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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

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Test: Distagon 28/2.8 vs Olympus 21/3.5
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:39 am
Post subject: Test: Distagon 28/2.8 vs Olympus 21/3.5
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:39 am
Post subject: Test: Distagon 28/2.8 vs Olympus 21/3.5
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It's been a while since I wanted to do this test and fianlly, today we got good weather and some free time. Contax Distagon 28/2.8 is with HappypageHK adapter and Olympus Zuiko 21/3.5 is with a cheap chinese adapter, sanded for me, so well, let's look to the test. Images have been equally processed with some very light sharpening and a bit of saturation and contrast.

Distagon 28/2.8 @ 2.8 (focused in center, the big pole)


Distagon 28/2.8 @ 8 (focused in center, the big pole)


Olympus 21/3.5 @ 3.5 (focused in center, the big pole)


Olympus 21/3.5 @ 8 (focused in center, the big pole)


Center Distagon @ 2.8 and Oly @ 3.5 (Distagon right Oly left, for this one only)


Corner Distagon @ 2.8 and Oly @ 3.5


Center Distagon @ 2.8 and Oly @ 3.5


Corner Distagon @ 2.8 and Oly @ 3.5


I payed more than double for the Oly than for the Distagon. So as you can see, the Distagon is better in all terms, even when the Oly shows great performance stopped down, from corner to corner. As you can see my Oly copy really sux at 3,5. Distagon is surprisingly sharp in center at 2.8.

What do you think?

Last edited by cilinderman on Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:12 pm; edited 1 time in total


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:49 am
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:49 am
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thank you for sharing.

The distagon is sharper, but 21mm is more difficult to make than a 28mm lens.


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:50 am
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:50 am
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21mm and 28mm makes difference not fair to compare them.


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:56 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:56 pm
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5th photo from the top, Distagon looks horrendous, how is that? Did you mistake the description, or wrong focused the lens, or...? Confused


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:12 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:12 pm
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5th photo... lol! I thought I corrected the mistake. Distagon is right, sorry.

I know that 21mm it's harder do than a 28mm but even if Zeiss is a 28mm it's a holy well made lens. From wide open it's very spectacular, no CA, great micro contrast, no flare...

Olympus I might have got a bad copy or a bad adapter. However, at f8 it performs quite well, sharpness from corner to corner, very very low noticeable CA, no distortion, "coolest flare I've ever seen", etc. I amb happy with the lens.


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:13 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:13 pm
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5th: Yes, I think sharper one is the distagon, it also looks more like 28mm Smile


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:28 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:28 pm
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cilinderman wrote:

I know that 21mm it's harder do than a 28mm but even if Zeiss is a 28mm it's a holy well made lens. From wide open it's very spectacular, no CA, great micro contrast, no flare...


Zeiss wides for long time have been considered (and still are) the state of the art, Zuikos however are reputed to be almost at that level, and should perform better than your pictures, so I think you probably have a not so good copy of that 21mm. Sad


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:00 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:00 pm
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I'm Afraid you may have a bad or damaged copy. It could also be your adapter is not flat.
The 3.5/21 was always one of my most dependable lenses.
Mine was an older single coated version.

Click onto the thumbs until you have full size.
One landscape and one closer focus.
Don't give up on that lens model. It is the best bargain in 21mm lenses for performance.




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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:11 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:11 pm
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sunshine wrote:
It could also be your adapter is not flat

I bet adapter is flat but finding a symmetric Zuiko is rare, QC is like Jena


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:28 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:28 pm
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poilu wrote:
sunshine wrote:
It could also be your adapter is not flat

I bet adapter is flat but finding a symmetric Zuiko is rare, QC is like Jena


Because it was a cheap chinese brass adapter, and because I sanded it a little bit, there are lot's of possibilities that I don't have a flat adapter. I think it's worth trying another adapter, to see what happens. But I'm happy with it's performance at f8... you just put focus on 3m mark and you got from 1,5m to infinity sharp (after post processing a bit).


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:34 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:34 pm
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By the way, F16SUNSHINE, there was any kind of post processing setup on these shots? They look really sharp.. they were at wide open?


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:50 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:50 pm
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I don't remember the F's. Not below F5.6 I rarely stop smaller with digital sensor anymore.
No special post either. I just set Black and white point and then adjust exposure in Raw. Color temp always to 5200 for WB.

NO Sharpening Smile

My 3 copies of the lens I had last summer were all excellent and sharp.
All belong to members now. Maybe they will post some others.
I hope maybe you can try a new adapter and see the lens that you expected.
If not maybe time to find a new copy.
Olympus USA also does still service the OM lenses for a reasonable fee.


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:27 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:27 pm
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F16SUNSHINE wrote:
I don't remember the F's. Not below F5.6 I rarely stop smaller with digital sensor anymore.
No special post either. I just set Black and white point and then adjust exposure in Raw. Color temp always to 5200 for WB.

NO Sharpening Smile

My 3 copies of the lens I had last summer were all excellent and sharp.
All belong to members now. Maybe they will post some others.
I hope maybe you can try a new adapter and see the lens that you expected.
If not maybe time to find a new copy.
Olympus USA also does still service the OM lenses for a reasonable fee.


I thought about sending it to OM service, but I am in Europe and for the time it's not affordable. Do you remember where did you get the adapter from?


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:33 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:33 pm
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ebay seller: HappyPageHK

The best of the chipped adapters come from them.
Kindi makes the actual rings so very tight tolerance.
Especially good are the C/Y adapters from them.

http://myworld.ebay.com/happypagehk&ssPageName=STRK:MEFSX:SELLERID


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:13 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:13 pm
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My C/Y is from here Smile and worked great with Planar 50/1.7 and works excellent with Distagon 28/2.8 (if infinity is done, mirror crash!) and SOnnar 85/2.8.

As soon as I get a bit of cash, I'll give a chance to the Happypage adapter Very Happy. Thx!

However, to conclude the post, the stopped down photos, they are good quality or not, in your opinion?


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:12 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:12 pm
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mmmm I need one Distagon 28mm.... f2 or f2.8, but I NEED ONE Laughing Laughing Laughing
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