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Archive 2012 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

mirkoc
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

How good is it? Has anybody used it for landscapes? I am wondering if it it could serve as a nice small and light companion. Seems like a good street photo lens too.

Apr 19, 2012 at 05:41 PM

ken.vs.ryu
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

I think it hits the mirror of the 5d.

there are other 40ish pancakes here.
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1098569

Apr 19, 2012 at 05:58 PM

freaklikeme
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

Take a look at the Oly 40/2 (and I say this not just because I have one for sale on the boards). It's an impressive tiny little lens that can adapt easily to the 5D. It's one of the few Oly's I've used that is good at any distance.

Apr 19, 2012 at 07:00 PM

ebrandon
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

I have the:
- CY Zeiss 45mm f2.8
- the extremely similar Nikon 45mm f2.8
- the Voigtlander 40mm f2 in Nikon mount
- the Minolta 40mm f2 m mount
- Contax G 45mm f2
- Pen f 40mm f1.4

all of which I've used on both NEX and m43.

My copy of the Nikon is very slightly better (sharper, better edges & corners) than my copy of the CY Zeiss. It also comes with a super-awesome little hood.

The Voigtlander is sharper and closer focusing but has less character. It comes with a close up lens and a hood just like the Nikon above.

The minolta is great, but suffers from focus shift and I don't like the focus tab. Pictures look spectacular, though.

The Contax deserves is reputation as one of the sharpest most contrasty lenses ever, but requires special fiddly adapters, and doesn't have a lovely bokeh as the tessars or the minolta.

The pen f 40mm f1.4 is a fun toy with a lot of character, extremely good center performance, but not to be used wide open and the edges & corners are not in the same league as the lenses above.

Apr 19, 2012 at 09:35 PM

Bifurcator
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

mirkoc wrote:
How good is it? Has anybody used it for landscapes? I am wondering if it it could serve as a nice small and light companion. Seems like a good street photo lens too.

It is! It's an excellent lens! And very small! Sharp WO and uber-sharp from f/4. It's got that CZ micro contrast going for it too! And it's affordable - usually around $250 or so. It's an extremely flat-feild lens. I think it's only problem is the lack of close focus.

Sony had a contract with them to make special versions (basically identical but without some of the barrel markings) which they stuck on the end of a 3CCD [1/2" I think] (adapted correctly but with a 7.5mm extension tube), stuck the works in black box and sold them as the ultimate copy-stand document reader. Probably thousands of TV commercials, VP's, and educational videos in Japan ran titles, credits, and text digitized with that unit using that lens. I used one myself for a few years not knowing what was in the box. I graduated to CG for titles and logos but kept the unit until four or five years ago when I tore it apart and sorted the bits. The lens reappeared when I started searching my closets for lenses to stick on front of the GH1.

Apr 19, 2012 at 10:07 PM

mirkoc
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

ken.vs.ryu wrote:
I think it hits the mirror of the 5d.

Is it easily solvable?

Apr 20, 2012 at 04:58 AM

mphaha
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

mirkoc wrote:
Is it easily solvable?

Depends on your definition of easy - on my 5DII the mirror hits the metal ring which surrounds the rear element of the lens. I would have to shave the mirror or try to file some of that ring away without damaging the rear element (with the risk that the mirror would then hit the glass). On the 5D which I owned previously the lens worked, but only when focused to inifinity.

Apr 20, 2012 at 07:43 AM

JimBuchanan
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

mirkoc wrote:
Is it easily solvable?

It can be done. Here is the back of a Tessar, converted to EOS. I turned down the center disc that had the ridge and no mirror problems what so ever. Can't remember, but I think that center disc unscrews.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6831433745_eb0b940d1c_z.jpg

Apr 20, 2012 at 01:01 PM

ebrandon
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

Bifurcator - those images are absolutely amazing! What camera did you use? Surely not the G1.

Apr 20, 2012 at 08:56 PM

inglis
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

Really Bif,
some great shots

Apr 21, 2012 at 09:02 AM

billsnature
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

The exact lens that was modified by Jin Buchanan and shown in this thread is now for sale in Buy sell forum.

Sorry for the shameless "commercial" post here but sadly I finally have to admit that cataracts and manual focus lenses don't mix. I bought this phenominal piece of of glass from Jim, about two months ago. I just can't focus it consitantly with my eyes (cataract and progressive focus lenses in my glasses) without a tripod and a hoodman loop. If you are going to carry all that, it kind of defeats the whole purpose of a pancake.

I will take a financial beating, but would like to get this in the hads of someone who can really appreciate it.

Bill

Apr 29, 2012 at 06:39 PM

jotdeh
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

jcolwell wrote:

One question: How's does it balance on the 1 series?

Apr 29, 2012 at 07:37 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

jotdeh wrote:
One question: How's does it balance on the 1 series?

Much like a body cap, but sharper.

Apr 29, 2012 at 07:39 PM

RustyBug
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

How's the vignetting on this little thing on FF? ... and the bokeh when NOT on a tube?

Apr 29, 2012 at 10:19 PM

JimBuchanan
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

Forgive me for posting this image again, but this is full frame, into the sun, at the most f/4.0. Little flare, little vignetting, sharp and contrasty.
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2749/4469124390_4091483326_b.jpg

Apr 29, 2012 at 11:41 PM

Bifurcator
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

inglis wrote:
Really Bif,
some great shots

ebrandon wrote:
Bifurcator - those images are absolutely amazing! What camera did you use? Surely not the G1.

Thanks! Good "lens samples" I think so... I don't really consider them good photographs as it pertains to art but...

Yeah, not the G1 but the GH1 - which is about the same IQ as the G2. Although for these particular shots I guess the G1 would look identical - being base ISO and all.

Here's the lens at all apertures (on the GH1). I think this is very good for a 45/2.8 lens and exceptionally good for 45/2.8 Pancake Tesasar (Focus point was the door seam just forward of the side mirror):

http://tesselator.gpmod.com/Images/_Image_By_Lens/Zeiss_Tessar_45mm_f2.8_Pancake/content/bin/images/large/_0643314203.gif

May 01, 2012 at 05:41 AM

mirkoc
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

Bif, either there is significant focus shift or you moved the focus towards infinity a bit at 5.6. The door seam becomes worse and the jars behind are much better.

May 01, 2012 at 07:08 AM

Bifurcator
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

I see only the affects of DOF and improved contrast with no focus shift. Also the focus wasn't touched during the series..

You see focus shift? For sure? <shrug>

May 01, 2012 at 09:13 AM

RustyBug
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

Cool post Bif.

F4.0 seems to scream ... "Shoot me, shoot me."
F22 seems to say ... "See, diffraction really does exist. Just watch my contrast drop like a rock."

May 01, 2012 at 09:36 AM

mirkoc
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm 2.8

Look at the wheel. It becomes sharper at f4 and drops at 5.6 and stays there, with a slight improvement perhaps at f8-f11. The Jars are best at 5.6 and a hair behind at f8 an f11. The door window seal in front of the mirror clearly drops at 5.6.

May 01, 2012 at 10:08 AM

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