i66.servimg.com/u/f66/14/36/90/30/3_en_110.jpg

 

[Nick Morrison]

HI
for information, I used LIthium grease for make the aperture ring smoother... after to unscrew it, I added a small quantity of grease all around the inside part of the ring... It works very good

http://i66.servimg.com/u/f66/14/36/90/30/3_en_110.jpg

Yup, this is referred to as dampening, and is typically done when your primes get "cinemodded'.

Personally, we've had all our recent glass dampened with true Zeiss grease. They come in various strengths, and we've opted for the thicker type.

 

[Jean baptiste]

where did you found it ?
thanks

 

[Tommaso Alvisi]

probably @ RPLens... ha!

 

[Jonathan Grevsen]

Help with re-assemble 35mm 2.8

Help with re-assemble 35mm 2.8

How do I get these two pieces back together? I Can fit it, but the Iris won't move with it. Is there a trick/tip here?

 

[Ben Scott]

I got bored. Here's some UHD spider video with FS7 and Contax 60mm. Apologies for awful focus. Wind on a spider web!

 

[Cal Hallows]

Sorry if this has been asked already but how are you adapting on your FS7 Ben? I have a few lenses EF adapted but they foul on my Speed Booster (usually on the aperture lever) - considering having them modified to fit but I'd rather keep them near standard if possible.