Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site

New Feature: SMS Notification alert

New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist

FM Forums | Leica & Alternative Gear | Join Upload & Sell

2 end

Archive 2014 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

HansenTsang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

I just picked up a used Contax 28-85mm f3.3 to 4.0 on eBay. The lens showed up. It looks really good on the outside. The front and rear elements also looks great. However as soon as I put it on a camera there is a haze. Everything seems foggy. I have a hard time figuring out what is wrong with the lens. Is it normal? Even those plastic fantastic cheap lenses I use don't have haze like that. I tried to take a couple of test pictures. it is tack sharp and no issue with focus but seems like some one smear oil on the lens.

I looked at it with a magnifying glass. When I move it a certain distance one of the lens element inside seems to look frosted. I cannot see it looking from the front or the rear. Even with bright lights. Edit: I checked and I think I finally saw the issue. The element inside the rear element looked like it is frosted and very dusty. I wonder how can that happen.

I am attaching one of the test shot. I am not sure if you can see the haze since the image is pretty small. The picture is totally unedited. I did shoot RAW so I had to convert it to jpeg. I tried the lens on both my A7 and A7R. Three different adapters.

I have opened a case on eBay trying to return the lens.

May 14, 2014 at 10:29 PM

crazeazn
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

return it

May 14, 2014 at 11:09 PM

HansenTsang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

crazeazn wrote:
return it

Thanks I will as soon as the seller answers.

May 15, 2014 at 01:28 AM

Dudewithoutape
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

Some of the 28-85 has an issue with fogging. A 28-85 in good condition is much much better. I have one of each (fogging and normal). You should definitely return it for a full refund. I knowingly bought one (at heavy discount) to see what it was all about.

May 15, 2014 at 01:58 AM

HansenTsang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

Dudewithoutape wrote:
Some of the 28-85 has an issue with fogging. A 28-85 in good condition is much much better. I have one of each (fogging and normal). You should definitely return it for a full refund. I knowingly bought one (at heavy discount) to see what it was all about.

You have any idea what created the fogging? Looked like a whole bunch of tiny little dots in the second element from the rear.

May 15, 2014 at 03:29 AM

edwardkaraa
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

Fungus?

May 15, 2014 at 05:47 AM

Tariq Gibran
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

Interesting. I just returned a 35-70 Contax that would not zoom all the way out to the 35mm setting (the red 35mm mark would not show on the barrel when zooming out) and thus also would not go into the Macro mode. When the seller received the lens, he said it worked fine for him but also said a screw was found in the rear lens cap. Somehow, that screw must have been the issue. Since missing screws are not a good thing

, I'm sure the lens must need further repair.

This particular lens looked in very good cosmetic condition. I get the impression that many of these Contax Zooms are fairly complex and age has not been kind to them. I also noticed on the sample I had - as with other lenses as well - flare is much more of an issue on the A7's (as many have noted previously). The example image above though does look like a lens issue unless there was a direct light source visible to the lens (sun to side or in front instead of behind for instance).

I have resorted to buying a number of the Rayqual adapters which specifically baffle the gold pins of the A7 and the rear of mounted lenses to prevent flare issues. You can see the baffles, front and back, here:
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5540407/NF_SaE_s.jpg

...and this shows how the rear part of the adapter mount completely blocks the gold contacts of the A7's when mounted:
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5540407/SaE%20LM_S.jpg

The above images from the manufacturer's website:
http://homepage2.nifty.com/rayqual/Sony_E.html

May 15, 2014 at 09:50 AM

Jman13
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

I had two of them. My first one had a foggy front element. Second one was excellent. Big and heavy lens, but very nice.

May 15, 2014 at 10:11 AM

alwang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

Tariq Gibran wrote:
I have resorted to buying a number of the Rayqual adapters which specifically baffle the gold pins of the A7 and the rear of mounted lenses to prevent flare issues. You can see the baffles, front and back, here:

Wow, those Rayqual adapters are hugely expensive: have you really seen better results compared to the $25 adapters?

May 15, 2014 at 10:27 AM

Tariq Gibran
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

alwang wrote:
Wow, those Rayqual adapters are hugely expensive: have you really seen better results compared to the $25 adapters?

I have not used them yet. Two are on order and I have a Contax version already (but received it after I returned the Contax zoom mentioned above).

I am very concerned about the A7/ FF E-mount flare issue with adapted lenses. Others have posted the issue previously (and demonstrated it) and have also resorted to their own fixes/ modifications of adapters to solve the problem. These Rayqual adapters, from what I can tell, seem to avoid the problem by design. I can say that I have seen flare and lower contrast when using cheap adapters from lenses I know to not exhibit these issue when used on other cameras so I suspect there will be an improvement. Strong light hitting those gold A7 contacts below the sensor cannot be good nor can light bouncing around inside an adapter and striking the rear of a bright lens mount.

