Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Moderated by: guardian

Visit the FM Store · Image Upload · Buy & Sell
FM Forum Rules

FM Forums | Alternative Gear & Lenses | Join Image Upload

2 end

Archive 2007 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #1 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

I Got My 100mm f2.8 Back Today. It Took A Little While Longer Because Bo-Ming Addressed John Luke's Issues And Did A Major Up-Grade....
I Am Happy To Say It Is Great. Just A Test Run And Ya'll Will Have To Bear With My Subjects, I Live In Texas After All, lol... But I Am "Very" Happy.

Straight From The Camera....

Full Framed Sized For The Web (72dpi) And Center Cropped Sized For The Web (72dpi) At f2.8 And f8

Full @ f2.8
This image is copyrighted by the owner

Center @ f2.8 (You Can Count The Strands In The Braided Wire)
This image is copyrighted by the owner

Full @ f8

Center A f8
This image is copyrighted by the owner

I Got Interested In The Contax Converted Lenses Because Of The 100mm f2.8 & The 17-35mm f2.8
They Have Lived Up To Every Expectation And More....
Thanks Bo-Ming.....

Apr 17, 2007 at 03:43 AM

tghd
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #2 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Can you please explain this conversion a little more. Links?

Apr 17, 2007 at 05:49 AM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #3 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

It Has Been Talked About Alot Around Here.... Sorry You Missed It.

Here Is A Link That Answers Most Questions....
And If You Use The Search Function Here It Will Bring Up Several More...
(It Is Disabled Right Now - FM Search - But Try Later)

http://en.conurus.com/faq.html

Apr 17, 2007 at 06:54 AM

Lotusm50
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #4 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Let me add another sample image captured with the Zeiss 100mm f2.8 Makro Sonnar for Contax N. Lens was also converted by conurus and used on a Canon 5D (a 100% crop follows):

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 17, 2007 at 12:16 PM

claudermilk
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #5 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Wow, nice shots. He's teasing me with this conversion on another board. Now seeing these shots, it's really, really tempting. Gotta figure a way to budget for it.

Apr 17, 2007 at 06:38 PM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #6 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

A Couple Of Finished Shots....

Converted In ARC
Cropped, Sized For The Web, Contrast Adjust, And Finish Sharpened.....

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 18, 2007 at 05:51 AM

Lotusm50
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #7 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

OK. Here is another:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 18, 2007 at 01:19 PM

madcat_ninja
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #8 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Those lens are crazy sharp!!

Apr 18, 2007 at 03:00 PM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #9 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

One Last One Before I Go Test Makro Abilities....
The Lens's & Mine.... lol

1Ds (As All Were) @ f8 - 1/400 - Iso100 - Processed....

Railroad Signal South Of Town...
This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 18, 2007 at 07:34 PM

Alf Beharie
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #10 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

I have converted a Carl Zeiss 28mm f2.8 Distagon T*, one of the sharpest wide angle lenses ever made, to SA mount:
http://sigmasd10.fotopic.net/p34210034.html
I also have also converted another of Zeiss's sharpest lenses, the 50mm f1.7 Planar T*, (its even sharper than the Zeiss 50mm f1.4 Planar T*) to PK mount.
However while doing this I discovered that no two Carl Zeiss lenses have the same lensmount design...They are all slightly different from one another so a "standard, one fits all" conversion is simply not possible.
The Distagon was very simple to convert but the Planar was EXTREMELY difficult!...So converting Zeiss lenses is not something to take lightly.

Apr 18, 2007 at 08:28 PM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #11 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

I Own Both Lenses You Are Talking About. And Use Them With Adapters.. Fine Lenses
The Work Done By Bo-Ming Is Superb... And In My Opinion, Worth Every Penny Paid...
I Own 6 Of The Nine "N" Lenses... The 17-35 f2.8 & The 100mm f2.8 Are Stellar.
If My Next Convert (24-85mm) Lives Up To All I Have Seen, It Will Be Also...
Hpoefully The 70-200mm & The 50mm Will Soon Follow....

