Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

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Archive 2008 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

cdnguyen
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p.1 #1 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

I trying to sell a new old stock Zeiss Contax mount 80-200mm lens in FM forum and so far receive ZERO inquiry. I wonder if the fad is over. This Zeiss lens is no slouch. I planned to use it on my 5D but decided to stick to all Leica R lenses.
Is the market dead ?
Thanks
Charles

Dec 31, 2008 at 11:38 PM

EltonTeng
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p.1 #2 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

It just depends on the actual lens and price. I've not seen your ad yet. My personal feeling is that if I were looking for a 70/80-200 zoom, I would end up with one of the Canon versions with the AF.

Now, if someone had a nice Contax CZ 25/2.8 for a good price, I may consider it.

Dec 31, 2008 at 11:47 PM

kosmoskatten
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p.1 #3 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

How long has it been out there?

Though it is a fairly good zoom there is fierce competition in that focal length so I would expect that lens to move fairly slow, depending on price of course.

I don't think the market is dead by any means it is just that there are so many options out there nowadays - many Leica lenses move slow as well. Nothing wrong with the lenses but with alternatives sometimes people want to explore the alternative alternatives.

Dec 31, 2008 at 11:48 PM

mawz
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p.1 #4 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

While it's a good lens, the real market for Zeiss lenses is in the <100mm area, especially the ~50mm's and wider than 35mm where the Canon offerings are the weakest. Also with a couple exceptions (the 35-70 and the 17-35N) the alt lens market is prime oriented.

The 70-200 f4L's are very good and offer AF and available IS for reasonable money, it's rather hard to justify going to an alt lens to cover that range.

Dec 31, 2008 at 11:59 PM

Chococat
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p.1 #5 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

From what I can tell, the real interest in Zeiss lenses is more in the primes rather than the zooms--and as the others have mentioned, Canon's offerings in the 70-200 range are fulfilling enough that I personally have never been motivated to look for alternate lenses there. But like anything nowadays, I suppose it all depends on price. But is the fad over? Well, speaking for myself, I just ordered two more Zeiss primes from KEH.

Jan 01, 2009 at 12:37 AM

cdnguyen
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p.1 #6 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

The lens is on the market almost a week now and not a single pm. I'm asking $375 for a new old stock with no signs of use. The lens was selling new for $900 during it's heyday. The bokeh from this lens is way better than the Canon 70-200mm f4 L except the AF . I don't shoot sports so I don't care about AF but some of you sport shooter might.

Jan 01, 2009 at 01:26 AM

edwardkaraa
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p.1 #7 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

I bought mine, a mint copy with a Contax UV filter for 250$ on evilbay about 2 years ago. I'm not sure what is the current price but 375$ seem a bit high. This lens is excellent btw and one of my favourites.

Jan 01, 2009 at 01:30 AM

dpap1978
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p.1 #8 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

well, I was trying to sell mine for $250 a couple of months ago, and there was no interest...

Jan 01, 2009 at 01:31 AM

cdnguyen
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p.1 #9 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

OK. Thanks for the price suggestion I'll lower the lens to $250 plus ship and paypal.

Jan 01, 2009 at 01:39 AM

cdnguyen
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p.1 #10 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

Here's the link to the sale thread if anyone interested.
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/721971/0#6529150

Jan 01, 2009 at 01:41 AM

Chococat
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p.1 #11 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

Indeed, I don't think the fad is over--I just think the money has dried up. I'm sure it's a great lens though, and I'm sure you are right about the quality. $250 sounds like an incredible bargain, though--if I HAD any money nowadays I would be very interested in that . . .

Jan 01, 2009 at 01:42 AM

dpap1978
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p.1 #12 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

I didn't mean to suggest that this was the fair price. In the end, I decided to keep mine, at least for now..

Jan 01, 2009 at 02:07 AM

jcolwell
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p.1 #13 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

It's currently listed at $235 in [LN] condition at KEH (was $265) - prices are dropping...

Jan 01, 2009 at 03:17 AM

helimat
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p.1 #14 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

Looks like a neat unit- I am assuming it is push pull, and the whole barrel is the focusing ring?