May 15, 2014 at 10:40 AM

edwardkaraa
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

Rayqual adapters are the best on the market. I have used them since my Canon/Contax days (used to be sold under Kindai brand) and not even Novoflex can match their precision.

May 15, 2014 at 12:09 PM

HansenTsang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

edwardkaraa wrote:
Fungus?

Fungus normally looks different.

May 15, 2014 at 12:35 PM

HansenTsang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

>>Interesting. I just returned a 35-70 Contax that would not zoom all the way out to the 35mm setting (the red 35mm mark would not show on the barrel when zooming out) and thus also would not go into the Macro mode. When the seller received the lens, he said it worked fine for him but also said a screw was found in the rear lens cap. Somehow, that screw must have been the issue. Since missing screws are not a good thing

, I'm sure the lens must need further repair. <<

I saw that one on eBay also. The seller is qualifying the lens now.

>> I also noticed on the sample I had - as with other lenses as well - flare is much more of an issue on the A7's (as many have noted previously).<<

Yes my A7 has flare issues from various adapters. I use flocking on the inside of the adapters and that works.

>> The example image above though does look like a lens issue unless there was a direct light source visible to the lens (sun to side or in front instead of behind for instance).<<

It was fairly cloudy and there was no direct sunlight.

May 15, 2014 at 12:38 PM

HansenTsang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

Jman13 wrote:
I had two of them. My first one had a foggy front element. Second one was excellent. Big and heavy lens, but very nice.

Even through the fog I can see how sharp the lens is.

May 15, 2014 at 12:39 PM

Tariq Gibran
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

HansenTsang wrote:
>>Interesting. I just returned a 35-70 Contax that would not zoom all the way out to the 35mm setting (the red 35mm mark would not show on the barrel when zooming out) and thus also would not go into the Macro mode. When the seller received the lens, he said it worked fine for him but also said a screw was found in the rear lens cap. Somehow, that screw must have been the issue. Since missing screws are not a good thing

, I'm sure the lens must need further repair. <<

I saw that one on eBay also. The seller...Show more →

Yes, that shot you posted appeared to have no direct light so I suspected the lens at fault.

The seller was very honest and immediately refunded my purchase - even before he received my return.

Did the flocking you used also cover those gold contacts below the A7 sensor?

Edited on May 15, 2014 at 12:48 PM · View previous versions

May 15, 2014 at 12:45 PM

Tariq Gibran
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

edwardkaraa wrote:
Rayqual adapters are the best on the market. I have used them since my Canon/Contax days (used to be sold under Kindai brand) and not even Novoflex can match their precision.

Thanks Edward. I had remembered reading good things about these adapters in the past. I did receive a PM from a user a few days back that one of the older versions for NEX he owned (that required removing a central baffle for use on the A7) was not perfectly planar. Anyway, lately I seem to be getting a lot of bad adapters regardless of price. Seems to be Russian roulette with all of them to some degree.

May 15, 2014 at 12:48 PM

edwardkaraa
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

HansenTsang wrote:
Fungus normally looks different.

Yes, what is normally called fungus looks like a spider web or black dots, but haze on elements can also be caused by fungus. Anyway, whatever it is, it's no good

May 15, 2014 at 01:02 PM

edwardkaraa
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

Tariq Gibran wrote:
Thanks Edward. I had remembered reading good things about these adapters in the past. I did receive a PM from a user a few days back that one of the older versions for NEX he owned (that required removing a central baffle for use on the A7) was not perfectly planar. Anyway, lately I seem to be getting a lot of bad adapters regardless of price. Seems to be Russian roulette with all of them to some degree.

Unfortunately there are many accounts of less than perfect adapters, but that's probably due to the higher MP count revealing any imperfections with the lens mount/adapters. Other than calibrating the adapters individually, best way still is good old trying several copies until one works

May 15, 2014 at 01:07 PM

HansenTsang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

>>Yes, that shot you posted appeared to have no direct light so I suspected the lens at fault.<<

Yeah, after looking closer at the inside of the lens with a magnifying glass and bright light I can see an element that is quite frosted.

>>The seller was very honest and immediately refunded my purchase - even before he received my return.<<

My seller has also offer a refund upon my returning the lens. So it is going back. I am still in the hunt for either the 35-70 F3.4 or the 28-85 f3.3 to 4.0

>>Did the flocking you used also cover those gold contacts below the A7 sensor? <<

No, I only flocked the inside barrel and that helped.

May 15, 2014 at 01:48 PM

HansenTsang
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Contax 28 to 85 issue

>>Yes, what is normally called fungus looks like a spider web or black dots, but haze on elements can also be caused by fungus. Anyway, whatever it is, it's no good

<<

I agree. All the fungus I have seen looked like spider webs so I don't know about these haze. It could be fungus also because I cannot imagine so much dust can collect inside.

May 15, 2014 at 01:49 PM

1 2 end
FM Forums \| Leica & Alternative Gear \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 end

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.