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Distagon 28/2.8 Yashica ML 28/2.8?
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:14 pm    Post subject: Distagon 28/2.8 Yashica ML 28/2.8? Reply with quote
Hi I am new here. I am looking for an affordable Distagon 28/2.8, however the recent selling price of it on the bay is above my affordable range. I am wondering if Yashica ML 28/2.8 is optically identical to Distagon? Perhaps it has been discussed here before? I saw another post about Distagon 28/2 and SMC Tak 28/2, wonder if there are other lens that are identical to Distagon in various focal length?

By the way, if anyone has an affordable, cosmetically not perfect Distagon 28/2.8 for sale...


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Distagon 28/2.8 Yashica ML 28/2.8? Reply with quote
aleksanderpolo wrote:
Hi I am new here. I am looking for an affordable Distagon 28/2.8, however the recent selling price of it on the bay is above my affordable range. I am wondering if Yashica ML 28/2.8 is optically identical to Distagon? Perhaps it has been discussed here before? I saw another post about Distagon 28/2 and SMC Tak 28/2, wonder if there are other lens that are identical to Distagon in various focal length?

By the way, if anyone has an affordable, cosmetically not perfect Distagon 28/2.8 for sale...


THere is a rumour that the two Distagons 28/2.8 and 35/2.8 are the same optical design as the Contax lenses.
Of course the fact that the same factory produced both has reinforced the rumour.
I have not seen the schematics of the Yashica lenses but I used to have all those lenses Yashica and Contax. The Yashica 35mm was in fact nearly indistinguishable from the Distagon, I tested it in comparison.
SO it is a lens that I can recommend for purchase for sure.
I did not test the 28mm in the same way, however the Yashica lens is very sharp, but the impression I have is that the Distagon 28/2.8, especially wide open, may be a little sharper, and generally gives a clearer image.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Their optical designs are very similar, between 28mm and 35mm lenses
from the same manufacture and also each 28mm and 35mm lenses' designs
are similar but not identical.

See Yashica lenses > http://louislam.photopage.org/Yashica/Yashica.htm

And C/Y 28mm design >


Of curse Tomioka design team studied Zeiss design, so nothing special,
more or less they copied Zeiss design IMO.

Also centre sharpness of C/Y Distagon 28/2.8 is quite high, but Yashica's
28mm lens has uniform sharpness across the 35mm frame even thoigh
its centre sharpness is weaker than Zeiss'. Yashica has less distortion.

And for 35mm caes, I would choose Yashica's 35mm if you can find one.
This lens is sharper than C/Y Distagon 35mm/2.8, however "POP"ness
(3D-ness) is not considered. Some people choose lenses for this, but
it is quite elusive for many cases. Generally Zeiss lenses has warmer
color rendition than Yashica's.

Anyhow you can choose any one of them, and can be very happy.

My 2 yen.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you both for the very helpful info. I am interested in Zeiss because of its 3D rendition. So, I guess I will just have to stick with it then...?


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
compare here and here
it is not the same performance level


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Randomly, I did a couple of tests just an hour ago in my living room Surprised

Findings:

At close focus (less than 1 metre away), the Distagon is sharpest in the centre at all apertures. The Yashica ML is sharper in the corners at all apertures (surprise!).

At infinty focus, the Distagon is sharper from border to border (can anyone explain this?)

I tested 2 x Distagon 28/2.8 (one AE and one ML) and they performed identically.

What I haven't tested yet is the ML's 3D ability. I know for sure that the Distagon does it Wink More tests and tangible images to follow next week maybe...


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Many many thanks, especially the upcoming 3D test!

I thought from reading some of the post that there is improvement from AE to MM? Or is it too difficult to notice?


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Shrek wrote:

At infinty focus, the Distagon is sharper from border to border (can anyone explain this?)


Admittedly all Zeiss lenses that don't have floating elements are calibrated for best performance at infinity. This regards also the portrait lense such as the "new" Z Planar 1.4/85
This is an often disputed decision because many people think that a portrait lens should be calibrated to work best in the near field.
It seems that Zeiss might be afraid that a non optimal performance at infinity and on the MTFs (which are calibrated at infinity) might scare potential customers away.
However that's the way it goes with Zeiss today and since the Contax SLR series.
It wasn't always like that, for instance in the Contarex times, Zeiss produced a Makro-Planar and in order not to compromise the performance close up, they decided to not even implement the infinite focusing position! So the lens stopped focusing at a certain (near) distance.
In the case of Contax Distagon 2.8/28, however, the decision of privileging the infinity also makes a logical sense, being it a lens that is obviously designed for landscapes.
The Distagon 2/28 instead does have an internal floating element which compensates for different distances. So does the Distagon 1.4/35. In both cases, a good reason to invest a little more in them than in the (still fantastic) slower cheaper versions.

Last edited by Orio on Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:16 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
aleksanderpolo wrote:

I thought from reading some of the post that there is improvement from AE to MM? Or is it too difficult to notice?


Yes the 2.8/28 was improved in the MM version. And the improvement is noticeable, especially in the corners wide open.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Shrek wrote:

At infinty focus, the Distagon is sharper from border to border (can anyone explain this?)


Admittedly all Zeiss lenses that don't have floating elements are calibrated for best performance at infinity. This regards also the portrait lense such as the "new" Z Planar 1.4/85
This is an often disputed decision because many people think that a portrait lens should be calibrated to work best in the near field.
It seems that Zeiss might be afraid that a non optimal performance at infinity and on the MTFs (which are calibrated at infinity) might scare potential customers away.
However that's the way it goes with Zeiss today and since the Contax SLR series.
It wasn't always like that, for instance in the Contarex times, Zeiss produced a Makro-Planar and in order not to compromise the performance close up, they decided to not even implement the infinite focusing position! So the lens stopped focusing at a certain (near) distance.
In the case of Contax Distagon 2.8/28, however, the decision of privileging the infinity also makes a logical sense, being it a lens that is obviously designed for landscapes.
The Distagon 2/28 instead does have an internal floating element which compensates for different distances. So does the Distagon 1.4/35. In both cases, a good reason to invest a little more in them than in the (still fantastic) slower cheaper versions.


Orio, that's fascinating stuff of which I had absolutely no idea!! I freaked out when I compared my Distagon to the ML at close focus and so borrowed another to test with, which is why I was surprised to see identical performance between them.

Anyway, I will almost always be using the Distagon at infinity focus, or just for the 3D, so the bias is absolutely fine by me Very Happy
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