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Archive 2012 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive exper...

  
 
igmolinav
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p.1 #1 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi,

Some Contax cameras used Zeiss N lenses that had autofocus.

A company called Conorus, mentions it can adapt the lens to
Canon EOS cameras.

http://conurus.com/index.php

Could any of you share your positive and negative experiences ??

Thank you, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!




Feb 03, 2012 at 10:38 AM
CVickery
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p.1 #2 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi igmolinav,
It's 'Conurus' not 'Conorus' btw and Bo-ming lurks here as 'cyberstudio'.

The conversion and the lenses are fabulous. Very high quality work, no real issues, excellent support. The only negative is that the demand is high, so there can be a long wait to have a lens converted...but worth the wait.

I have the 50/1.4 and the 24-85, both exceptional lenses IMO.

Cal



Feb 03, 2012 at 11:12 AM
igmolinav
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p.1 #3 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi Cal,

Thank you for your answer : ) !!!

Cool to know that there are no issues with the conversion.
I wonder if crop factor cameras like the 600D, (Rebel T3i),
can also benefit from such transformations?

Kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!



Feb 03, 2012 at 11:55 AM
wayne seltzer
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p.1 #4 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Bo Ming, Conurus, has done an excellent job converting all my Contax N lenses.
He has great support for things like updating firmware etc.
I have Contax N 50/1.4, 85/1.4, and 70-200.
His lens conversions include a way to program fine AF adjustments better than usual camera fine adjustments.



Feb 03, 2012 at 01:14 PM
nalahm
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p.1 #5 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


we have had contax N images tread here https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/850075 All I can say about conurus conversion work is excellent. To remind For auto-focus issue you may need a good auto focus system from camera body.
I used N400 with half success on 5D2 but 95% achieve on 1DS3 for sample.

regards



Feb 03, 2012 at 05:36 PM
billsnature
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p.1 #6 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Very positive experiences.

I have 24-85N 70-200N and the 400mm N

Bill



Feb 03, 2012 at 08:06 PM
igmolinav
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p.1 #7 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi,

Thank you for your replies : ) !!!

Is it scary that Contax in Japan, (Kyocera), will close its
repair facilities in 2015. So if anything happens to your
lens after 2015, you are in trouble. Unless an indepen-
dent facility or repair center offers service for the
Contax Zeiss lenses after 2015. I mean, nothing is for-
ever, but it would be cool to have one's gear last and
functioning properly (at least) until 2017. Is that too
much to ask, (it is only five years from now!!!) ??
That way, I can work and save for a Zeiss ZE or ZF.2
by the time the above lens fails.

On the other hand, it is quite alluring to transform one
of this lenses. Suppose you get a Contax Zeiss N lens
in very good shape. It costs you "X" quantity of money
plus less than $650 USD to transform it. (Given that
you are transforming one of the lenses in that price
category). In total, the price would be lower than
purchasing any of the brand new Zeiss primes for
Canon or Nikon. And the other advantage is that one
gets three or four focal lengths in a zoom. That can
save you some money, unless you feel you really need
the primes.

I liked a lot the pictures I saw in the thread you posted.
I only wished I could have seen a bit more of documenta-
ry or photojournalistic work. In B&W it would have been
very interesting for me to see. Cool and easy must be
to shoot that kind of work with top optics and an auto-
focus lens.

Thank you again, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!

Edited on Feb 04, 2012 at 01:12 PM · View previous versions



Feb 04, 2012 at 02:44 AM
crazeazn
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p.1 #8 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


quick question can you use the lense as manual focus only if the lense AF dies? it seems like the aperture ring doesnt actually control the iris.


Feb 04, 2012 at 02:59 AM
ManWearPants
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p.1 #9 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


igmolinav wrote:
Is it scary that Contax in Japan, (Kyocera), will close its
repair facilities in 2015. So if anything happens to your
lens after 2015, you are in trouble.
.....
I liked a lot the pictures I saw in the thread you posted.
I only wished I could have seen a bit more of documenta-
ry or photojournalistic work. In B&W it would have been
very interesting for me to see. Cool and easy must be
to shoot that kind of work with top optics and an auto-
focus lens.


It is still early days to worry about 2015 and what happens after. I have given this a brief thought. Closing the repair facilities does not mean spare parts will not be available. There are brilliant people all over the world who can repair lenses. With spare parts available, I am sure someone out there will be able to continue to repair these lenses should they fail. I am still able to buy OM parts though Olympus have stopped repairing these lenses many years ago, The manual focusing on these Contax N are very usable so even if the AF fails, the lifespan can be extended in MF mode. Should the electronics fail, Conurus have been able to replace these with Sigma parts.Furthermore, it does not mean your lens will fail immediately after 2015. If lucky, you may be able to squeeze another 5 years out of the existing lens to 2020.

Most of these N lenses are quite large, except for the 50mm. There are no primes in the 24-35mm with your only choice being the N 17-35. While it is an amazing zoom lenses, it is obtrusive when you point it in someone's face. Zeiss does not seems to be producing any AF zooms other than for Sony. I have emailed Zeiss and the reply is they will continue to develop more MF primes in other FL in the immediate future.



