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Is Contax 28/2 really worth?
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you can afford the expense, and don't really care about the collectioner thing, go for the new version of the 2/28, which is available in Nikon and Pentax K mounts. The tests I have seen show it to be slightly better than the Hollywood.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The price are quite the same for both Contax and ZF versions. The ZF has one more element.

Are the colour and bokeh different? Rolling Eyes I need to do some more search.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Srono wrote:
The price are quite the same for both Contax and ZF versions.


I already heard this strange rumour another time.
No, not at all the same price. I have two copies of the Contax lens, because I rate it indispensable, like the 1.4/35.
For the first copy, a mint one, I paid 390 Euros from a Milan Ebay shop. For the second copy, with use marks on the barrel (but clean lenses), I paid something around the 200-250 Euros, I don't remember exactly and I can not check the expense because I took it from a local shop.
THe ZF version costs 1049 Euros from Zeiss shop. It's 2 and half times more the higher price I paid on Ebay for the Hollywood.

Yes, I am curious also about the new version. I would love to have the Nikon version, but price is too high, I can not justify such an expense having already two copies of the hollywood.

A test I have seen showed a better performance of the ZF in the corners at wide open, and a total absence of CA, while in extreme conditions the Hollywood lens has a residual of it (invisible in most practical situations, but still there).
Of course, having improved the technical performance of a lens, does not necessarily mean to have improved it's fingerprint, or character. The hollywood has one, and it matches well that of the 1.4/35, so the two lenses make a great couple.
What would need to be seen is, how the ZF 2/28 works not in test, but in the everyday photography - which is personally what I am mostly interested in.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio, i think i read the same review as u did in slrgear website. I dont care about the lab test much Razz
I found this ZF line review from this guy http://diglloyd.com/diglloyd/infos/ZeissZFLenses/index.html. But too bad, he's selling the review. Evil or Very Mad


28/2 ZF costs about $500+ Euro on Ebay. Dont buy from Zeiss shop Razz

Update: more about the review http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/636491/0. Make me tempted to see, haiz.


PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:

What would need to be seen is, how the ZF 2/28 works not in test, but in the everyday photography - which is personally what I am mostly interested in.


Orio, I found a link with quite a lot of ZF 28/2 photos. Take a look Wink
http://main.duplophotography.com/f311992052
Thanks the site owner Very Happy


PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Srono wrote:

Orio, I found a link with quite a lot of ZF 28/2 photos. Take a look Wink
http://main.duplophotography.com/f311992052
Thanks the site owner Very Happy


Thanks for the links, there is a lot of beautiful arctic/northern landscape photographs, which I love.
However, I have also to say that I see a great lens at work, but I don't see in these samples that "spark" that I get from my Hollywood.
That might depend on the style of the photographer, which clearly looks for a very perfect, very calculated look to his images.
Or it might depend on the lens being adjusted to more "contemporary taste" than Glatzel's original.
Impossible to know until the two lenses are tried head to head by a same photographer on a same location and subject.

Quote:
28/2 ZF costs about $500+ Euro on Ebay. Dont buy from Zeiss shop


There is a good reason to buy Z lenses from the Zeiss shop.
There are rumours (don't know how much reliable) that there would be a higher number of non-optimal copies from the Cosina factory, than usually Zeiss lenses grants (and have granted for instance with the excellent work of the Kyocera factory for the Contax lenses).
Now, if for any chance the lens is not well calibrated, if you buy from a Zeiss shop, you have a guarantee and you can send the lens to Oberkochen and have it calibrated at no cost.
Not to mention the fact that buying directly from Zeiss you have 100% guarantee that the lens is really new and not a second hand or a demo.
Buying from Ebay might be cheaper first, but you don't really know who you are buying from. You might buy a used or demo lens convinced that it is new. You might buy a returned lens that was not calibrated well and the shop you buy from has replaced with another copy for the first customer. Even worse, if you buy from an individual, you might really be buying a badly calibrated lens that the person is trying to sell.

For all these reasons, when I buy new, I prefer to buy from 100% trusted sources.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio, I've been watching the prices on the Contax 2/28 lately and they tend to hover on the $1000 mark.
The gap between the classic Contax and the new Zeiss ZF is shrinking week by week it seems.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
the Contax 28:2 is a higher resolution lens,
on today crop dslr it cannot shine enough
go to see the result on a equivalent 40Mpixels dslr with film
http://forum.mflenses.com/film-resolution-dont-miss-this-one-t10477.html


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There is really a lot of luck involved in finding copies at good prices.
A couple of examples from me in this last year:

- Distagon 2/28 for 170 Euros
- Flektogon 2.8/20 for 90 Euros

And I got them when the prices over Ebay were already inflated.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
poilu wrote:
the Contax 28:2 is a higher resolution lens,
on today crop dslr it cannot shine enough
go to see the result on a equivalent 40Mpixels dslr with film
http://forum.mflenses.com/film-resolution-dont-miss-this-one-t10477.html


I dought it is sharper than the 28/2.8 Distagon.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alf wrote:
I dought it is sharper than the 28/2.8 Distagon

Much sharper, even my tamron 17-50:2.8 is sharper than the 28:2.8 on border (on crop dslr and btw tamron is one of the sharper zoom for crop)
The Hollywood beat easily the tamron, only WO the border are soft but center is top


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I speculate about 25mm-28mm Zeiss lens for M42 screw-mount. Could anybody tell me, which M42 Zeiss lenses are available for this length, what are their prices (±) and which are better than others?

