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Archive 2011 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?

  
 
MasterJack
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


Hello all - just wanted to get some feedback. I have a NEX-5n and I have heard a lot of good things about the CV 35-70. I also heard some good stuff about the OLY 35-70. The OLY is 1/3 the price - in your opinion - is the CV worth 3 times more? I'm not a pro just hobbyist but of course I do appreciate a sharp photograph....

Thank you,

John



Nov 27, 2011 at 09:53 AM
carstenw
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


I guess you mean the C/Y 35-70/3.4. CV means Cosina-Voigtländer, whereas C/Y means Contax/Yashica...


Nov 27, 2011 at 10:55 AM
Sp12
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


Get the Olympus. The Zeiss is good but only 2x as good.


Nov 27, 2011 at 10:57 AM
FlyPenFly
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


There is definitely a point of diminishing returns for a lens. However, for me, that is when we're talking about $6000 lenses, not $600 lenses.


Nov 27, 2011 at 11:03 AM
MasterJack
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


Sorry - yes I meant the C/Y...

FlyPenFly - So what you are saying is the C/Y is better and will hold it's value?

On another note - I am looking at the Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1./7. I currently have an SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 - will I see a large difference between the two? Having the Takumar - is it worth it to buy the CZ?

Sorry if these are stupid questions but I don't have the money to keep several 50mm lenses around if I don't need to...wish I did, though...

Thanks,

Johhn



Nov 27, 2011 at 11:06 AM
FlyPenFly
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


I have the Zeiss 35-70 and love the results I get on full frame.

If I only had the 5N, I would start off with smaller lenses like the Contax G range or a Leica M lens.

For me, the point of the 35-70 is to use it at F8 for landscapes. I don't really see it as a versatile lens for other things.



Nov 27, 2011 at 11:10 AM
MasterJack
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


FlyPenFly wrote:
I have the Zeiss 35-70 and love the results I get on full frame.

If I only had the 5N, I would start off with smaller lenses like the Contax G range or a Leica M lens.

For me, the point of the 35-70 is to use it at F8 for landscapes. I don't really see it as a versatile lens for other things.


Thank you - good suggestion on a smaller lens. Which one(s) would you recommend in the $300-$700 price range in the same/similar range (35-70)? I don't want to spend a fortune but I do want something decent for the money.

What about that Planar 50mm f/1.7?

Thank you so much.

John



Nov 27, 2011 at 11:18 AM
inglis
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


John,
If you have a 5n the Contax G 28mm 2.8 or Contax G 45mm should be great. The G 90mm is very very fine and inexpensive for what it is. They are small. The only real downside is that the adaptor does the focusing and it is not as smooth it could be. Look at KEH.com for prices. Ebay is sometimes cheaper. But you can also go with the CV lenses. I have the Contax G 35-70mm zoom and it gives the zeiss look but is not quite as sharp as the primes.

info on Contax G
http://www.kenrockwell.com/contax/g-system.htm



Nov 27, 2011 at 11:34 AM
FlyPenFly
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


I prefer shorter lenses so I would get the G 28mm F2.8 but the 45mm is also very excellent and incredibly sharp. I would say the 28mm has slightly more contrast in my experience.


Nov 27, 2011 at 11:35 AM
MasterJack
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


Thanks guys - good stuff. I also have an SMC Takumar 28mm f3.5 lens which I think is very sharp also - would the Contax 28mm be sharper/better? Again - I would rather spend the money on focal lengths I don't already have first, then replace the ones which are not as good.

Thanks again,

John



Nov 27, 2011 at 11:42 AM
FlyPenFly
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


I would bet $20 the Contax is sharper. At least according to the MTF graphs, I don't think Zeiss has made a sharper 28mm at F5.6. Wide open, it's slightly worse than the M mount 28mm 2.8.


Nov 27, 2011 at 11:45 AM
RustyBug
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


I have both the C/Y 35-70 & C/Y 50/1.7 ... as well as several Oly's and other C/Y's. IMO, the main thing you should probably understand about them isn't a question of how much BETTER one is vs. the other. It is a matter of understanding how much DIFFERENT one is from the other.

Oly & Zeiss have different philosophies regarding lens design and subsequent "drawing style" of their lenses. For those who are in love with the intense micro-contrast of the "Zeiss" look ... Oly doesn't stand a chance. For those who are in love with the "egg tempora" look of Oly colors, Zeiss doesn't stand a chance. If you are a big fan of high contrast ... Zeiss. If you like something a bit more subdued ... Oly.