Apr 18, 2007 at 08:40 PM

Lotusm50
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #12 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Alf Beharie wrote:
I also have also converted another of Zeiss's sharpest lenses, the 50mm f1.7 Planar T*, (its even sharper than the Zeiss 50mm f1.4 Planar T*)

Hmm. Zeiss does not think that is the case, and the MTF's don't show that. I hate to disagree but, for the $50 more that it would cost for the 50 f1.4 instead of the f1.7, the better build quality, the closer focus, and the half stop of additional speed, make it well for the additional cost. The 2 lenses are comparable in terms of sharpness -- they are essentially the same design -as one is just smaller version (and accordingly slower) of the other. Overall the f1.4 is the sharper lens, but there might be an area where the 1.7 might be a touch better. I've had both, compared them, and kept the f1.4. (But of course, this is the wrong thread to discuss this. We should keep the discussion to the 100mm f2.8 N Makro-Sonnar conversion, which orginally had a Contax N lens mount and not the earlier Contax RTS/Yashica manual focus lens mount your lenses had).

Apr 18, 2007 at 08:48 PM

Alf Beharie
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #13 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

jrn813 wrote:
A Couple Of Finished Shots....

Converted In ARC
Cropped, Sized For The Web, Contrast Adjust, And Finish Sharpened.....

This image is copyrighted by the owner

They look over-sharpened to me...Here's a Cow I shot with my Tokina 17mm f3.5mm TL with zero sharpening:
http://sigmasd10.fotopic.net/p40476549.html
(you can see it full size by clicking on the pic)

Apr 18, 2007 at 09:31 PM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #14 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

The Only Sharpening Done Was A Final 100 - .5. - 1 USM
That Was The Point To This Post... The Lens Is Sharp ....
As To Weather It's Over Sharp, No Halos, And I Guess It's A Matter of Taste

John R

Apr 18, 2007 at 10:18 PM

Alf Beharie
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #15 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Alf Beharie wrote:

I also have also converted another of Zeiss's sharpest lenses, the 50mm f1.7 Planar T*, (its even sharper than the Zeiss 50mm f1.4 Planar T*)

Lotusm50 wrote:

Hmm. Zeiss does not think that is the case, and the MTF's don't show that.

Alf Beharie wrote:

But the MTF's DO show that...The 50/1.7 has an MTF of 4.6, the 50/1.4 has an MTF of 4.5.
The only other Carl Zeiss lens with an MTF of 4.6 is the 85mm f1.4.
The sharpest Carl Zeiss lens of all is the 45mm f2 G Planar which has an MTF of 4.7...And the only lens I am aware of that is sharper than that is the Canon 200mm f1.8 which has an MTF of 4.8...Bearing in mind that the maximum is 5.0, thats pretty impressive.
You can find these and many more lens MTF's here:
http://www.cs.wustl.edu/~loui/lenses

Lotusm50 wrote:

I hate to disagree but, for the $50 more that it would cost for the 50 f1.4 instead of the f1.7, the better build quality,

Alf Beharie wrote:

There is no difference in the build quality...Apart from the rear mounting design differences, they are virtually identical in construction.

Lotusm50 wrote:

the closer focus,

Alf Beharie wrote:

I take it you mean shallower DOF?

Lotusm50 wrote:

and the half stop of additional speed, make it well for the additional cost.

Alf Beharie wrote:

Pay more more money for only half a stop brighter and less sharpness?...No thanks!

Lotusm50 wrote:

The 2 lenses are comparable in terms of sharpness -- they are essentially the same design -as one is just smaller version (and accordingly slower) of the other. Overall the f1.4 is the sharper lens, but there might be an area where the 1.7 might be a touch better.

Alf Beharie wrote:

The average MTF scores tell a different story, they show the 50/1.7 to be sharper overall but I suppose it comes down to how much faith you put in MTF results.

Apr 19, 2007 at 05:17 AM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #16 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

1Ds - Contax "N" 100mm f2.8 Makro + 3Stop ND

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 19, 2007 at 05:42 AM

Lotusm50
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #17 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Lotusm50 wrote:
Hmm. Zeiss does not think that is the case, and the MTF's don't show that.

