It's been a couple of months now since conurus announced the availability of the 50mm conversion. Has anyone any information about the converted lens and how it performs?

They are revising their firmware and the conversions are waiting for it to be completed. My understanding is that he is adding functionality to the firmware that Canon hasn't yet implemented.

My N 50mm is sitting there waiting, so I won't know until sometime in May, and I don't think that there are any converted N 50mm's in circulation yet (except for maybe a demo unit or 2).

Patience, my friend. All good things come to those who wait. ;-)

There are a total of 4 of these in the world with the existing firmware version. I am currently working on a new firmware which permits direct aperture control in movie mode on a 5D mark II and will start shipping the 50's in volume in May.

I really want to find time to post some images to help with your decision but I really don't have time. It is more important for me to fulfil my commitments to existing orders in the shortest possible time before attracting new orders.

Bo-Ming
conurus

Is it true that Contax N 50/1.4 is basically same optical design as C/Y 50/1.4?

I don't know. They are similar but one of my customers who has both reported improved bokeh. Anyhow here is a sample shot at f/1.4.

Paul Yi wrote:
Is it true that Contax N 50/1.4 is basically same optical design as C/Y 50/1.4?


I think, "basically" is correct. Consensus is that little was done to the optical design, but don't really know if there was some small or subtle tweaks done or not (glass formulations, etc.). There are, however, significant improvements in barrel design and coatings that will improve overall performance (flare, internal reflections, ghosting, etc.) compared to the c/y (or RTS) version of the lens. The aperture mechanism and shape is also a little different and that may contribute to the perception of improved bokeh that cyberstudio mentions.

The design is very close and the mtf's are virtually identical. According to the Zeiss literature the N mount version used " high refractive glass types". The minimum focussing distance was also reduced slightly with the N version by 5cm so there must have been some change.

This lens is fantastic, almost no CA wide open, beautiful Bokeh, and Zeiss 3D

Here are a couple of samples 1DS3 wide open:

Thanks Andrew. I'm glad now I wasn't patient as Lotus recommended. The 50/1.4N that I've bought from pascal just arrived at conurus for conversion

Pondering the true meaning of "sellers remorse" as more and more pictures are begining to show up

andrew, the bokeh in the 2nd shot looks promising, canīt wati to get my 50 back from bo ming!!!!

Simple question:

I just received a Contax N 50 1.4 lens and would like to check out the aperture blades are working properly. When I change the aperture ring setting nothing is happening with aperture blades as I assume the aperture is stopped down automatically electornically with the camera. Is that right? Any simple way to check the aperture blades before converting the lens?

wayne seltzer wrote:
Simple question:

I just received a Contax N 50 1.4 lens and would like to check out the aperture blades are working properly. When I change the aperture ring setting nothing is happening with aperture blades as I assume the aperture is stopped down automatically electornically with the camera. Is that right? Any simple way to check the aperture blades before converting the lens?

That is correct. The aperture is electronically-controlled and the aperture ring is in fact an encoder. You'd need a N body to check a non-converted N lens for aperture function.

Thanks Mawz.
Why even have an aperture ring, couldn't they control that through the camera just like camera's today work?

wayne seltzer wrote:
Thanks Mawz.
Why even have an aperture ring, couldn't they control that through the camera just like camera's today work?

A lot of people like the aperture ring, the ergonomics are arguably better than the dual-wheel setups. The PanaLeica 4/3rds lenses have the same setup and it works very well.

The design philosophy of the Contax N system is to make a fully automated camera system which operates with manual-focus-era ergnonomics. Given that backdrop, fly-by-wire is the natural outcome. In aperture-priority and manual exposure modes, the aperture ring of the lens controls the aperture on a Contax N body. In shutter-priority and program modes, the aperture ring is ignored.

If you remember the older Nikon camera bodies, you have to set the lens to the orange aperture, or to 'A' for the older Pentax camera bodies, in order to use shutter-priority and programmed exposures. It is because their aperture is mechanically linked to the aperture ring, but not fly-by-wire. Both of them has since then ditched the aperture ring altogether for the newest lenses and require older lenses to be permanently set to the 'A' or orange position to operate on the latest digital camera bodies. (Not counting the special support for K lenses without any 'A' positions.)

wayne seltzer wrote:
Simple question:

I just received a Contax N 50 1.4 lens and would like to check out the aperture blades are working properly. When I change the aperture ring setting nothing is happening with aperture blades as I assume the aperture is stopped down automatically electornically with the camera. Is that right? Any simple way to check the aperture blades before converting the lens?

Wayne,

Its like a Canon lens, - fully electronic. To see the blades you will have to mount it on a Contax body and do a depth of field preview, or wait until the conversion is done.

Just mailed my N 50 1.4 to Conurus this morning!
Cosmetically the lens is in almost mint shape, just hope the mechanical is good too.

Andrew,

How about posting a few more amazing N 50 1.4 shots while I wait for conversion?

I am using my Contax N 50mm more than another lens these days. In fact, I am selling my other lens.

CharChar wrote:
I am using my Contax N 50mm more than another lens these days. In fact, I am selling my other lens.

Can you post some more pictures with this lens wide-open?
How's it compare to your C/Y 50 1.4?