Sharpness is important, but low (or preferably zero) CA even more.

As I know, there is new 25mm Distagon, which is available in M42, but what about these mentioned 28/2 and 28/2.8?

Thanks for all replies.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
no-X wrote:
I speculate about 25mm-28mm Zeiss lens for M42 screw-mount. Could anybody tell me, which M42 Zeiss lenses are available for this length, what are their prices (±) and which are better than others?
Sharpness is important, but low (or preferably zero) CA even more.
As I know, there is new 25mm Distagon, which is available in M42, but what about these mentioned 28/2 and 28/2.8?
Thanks for all replies.


The Distagon 2.8/28 was discontinued and it's available only as Contax mount.
The successor of the 2/28 (with slightly changed optical scheme) is currently available new but not in M42 mount.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you. The 25mm is the only M42 lens for this focal length? I expect there is no way to mount 28/2 on Sigma SD14 (and retain accurate focusing to infinity). Is the 25mm comarable / sligtly worse / significatly worse?


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
no-X wrote:
Thank you. The 25mm is the only M42 lens for this focal length? I expect there is no way to mount 28/2 on Sigma SD14 (and retain accurate focusing to infinity). Is the 25mm comarable / sligtly worse / significatly worse?


No, there are other nice lenses, the Flektogon 4/25 is a bit slow but delivers good quality when stopped down. There is a Tamron (can't remember if 24mm or 25mm) which is reported to be a nice lens (I never tried it) and with the Adaptall mount you can use it on M42.
The quality of Distagon 25 is however probably unattained by other M42 lenses.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ok, so I'll prefer Distagon...


PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Zuiko 2/28 is really excellent also.
It is easier to adapt to Sigma than C/Y. Check with our member here BobDodds.
He is expert at adapting lenses to Sigma and has maybe a 2/28 ready and for sale.
I have the lens and it really is very good. It also uses a floating element for close focus correction.
I find it is quite like the Distagon 2.8/28 in sharpness and contrast but a bit cooler color (more Leica less Zeiss).
The lens is better compared to the Zuiko 3.5/28 and 2.8/28 two lenses that are also quite good.
This will be the next best option to a Distagon for Sigma shooters in this FL.

I can make some samples if you like feel free to ask.


PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The 28mm f2.8 Distagon can do nice bokeh too:

And its razor sharp WO and costs peanuts compared to the 28mm f2 version, so personally, I dont think the "Hollywood" is worth it. Wink


PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
fun shot DSG and excellent sample from a super lens.
The holywood has something special.
The price has gone too high to be sure.
But we should not say that the 2.8 is the same lens
minus one stop.


PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
sunshine wrote:
The holywood has something special

this lens shine in difficult light
but it is also the best 28mm ever
download 'Lens Reviews v07.pdf' from http://www.jcolwell.ca/


PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
What about Yashica 28 mm no one has mentioned them ?
YSB, DSB & ML ?


PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
no-X wrote:
Thank you. The 25mm is the only M42 lens for this focal length? I expect there is no way to mount 28/2 on Sigma SD14 (and retain accurate focusing to infinity).

The 28mm f2.8 version is a doddle to convert but I hear the rear element of the hollywood sticks out a lot further so, if true, it might not be an easy conversion.

Is the 25mm comarable / sligtly worse / significatly worse?


The 25mm f2.8 Distagon is a total dog compared to the 28mm f2.8 Distagon.
The 28/2.8 has an MTF rating of 4.3 (one of the best ever scores for a 28mm lens), but the 25/2.8 only has an MTF rating of 3.4...Even the Zeiss 16/8 Hologon fish-eye has a higher MTF rating than that! (3.9).
In fact, virtually all of the Contax Carl Zeiss zooms have better MTF ratings than the 25/2.8!


PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you. The question is if this could affect results on 1.7x crop factor sensor. I hoped this lens is better than Sigma AF lenses, but now I'm not sure... does anybody know, if this Zeiss performs better than them? (e.g. 24/1.8)


PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
DSG wrote:

The 25mm f2.8 Distagon is a total dog


Oh, my.
I'll keep my mouth shut.


PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
DSG wrote:

The 25mm f2.8 Distagon is a total dog


Oh, my.
I'll keep my mouth shut.


Actually what I wrote was:
"The 25mm f2.8 Distagon is a total dog compared to the 28mm f2.8 Distagon."
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