Both can be brought much closer to each other with some good PP, but it really should (imo) boil down to which "drawing style" you prefer. I've tried to put a mixture of each (as well as some Canon, Leica & Mamiya) at strategic focal lengths so that if I've got a scene that is better rendered toward one style vs. another, I have some options.

That being said, the C/Y 35-70 & 50/1.7 are both in my bag for that 'normal' range that you are asking about, with my Oly's being more my choice for my 18,21,24,28 in part due to their distortion handling and even zone sharpness.

HTH



Nov 27, 2011 at 12:37 PM
MasterJack
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


RustyBug wrote:
I have both the C/Y 35-70 & C/Y 50/1.7 ... as well as several Oly's and other C/Y's. IMO, the main thing you should probably understand about them isn't a question of how much BETTER one is vs. the other. It is a matter of understanding how much DIFFERENT one is from the other.

Oly & Zeiss have different philosophies regarding lens design and subsequent "drawing style" of their lenses. For those who are in love with the intense micro-contrast of the "Zeiss" look ... Oly doesn't stand a chance. For those who are in love with the "egg tempora" look
...Show more

Thank you so much for your reply. That was most helpful. I think I am from camp Zeiss as far as the look I am after...

Thanks again,

John



Nov 27, 2011 at 02:15 PM
rsrsrs
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


i made a comparison here some time ago but i cant find it.
they were quite similar optical,
but the zeiss is much more flare resitant, which is a big point.

regards reinhard

i found the picture:

zeiss <> olympus

http://zneyder.de/fred/zoly_35_70.jpg]zoly

Edited on Nov 28, 2011 at 04:45 PM · View previous versions



Nov 27, 2011 at 02:28 PM
philip_pj
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


"The Zeiss is good but only 2x as good."

Best line to start the day, thanks!





Nov 27, 2011 at 03:58 PM
ManWearPants
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


I will like to ask the same about C/Y 100/2 vs OM 100/2. Noted that the OM does not have the microcontrast of the CY. Does it have advantage over the various distortions with its ED and rear floating elements?


Nov 28, 2011 at 04:19 PM
carstenw
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


I don't know the Olympus 100/2, but the Contax is fantastic, one of the nicest rendering lenses you will find, and able to create the 3D look relatively effortlessly.


Nov 28, 2011 at 04:49 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


Unless you are a huge Oly fan-boy ... I think you're money is better spent on the Zeiss.

As a fan of different drawing styles, I've got a Leica 90 2.8 for the more subdued look than Zeiss has, the EF 100/2.0 and the Nikon 105/2.5 for three very different drawing styles. All three for about the same $$$ somewhere between the Oly 100/2 and the Zeiss/Leica 100/2 options. If you can live with the 2.8 vs. 2.0, the Elmarit is quite nice (also, the M645 110/2.8 N)

I wasn't overly impressed with the Oly 100/2 (bad copy ??) ... what is your specific interest in the Oly? I think there are much better options than the Oly 100/2 ... unless you are looking for its obscurity.



Nov 28, 2011 at 06:37 PM
ManWearPants
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


I have the OM 35-80 and am impressed with it. I have not seen too many photos taken by OM 100/2. Hence curious how it matches up to the CY. BTW, the CY is ~2x the price of the OM.

I do have the Elm 90. It is also a wonderful lens. If the OM 100 is sharp wide open, I can only imagine it to be an equally wonder lens.

Attached photo sample of OM 35-80.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6404275239_7d3aa05cef_z.jpg

Edited on Nov 28, 2011 at 07:16 PM · View previous versions



Nov 28, 2011 at 07:10 PM
philip_pj
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · CV Vario-Sonnar T* 3.4/35-70 OR Olympus 35-70mm f3.6 OM?


The OM does better than I expected, and note the more defined, controlled bokeh, the Olympus is trying to both blur out and show some funky OOF shaping.
Thanks, reinhard.

I have a soft spot for 35-70s, having used the Nikkor 35-70/2.8 in pre-CY days; nice enough image quality from that one, but it was both heavy and had last century AF clunkitis.

The one I would like to use and see is Leica's 35-70/4 and its older, much better brother 35-70/2.8, but it won't happen I don't think



Nov 29, 2011 at 01:12 AM
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