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Archive 2015 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?

  
 
wallpapervikin
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?



Hi,
I have noticed that the Contax 645 80mm f2 lens gives a very special look when used on its native 645 camera..

Essentially a very shallow D.O.F "standard" lens. I don't want to get into a film format debate but is close to say a 50mm 1.4 on full frame 35mm digital.

I have a Sony A7R and am just wondering if there was any smaller format Contax lens that gives a similar look? There is the Contax N 50mm 1.4 as well as the Contax/Yashica mount 50mm 1.4 which is manual focus.

I know there is now the Kipon or Fringer adapter that allows the use of Contax N lenses on the Sony A7 series with full electronic aperture control.. and autofocus to some degree i think, so the Contax N is a possibility..

I also know that it is somehow possible to combine adapters and have the Contax 645 80mm f2 on the Sony A7R but then it becomes a moderate telephoto and that is not what I am after really..

O.K, thanks so much, look forward to hearing any suggestions




Feb 24, 2015 at 02:43 AM
aly324
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


The unaffordable Contax Zeiss 55/1.2...


Feb 24, 2015 at 02:46 AM
edwardkaraa
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


In terms of look, the ZM 50 planar is quite similar.


Feb 24, 2015 at 02:53 AM
Dergiman
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


The 55mm Otus shows the same kind of presence in the image when shot wide open at a medium distance. The same is true for the Sigma 50mm Art but the contrast and colors are quite different. Image aspect ration is important too: 4:3


Feb 24, 2015 at 03:06 AM
carstenw
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


Maybe the Schneider 80/2 on a Rolleiflex 6008 or Hy6


Feb 24, 2015 at 03:37 AM
AhamB
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


aly324 wrote:
The unaffordable Contax Zeiss 55/1.2...


I've seen quite harsh bokeh in samples from that lens. As already mentioned by Dergiman, the Otus 55/1.4 is probably more similar bokeh to the Contax 645 80/2.



Feb 24, 2015 at 06:11 AM
joeisayo
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


Pentax 67 with a 105 F/2.4 and Hasselblad H with a 100 F/2.2 look even better.


Feb 24, 2015 at 09:08 AM
Mescalamba
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


Hm, 58/1.2 Minolta might be quite close? Its not perfect, just there probably isnt "perfect" FF lens like that. MF is very different animal.. and Contax 645 especially.


Feb 24, 2015 at 09:09 AM
wallpapervikin
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


Awesome! Thanks so much for the replies, greatly appreciated!

Yes, the samples I have seen from the Zeiss Otus do indeed have somewhat of this look.. Outta my league unfortunately

Looks like the Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art could be the go...

Thanks again!



Mar 05, 2015 at 01:57 AM
R.Young
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


You could always stitch about 3 shots together into a bokeh panorama to achieve a larger format look than full frame. An 85 1.4 might be a good option if you were to do this, just a thought.


Mar 05, 2015 at 04:00 AM
lenticular11
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


wallpapervikin wrote:
Hi,
I have noticed that the Contax 645 80mm f2 lens gives a very special look when used on its native 645 camera..

Essentially a very shallow D.O.F "standard" lens. I don't want to get into a film format debate but is close to say a 50mm 1.4 on full frame 35mm digital.

I have a Sony A7R and am just wondering if there was any smaller format Contax lens that gives a similar look? There is the Contax N 50mm 1.4 as well as the Contax/Yashica mount 50mm 1.4 which is manual focus.

I know there is now the Kipon
...Show more

There's also the ability to use Contax N lenses that have been converted by Conurus to function electronically as a native Canon EF lens and then to use such a lens via a Metabones adapter on the Sony A7.

(Conurus reverse-engineered the Canon EOS (EF) electronic interface and replicated that on Contax N lenses, including the Contax N 5.0/1.4 you mention: see www.conurus.com).

I have a Conurused Contax N 24-85 and 70-300 lenses with the EF conversion. Both lenses are usable on Sony A7s with the Metabones EF-E adapter. I confirm that both electronic aperture control and AF function. The Metabones adapter doesn't come close to native system AF performance.

The NAM adapter permits Contax 645 system lenses on Contax N cameras and Conurus also converts this NAM adapter. His small company provides high quality work but with slow throughput as it's a cottage operation AFAIK and the conversion prices are accordingly high. Just looking at his website he now cautions that Contax Japan will cease ongoing support of Contax N lenses as of March 2015!

If I were you I would chase a similar look with any of the manual focus lenses already noted, I concur with the earlier observation that medium format endows an inherently different look.

Finally there have been threads on FM in the past that showed some wonderful results with medium format lenses on DSLRs. If you can consult those threads it's probably a good place to start.




Mar 05, 2015 at 05:22 AM
adamdewilde
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?



AhamB wrote:
I've seen quite harsh bokeh in samples from that lens. As already mentioned by Dergiman, the Otus 55/1.4 is probably more similar bokeh to the Contax 645 80/2.


Actually you are both right, sort of.
The 55 1.2 can have harsh brokeh, but so does the 80/2 + C645. I find the 55 otus to have way better bokeh, and it's better corrected.
I think you'd get a similar look save for color and contrast. It's not going to be the same though, simply because the format is different.