Feb 04, 2012 at 03:09 AM
igmolinav
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p.1 #10 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi,

Yes, that is true. People with these lenses will have a solution : ) !!!

Being such a wide market for that. Many people look for quality
optics for their pictures. I wonder why doesn't Zeiss gets
started with such a project. Even the rumors that such lenses,
with autofocus and perhaps some zooms, may hit the market in
three to five years would be amazing. What is the use of having
developing such a technology if it is not going to be used?

Thank you again, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!



Feb 04, 2012 at 01:19 PM
igmolinav
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p.1 #11 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


P.S. I am assuming that the the quality of the Contax Zeiss N lenses is as good as the optical quality of the lenses being built today. Is that right ??


Feb 05, 2012 at 11:15 AM
igmolinav
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p.1 #12 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi,

Just a couple questions with regard to lenses. How good, reliable, and/or fast is the autofocus?

I haven't seen many movement pictures by Zeiss users in this forum. Most of the
ones I have seen address most of my interests like portraiture, flowers and insects,
landscape and cityscape, but not people, specially on the street and taken with
Zeiss, or Leica lenses.

I'll try to look for pictures in older threads.

Thank you, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!



Feb 08, 2012 at 01:46 PM
AhamB
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p.1 #13 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


igmolinav wrote:
P.S. I am assuming that the the quality of the Contax Zeiss N lenses is as good as the optical quality of the lenses being built today. Is that right ??


They are as superb as the Contax/Yashica lenses, which in turn are as good as the new ZE/ZF lenses (in some cases slightly better or worse).



Feb 08, 2012 at 01:57 PM
igmolinav
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p.1 #14 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi,

Thank you for your post : ) !!!

I'll keep you posted !!!

Kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!



Feb 11, 2012 at 01:35 PM
igmolinav
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p.1 #15 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi,

Well, I feel very attracted to two lenses. But, oh boy, is it expensive?? The total transformation of these two lenses is $1,618 USD more ore less, ($1009 + $609). Plus, if any of these lenses needs to be serviced before the transformation, it is $355 to $390 apiece to have it done by Kyocera Japan. The lenses I have liked are the

Vario-Sonnar 24-85 mm., f/3.5-4.5, sells for around $700.00
Vario-Sonnar 17-35 mm., f/2.8, for sells around $1,600.00

Therefore I have a few questions:

1) Let's suppose that these two lenses I may buy are in good, or in very good working condition. Do you recommend, as Bo Ming does, to send them to be serviced by Kyocera in Japan?? Perhaps is a good idea to have the lenses serviced before the tranformation, (but perhaps is not a good idea to have them serviced at all!).

2) Besides the Kyocera service facility in Japan, is there any other reliable service
facility in the U.S., or Canada, to have the lenses serviced?? Perhaps that is not a good idea, and the only reliable place is in Japan!!

** Questions 3, 4, and 5 are related to each other a bit:

3) The full price for the Vario-Sonnar 24-85 mm., f/3.5-4.5 will cost around US$1,700 after purchase, service, and transformation. Do you find it expensive, or is it worth it?? [Ok, one can admit that it covers the focal length of the following focal distances: 24 mm., 28 mm., 35 mm., 50 mmm., 60 mm., 70 mm. 85 mm.]

4) The price for the Vario-Sonnar 17-35 mm., f/2.8 will cost around US$3,000 after purchase, service, and transformation. Do you find it expensive, or is it worth it?? [Ok, one can admit that it covers the focal length of the following focal distances: 17 mm., mm., 18 mm., 21 mm., 24 mm., 25 mm., and 35 mm.]

5) Well, all in all, buying these two lenses would cost around US$4,700. Isn't cheaper to buy three to four NEW primes from Zeiss??

Thank you, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!



Feb 12, 2012 at 11:39 AM
ManWearPants
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p.1 #16 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Kyocera Japan is the only service center for these lenses. If there is nothing wrong with your lens, save the trip and money. End up they may just charge u for evaluation and freight.

The way I justify for the 17-35 is add the cost of ZE 18, 21, 25, 28 and 35. Then that 3k would seem cheap. This is also the price to pay for an exclusive membership into the N17-35 club as there are less than 2000 of this lens produced.

Your price for the 24-85 seems on the high side. Hang around the Conurus website. There are converted copies that goes for less.



Feb 12, 2012 at 01:28 PM
igmolinav
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p.1 #17 · Zeiss "N" autofocus lenses for Canon? Conorus + Positive experiences??


Hi,

Thank you for your post : ) !!!

I'll try to get the address for the Japan Kyocera center. You say, a service in Japan before the conversion would be good for the lens?

Yes, I guess the price sounds about right for the four focal lengths. I imagine the lens is way sharper than the Canon 16-35 mm., or as good as the Leica R 21-35 mm. So, I would be getting something good and hopefully long lasting. I have a Hasselblad 120 mm. f/4 Zeiss Makro lens and already for nine years.

The 24-85 mm, would be around 1,700, I say because it is $700 for the lens, plus $390 service applied to the lens, plus $609 for the conversion. A cost of almost $1700 Perhaps I can get a hold of a cheaper one at the conorus website.

Do you have by any chance Kyoceras address for the repair facility in Japan ??

Thank you, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!



Feb 12, 2012 at 02:31 PM





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