Jan 01, 2009 at 05:36 AM

trumpet_guy
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p.1 #15 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

The Canon 70-200 zooms are so good that most of us would rather have
autofocus available, I think.

The Contax Zeiss lenses that get interest here are the 35-70/3.4 and the wide primes
and the occasional 50mm lens. I just got a 28/2.8 Distagon that is quite good.
And you gotta love the image quality from the 35-70/3.4 with it's corner-to-corner
sharpness.

But I do think the C/Y Zeiss fad has died down somewhat. The Zeiss ZE lens
announcement has raised hopes that native Canon mount Zeiss lenses will be
available soon, and indeed some already are. The ZE 21/2.8 looks tempting,
but it won't be out until the latter half of 2009.

Jan 01, 2009 at 06:03 AM

rico
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p.1 #16 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

CZ C/Y zooms have always been second-class citizens to their prime siblings, and the 80-200 is an older-generation zoom. The 28-85, 35-70, 35-135, 100-300 and rare 70-210 are the commanding Vario-Sonnars in their ranges. While an RTS fanatic, I would just buy the Canon equivalents. Fotunately, I hate zooms.

Jan 01, 2009 at 06:21 AM

mh2000
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p.1 #17 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

I posted a few FS items here and got no response... then went to ebay and got much higher than my asking price... ebay *is* the market... KEH is often below ebay ending prices.

Jan 01, 2009 at 08:23 AM

edwardkaraa
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p.1 #18 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

mh2000 wrote:
I posted a few FS items here and got no response... then went to ebay and got much higher than my asking price... ebay *is* the market... KEH is often below ebay ending prices.

This is also what I do, but if you calculate ebay fees, paypal fees...etc. you end up with much less money than initially expected.

Jan 01, 2009 at 12:24 PM

mh2000
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p.1 #19 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

So far it has been a wash with my sales... but also, if you are selling more than one item at a time (like I often do) it is more convenient to sell a bunch all at once, get paid and ship it all out at once...

I have sold a couple lenses here just resulting from casual conversations... I only sells good stuff so they were easy sales...

Jan 01, 2009 at 08:10 PM

Sirfishalot
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p.1 #20 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

Charles,
While some folks might be more interested in the faster CZ primes, you might want to post several sample images taken from the lens in your ad so people can get an idea of the IQ.
I remember seeing some samples from another member from this lens and they were pretty enticing.

JayT

Jan 01, 2009 at 08:53 PM

trumpet_guy
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p.1 #21 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

Another market worth investigating is the POTN board.
www.photography-on-the.net/forum
I found that I needed to list both here and over there to get some stuff sold
at a decent price in a decent time.

But the market is getting flooded with used gear of all kinds, since people are
in need of cash. It's a great time to be a buyer.

Jan 01, 2009 at 10:01 PM

Andi Dietrich
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p.1 #22 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

I wouldnt drop the price below 400$, 250$ is way cheap, just wait a couple of months and put it up again

Jan 01, 2009 at 11:20 PM

weekh
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p.1 #23 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

I have the CZ35-70 but was just checking its price on KEH. A bargain condition lens was going for a song at $170!! This is such a bargain that I can't resist and picked it up along with a Olympus 28 f3.5.

I didn't have a good impression of this lens until I started used it with the 5D2. I must have screwed up with the focusing previously. With 5D2, I can attained precision focus with the aid of live-view and suddenly I discovered how razor sharp this little zoom lens is, even wide open.

Jan 02, 2009 at 01:32 AM

burningheart
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p.1 #24 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

looks a little soft to me for the twin on the bottom half of the picture...

Oh how silly of me that's the reflection. Nice shot and very sharp

Jan 02, 2009 at 02:57 AM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #25 · Dead market for Zeiss Contax lenses

That CZ 35-70 was selling for around $800-900 before

. There is still one at Exc rating at KEH for $245.00. At that price, I believe, the maximum KEH gave the previous owner was $150.00, if that. It is indeed a great lens optically, just the focal length range is too short, especially on the wide end. Had it been a 28-70mm...

Jan 02, 2009 at 03:38 AM


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