I know quite a lot of photographers who shoot the Nikon FX 1.8 primes and process to look like the C645 shots. But then the bokeh doesn't have that older uncorrected look. The older Nikon 1.2 has a similar uncorrected look, but not similar In color, and the sharpness and falloff isnt there..

Edit: the fact that it's film and scanned using a non-drum process also gives its that effect..



Mar 09, 2015 at 12:39 AM
mirkoc
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


adamdewilde wrote:
I know quite a lot of photographers who shoot the Nikon FX 1.8 primes and process to look like the C645 shots.


Would you like to elaborate that a bit more, please? Is that with digital or film camera?
If it is with digital, I suppose it is not just a matter of DxO FilmPack recipe or something similar.
And how would you describe the C645 look?



Mar 09, 2015 at 06:26 AM
Dpedraza
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


mirkoc wrote:
Would you like to elaborate that a bit more, please? Is that with digital or film camera?
If it is with digital, I suppose it is not just a matter of DxO FilmPack recipe or something similar.
And how would you describe the C645 look?


he's talking about the way people process the images not the actual output from the lens. the soft color over exposed look like Jose Villa.


the lens has a certain look when shot wide open the processing can't reproduce it



Mar 10, 2015 at 10:03 AM
sebboh
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


adamdewilde wrote:
Actually you are both right, sort of.
The 55 1.2 can have harsh brokeh, but so does the 80/2 + C645. I find the 55 otus to have way better bokeh, and it's better corrected.


+1

i always thought the 80/2 had the somewhat harsh bokeh of the classic large aperture contax lenses with relatively high spherical aberration that is overcorrected at full aperture. the larger image format makes the flaws less visible though as they are smaller compared to the image size. when you put the 80/2 on FF camera it appears to draw fairly similarly to the c/y 50/1.4.




Mar 10, 2015 at 03:51 PM
adamdewilde
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


Sorry guys, wrote that from my iPhone.. I can elaborate further if you'd like.

First, if you're talking about the Jose Villa look. Most of that can be explained away by the way he shoots (overexposed) and the film/scanning process. Film giving the color, and scanning giving the softness plus aiding the color with a specific profile. You have to also understand he has a good eye, and often directs his subjects to areas of similar color tones to create images that are more appealing. Plus he mainly shoots in beautiful light (good light really matters). Having a medium format camera helps a lot, other then giving him a more ideal frame size for compositions of two people + details, their are tons of advantages shooting a wedding with medium format. You're welcome to look them up.

If you're talking about the lens. Their are a lot of lenses that are bad like the 80/2. And yes I do mean BAD. The lens isn't really that great. There are tones of better corrected lenses. And if you just want a lens that looks like it, a lot of older LTM lenses and older Nikon lenses can get you pretty close. So can older Zeiss lenses. You could go the N lens route. You could buy a ZM 50/1.5 Sonnar. But at the end of the day, your gear will only get you 40% of the way. Your processing will get you a further 30% and 25% will be your ability to see and rearrange for like colors (that's the hardest part). The last 5% I'm sorry to say, but it'll be impossible, as film and digital react to light differently. A trick I use sometimes when I can, is to shoot with a slower shutter speed. Yes it makes a difference. Oh and at the end of the day, I'm just talking getting your images to look a certain way. This in no way makes for a good/great images.


mirkoc - To answer you directly, these guys use digital and process. And yeah I'm fairly certain that when you get to a level of processing that tricks even photographers into thinking it's film. It's usually because you know your way around LR.
And to explain the C645 look is impossible. I can shoot the camera and create tons of looks with it. I can use all available film stock and each image will look different (save for specific lens traits). But I'm assuming that the OP was referring to the surge of wedding photographers who have been using film to try and achieve that Jose Villa / Elizabeth Messina look. For awhile nobody used a C645 (I have had most of my gear 10 years, some stuff is 5+years old). The only reason I'm able to sell off my excess C645 stock is because everybody has been looking to ride the Jose Villa wave over the last 5-6 years. Else nobody would want the stuff.. So yeah the C645 look is essentially the Jose Villa look. Hope that clarifies.



Mar 10, 2015 at 05:09 PM
zalmyb
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


much of the look has to do with the fact that it is medium format. The larger sensors just have more "presence". Especially when closer to the subject. The Zeiss 50 1.4 is similar, but not as sharp wide open. The nikon 58 1.2 has a VERY nice look. And yes, there is the whole film thing as well


Mar 10, 2015 at 05:22 PM
Dpedraza
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


Well you can almost replicate the way the film looks in post. There are plenty of Lightroom presets that give you close to the look..


Mar 10, 2015 at 05:24 PM
Tariq Gibran
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


Seems like these articles belong here:

http://www.johnnypatience.com/jose-villa-colors/

http://www.johnnypatience.com/richard-photo-lab/




Mar 10, 2015 at 05:36 PM
Dpedraza
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Lens that gives similar "look" as the Contax 645 80mmf2?


That's where I send my film to be developed lol.


Mar 10, 2015 at 05:58 PM





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