The ZE lenses has a lens barrel with wider diameter than the ZF lenses. I think this is why the ZE weight a bit more

Specularist wrote:
I wish someone would compare these lenses properly. From studying the MTF charts and looking at photos, I have a feeling the older lens has slightly less lateral chromatic aberration.

Vous êtes un connaisseur.

Obviously both lenses are very good in this regard.

That is true. Nonetheless I will not update from Y/C to ZE.

@Lars: The reason for the wider barrel diameter is the electronic aperture built into ZE's, of course.

AhamB wrote:
@Lars: The reason for the wider barrel diameter is the electronic aperture built into ZE's, of course.

Yes, but the wider barrel diameter still make the ZE lens more heavy of course

Don't forget that the Z* has one additional element (16) versus the C/Y version (15). That adds to the weight, besides the aforementioned metal focusing ring and electronic aperture control ("junk in the trunk").

After a bunch of experimentation, decided to keep the ZE and sold the CY. Financially it just evened out. Pretty happy with the switch overall.

i need the 21 to complete my set here.

crazeazn wrote:
i need the 21 to complete my set here.

Seems to make more sense to complete it with the 21 ZE.

Not all ZE lenses are an improvement over the old Contax. The 21 is no exception, just a different trade-off. An improvement in one aspect at the expense of another. From the photos at FM, I would say the Contax may have something more special in the immeasurable part, but still if I am buying now, I would get the ZE.

The intangibles cannot be measured of course, such as "rendering", appeal of a bokeh, mechanical feel + handling and such but from the MTF graphs, the new version appears to be sharper at wider apertures whereas the CY has a slight advantage at f/11. With full electro-mechanical linkage to the digital body, the updated version has the upper hand by a good margin.

The contest seems closer when other CY lenses are assessed, such as the 2/28 or 1,4/85. In the case of the 1,4/35, the two are more clearly defined as simply different optics.