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Contax Vario-Sonnar 35-135
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:50 am    Post subject: Contax Vario-Sonnar 35-135 Reply with quote
Would you believe it if I told you that this is a 100% crop from a zoom lens used wide open, no PP ?



p.s. hand-held

Last edited by Orio on Wed Sep 29, 2010 12:25 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
incredible! which lens is this?


PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks like a mirror lens to me. And not a 100% crop, unless it is a 3Mp camera...


PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
shatteringlass wrote:
incredible! which lens is this?


Not a Canon L, that's for sure Wink Razz

The most striking aspect for me it, there is virtually zero CA. I say "virtually" because if you look into the inside of the blurred specular highlights in the background, there is actually some.
But I mean, this is nitpicking at the most paranoid level!
What is most important, is that there is none around the paint can, in spite of the high contrast; and there is none where the metal parts meet the white wall.
This in my opinion could be called a "quasi-apo" performance.

I had no hood on when I took the picture, and yet the contrast is quite high, in spite of the large exposed 82mm front glass.

The acutance is I think incredible for a zoom lens at full aperture, I saw Canon L zooms reach this level of acutance without post-processing only at f/8.
And for this lens we are speaking of a quite respectable f/3.3 maximum aperture.
The resolvance probably is not at such top level but I would say it's no slouch either, if you consider that we are not so far from the point of being able to read the writings on the paint can!
(which is not the focus point either BTW). Notice again: no purple halo around the printed characters.

The only shortcoming of this lens is the visible vignetting at wide open on the wide end. Not a real problem for shooting digital, but film people should take note.
Aside from that, I can only say wonderful things.

The lens is my new baby Contax Vario-Sonnar 35-135, and I put it on par with the 35-70 and the 100-300, that is, on top excellence level for zooms.
And more than the two mentioned lenses, the 35-135 also has true macro (not just closeup as the 35-70). And a damn sharp macro, too.

Last edited by Orio on Wed Sep 29, 2010 12:36 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
congrats for the new baby! now you have to make a series to show it in action


PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
mutabot wrote:
Looks like a mirror lens to me.


nope.

mutabot wrote:
And not a 100% crop, unless it is a 3Mp camera...


wrong guess, here's the whole image from my 21,1 Mp 5D Mark II:



PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
poilu wrote:
congrats for the new baby! now you have to make a series to show it in action


Thanks! I hope to find some time for it on Sunday.

EDIT: now that guess is over I edited the thread title to make it search friendly.


PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Its got to be the light! Laughing

maybe the zooms are better than the primes?


PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bruce wrote:
Its got to be the light! Laughing

maybe the zooms are better than the primes?


Some actually are: for instance, the Vario-Sonnar 100-300 at 300mm is much better than the Tele-Tessar 300.
But in general, I would never leave the character and speed of a prime lens for a zoom, even a best zoom.
It is handy, however, to have both, because they are really lenses for very different applications.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think that Canon L Zooms must get down on Contax knees and kiss its feet
Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The sharpness and the level of correction are amazing!
But it doesn't show a nice bokeh in this shot.

Can you please show some more "bokeh shots", Orio?


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
The sharpness and the level of correction are amazing!
But it doesn't show a nice bokeh in this shot.

Can you please show some more "bokeh shots", Orio?


I will for sure when I have time, Carsten. But I don't expect different results from a retrofocal lens.
Especially one with this degree of spherical correction, that is sharp wide open.
I think the best feature of the lens is that it's a fully useable f/3.3, whereas other zoom lenses, even those with a nominal slower aperture,
become useably sharp only well stopped down, which makes of them de facto f/8 lenses if one wants quality pictures from them.
Let's leave smooth bokeh for prime lenses Wink


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yep, agreed.
Orio wrote:
Let's leave smooth bokeh for prime lenses Wink

Or to some nice tele zoom lenses, 'cause they are not too bad at this as well. Wink
http://forum.mflenses.com/zoom-rolleinar-4-80-200-t32553,highlight,rolleinar.html


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That is a tele to tele zoom, Carsten. It is not a retrofocal lens.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congrats Orio! It is another Contax Gem for sure. I could not get on with the size of the lens personally as I wanted to use it as a walk around lens.
As you mention the barrel diameter is simply huge.
It is one hell of a performer and has impressive build quality.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
That is a tele to tele zoom, Carsten. It is not a retrofocal lens.

I know, that's why I wrote "or". Wink


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
Orio wrote:
That is a tele to tele zoom, Carsten. It is not a retrofocal lens.

I know, that's why I wrote "or". Wink


Yes, you are right, sorry Smile


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Here's a bokeh shot, that was taken wide open. Excuse the mundane subject:



The bokeh surely is not smooth. But I would not call it busy, either. Perhaps "lively" could describe it better. Not relaxing, but not active to the obnoxious, either.

Of course separating a distant (10 mt approx.) subject from the background at 135mm f/4.5 (such is the wide open aperture value at 135mm) is not easy. Rolling Eyes
But, that's why they make fast tele primes, isn't it?
Smile


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bokeh reminds me very much of my 28-85 3.3 vario-sonnar, but i love the 85 side, it has so much of that pop!


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:

Not a Canon L, that's for sure Wink Razz

This, however, is taken with the cheapest Canon L wideopen (100% crop along the centre).
It is also a long exposure. Can you find the focus point?
As you see, Canon is not that bad Razz
It is safer to make fun of Sigma.

BTW, I liked the focal length of 35-135 and the macro ability of
this Contax lens. I was told here it is not so good...



PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks to me the focus point on the lane directional "arrows" on the pavement. Or shortly after?
Tough shot to use for comparison?


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bruce wrote:

Tough shot to use for comparison?

It has fine detail in a wide range of distances, that are also very easy to estimate and follow.
And it is not a comparison. I am just helping my friend Orio to delete the word Canoncrap from his vocabulary Very Happy

I won't give the focus point yet.

Last edited by Nikos on Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:39 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Here's a bokeh shot, that was taken wide open. Excuse the mundane subject:



...


That's really not bad at all!


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
And yes, Orio, before I forget. Could you perhaps show us gearheads a picture of the lens, pls? Wink
Contax lenses are not only great performers, they also look good.


PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
And yes, Orio, before I forget. Could you perhaps show us gearheads a picture of the lens, pls? Wink
Contax lenses are not only great performers, they also look good.

+5

I like them much more than the Z series.
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