Alf Beharie wrote:

But the MTF's DO show that...The 50/1.7 has an MTF of 4.6, the 50/1.4 has an MTF of 4.5.
The only other Carl Zeiss lens with an MTF of 4.6 is the 85mm f1.4.
The sharpest Carl Zeiss lens of all is the 45mm f2 G Planar which has an MTF of 4.7...And the only lens I am aware of that is sharper than that is the Canon 200mm f1.8 which has an MTF of 4.8...Bearing in mind that the maximum is 5.0, thats pretty impressive.
You can find these and many more lens MTF's here:
http://www.cs.wustl.edu/~loui/lenses

What is this source? Never seen it before. Anyway it appears to be just re-published photodo.com test. Not very authoratative. Further, as it has been discussed regarding photodo for some time, it is not clear what one number actually shows (and the averages are not done consistently across lenses). Further, are you going to tell me you are going to see the difference, with your eyes, in an image between a "4.6" rated lens and a "4.7" rated lens?? Good luck. I also have the Zeiss 45mm f2 G Planar and it is indeed a fine lens (it would be nice if it were faster) Anyway, to be clear here are Zeiss' MTF' charts for the 2 lenses at f5.6, showing the f1.4 to be clearly superior, but as I suggested, very similar.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Lotusm50 wrote:
I hate to disagree but, for the $50 more that it would cost for the 50 f1.4 instead of the f1.7, the better build quality,

Alf Beharie wrote:
There is no difference in the build quality...Apart from the rear mounting design differences, they are virtually identical in construction.

That is not true. The f1.4 is all metal. The f1.7 contains a high percentage of plastic. It was made cheaper in all ways so it could be sold at a cheaper price to entry level buyers.

Lotusm50 wrote:
the closer focus,

Alf Beharie wrote:
I take it you mean shallower DOF?

No. The lens focuses closer. The f1.4 focuses to .45 meter, while the f1.7 lens only focuses to .6 meter.

Lotusm50 wrote:
and the half stop of additional speed, make it well for the additional cost.

Alf Beharie wrote:
Pay more more money for only half a stop brighter and less sharpness?...No thanks!

As I said, it has significantly better, stronger construction, it is a half stop faster, focuses closer, and the f1.4 is, in fact, sharper (which is quite consistent with my comparison of the 2 lenses side by side). As with all things, you get what you pay for.

Now. Let's get back to the fine Zeiss 100mm f2.8 Makro-Sonnar (and leave the 50mm Planars to another thread if you want to press common misperceptions about the lenses)

Apr 19, 2007 at 12:27 PM

Alf Beharie
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #18 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Apr 19, 2007 at 06:30 PM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #19 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

I Would Appreciate You Taking Your Other Lens Discussion, To Your Own Thread. As Lotusm50 Requested/Suggested..

Then Maybe We Can See If Anyone Else is Interested In The 100mm f2.8 Makro...

Thank You

Apr 19, 2007 at 06:36 PM

Lotusm50
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #20 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

To put the thread back on track, here is another from the N's 100mm Makro-Sonnar

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 19, 2007 at 10:43 PM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #21 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Thanks For The Re-Tracking ....
I Like The Colors Of Your Post, And The Contrasts Created By The DOF
Your Handling Of The Light Is Very Good And Adds To The Overall Effect...

John R

Apr 19, 2007 at 10:59 PM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #22 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Had To Post This One For The Guest Who Appeared For The Picture Taking ...
I Only Saw Him, After Up-Loading The Shots In BB .....

And Friend....
This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 20, 2007 at 03:28 AM

Lotusm50
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #23 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Here is another in reponse to John's kind words. This time some sage blossoms.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Apr 20, 2007 at 01:09 PM

jrn813
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.1 #24 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

I Have Shown Near, Close, And Now Distant....

1Ds - Contax N 100mm f2.8 Makro + 3Stop ND

Cropped For Composition & From This Angle Removed Two Power Lines ....

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Edited by jrn813 on Apr 29, 2007 at 03:37 PM GMT

Apr 20, 2007 at 03:19 PM

cyberstudio
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.1 #25 · Contax N 100mm f2.8 - Converted

Meet Chan Chan the St Thomas conure. (Makro-Sonnar 100/2.8 at approx 1:2)

This image is copyrighted by the owner

She likes to perch on the laptop with which I wrote the conurus firmware. So, she knows all my trade secrets! Occasionally she comes down to the keyboard and help me out with the programming.

Apr 22, 2007 at 01:11 AM


FM Forums \| Alternative Gear & Lenses \| Join Image Upload 1 2 end