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Archive 2016Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
p.10 #1Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
Fred, thank you for the extensive comparison of the two. I currently use a 16-35 f4 and 70-200 f4 with the A7RII as my landscape kit. So I have a gap in the 35-70 FL which I am planning to fill soon with the Contax or a Sigma 24-105 Art (I have a budget of around 700 max). From your review, I am pretty convinced about the sharpness of the CY 35-70. What I can't make out is the CA. Did you observe any noticeable CA with this lens?
Apr 22, 2016 at 10:48 AM
p.10 #2Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
TakenWild wrote:
Anyway I was checking crops from my RX1RII and 35-70/3.4 at 35mm and can't believe I'm seeing. The Contax is actually slightly better at the extreme edges of the image field at f/8. No lens has done that before including the best native lenses for the E-mount. 35mm at f/8 is excellent. I'm very surprised how much I like this lens.
I'm flocking my adapter tomorrow.
Welcome to the A7R2 + Contax 35-70 club. I this camera and lens were made for each other! The sharpest F8 mid zoom ever.
The next combo you might want to look at is adding a C/Y 100mm 3.5. A tiny lens without an adapter and you can use the same adapter (saving weight). This lens is in the same league (but flares more and its sun stars aren't as nice).
Thanks for the 100/3.5 suggestion. I may keep my Kipon for it after all. Are there different versions of this lens?
Fred Miranda wrote
I'm flocking my adapter tomorrow.
Welcome to the A7R2 + Contax 35-70 club. I this camera and lens were made for each other! The sharpest F8 mid zoom ever.
The next combo you might want to look at is adding a C/Y 100mm 3.5. A tiny lens without an adapter and you can use the same adapter (saving weight). This lens is in the same league (but flares more and its sun stars aren't as nice).
Thanks for the 100/3.5 suggestion. I may keep my Kipon for it after all. Are there different versions of this lens?
Apr 22, 2016 at 12:03 PM
p.10 #3Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
Here is the RX1RII (Sonnar 35) comparison to the Contax 35-70 at the extreme edges. I had to do it since they are both Sonnar lenses..
The RX1RII is my go to lens for landscapes. It's better than any other prime lens I tried on the A7RII. It's ridiculous the Contax has similar performance to the very edges. If someone told me, I would not believe it.
Well, here is is: RX1RII (top), Contax at 35mm (bottom). I used my focusing technique written on my previous post.
Aperture used: f/8
Note: At f11, the Contax takes the lead as the RX1RII diffracts quite a bit. ( Contax gets actually better at f/11 in that area)
Very few lenses do well on this area of the image field at 42MP 1:1 crop.
See the comparison between the new CV 15/4.5III E-mount and Zeiss Distagon here.
The RX1RII is my go to lens for landscapes. It's better than any other prime lens I tried on the A7RII. It's ridiculous the Contax has similar performance to the very edges. If someone told me, I would not believe it.
Well, here is is: RX1RII (top), Contax at 35mm (bottom). I used my focusing technique written on my previous post.
Aperture used: f/8
Note: At f11, the Contax takes the lead as the RX1RII diffracts quite a bit. ( Contax gets actually better at f/11 in that area)
Very few lenses do well on this area of the image field at 42MP 1:1 crop.
See the comparison between the new CV 15/4.5III E-mount and Zeiss Distagon here.
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Apr 22, 2016 at 12:13 PM
p.10 #4Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
Hey Fred:
Could you show a pic comparing the size of the 24-70 GM and the 35-70 including the adapter?
Thanks,
Chris
Could you show a pic comparing the size of the 24-70 GM and the 35-70 including the adapter?
Thanks,
Chris
Apr 22, 2016 at 12:17 PM
p.10 #5Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get it
Apr 22, 2016 at 12:36 PM
p.10 #6Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
GMPhotography wrote:
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get it
I would dearly love a 28-70 two-touch, non-rotating front element version of the Contax 35-70.
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get it
I would dearly love a 28-70 two-touch, non-rotating front element version of the Contax 35-70.
Apr 22, 2016 at 12:39 PM
p.10 #7Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
GMPhotography wrote:
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get it
There is actually another highly regarded, giant Contax 28-85mm lens too.
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get it
There is actually another highly regarded, giant Contax 28-85mm lens too.
Apr 22, 2016 at 12:45 PM
p.10 #8Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
GMPhotography wrote:
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get it
I thought the same thing....but it would be bigger and 28mm would probably suffer.
It seems to be a bit wider than 35mm though. Very close to my RX1RII framing.
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get it
I thought the same thing....but it would be bigger and 28mm would probably suffer.
It seems to be a bit wider than 35mm though. Very close to my RX1RII framing.
Apr 22, 2016 at 12:55 PM
p.10 #9Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
I just tested my Sony ZA 24-70mm f2.8 against my Canon FD 35-70mm f4 at the overlapping lengths, cheaper alternatives to the lenses mentioned here. What's a good way to do crops like these quickly? I'd post them if anyone is interested, the FD is rather impressive
Apr 22, 2016 at 01:12 PM
p.10 #10Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
At 28 I agree. 35-70 is a easier lens to design optically although maybe not the most popular. For me it seems I just have to come to terms with the GM for landscape until we get some real primes worth a damn between 21-50. I think that's most of our basic issue that we are facing. I have not issue going out into the wild with a 15,21,28,50 and a 85 GM. Sounds perfect actually it that middle area.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I thought the same thing....but it would be bigger and 28mm would probably suffer.
It seems to be a bit wider than 35mm though. Very close to my RX1RII framing.
Fred Miranda wrote:
GMPhotography wrote
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get itIt seems to be a bit wider than 35mm though. Very close to my RX1RII framing.
Apr 22, 2016 at 01:17 PM
p.10 #11Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
My Rokinon 135 is here. My temporary fix until someone decides to build a 135 everyone needs. Geez how many times do we have to ask. Lol
Apr 22, 2016 at 01:19 PM
p.10 #12Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
phantom76 wrote:
GMPhotography wrote
I wish this lens was 28-70. I would get itI used to own that lens. I liked the bokeh and the rendering but the corners were awful at the wide end. Much (much much) worse compared to the FE 16-35. Either I had a stinker or the lens is not a good landscape lens. It is also frighteningly big.
Apr 22, 2016 at 01:19 PM
p.10 #13Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
This topic makes me wonder if there would be a market for this lens with all its' advantages - IQ, size, weight, etc. with lens to camera communication as an added benefit. . . . . Naw, that is just my frustration over finding a good one.
Apr 22, 2016 at 02:39 PM
p.10 #14Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
Fred Miranda wrote:
Thanks for the 100/3.5 suggestion. I may keep my Kipon for it after all. Are there different versions of this lens?
Yes, there are. Get the later MMJ version, not the AE verson. It has a green F22. I got mine in mint condition. I'm not sure if there are optical differences, but I think all the Zeiss guides are for the later MMJ version. Maybe there is not much difference, But I just went with later to be safe!
How does the Kipton compare to the Novoflex?
Thanks for the 100/3.5 suggestion. I may keep my Kipon for it after all. Are there different versions of this lens?
Yes, there are. Get the later MMJ version, not the AE verson. It has a green F22. I got mine in mint condition. I'm not sure if there are optical differences, but I think all the Zeiss guides are for the later MMJ version. Maybe there is not much difference, But I just went with later to be safe!
How does the Kipton compare to the Novoflex?
Apr 22, 2016 at 05:39 PM
p.10 #15Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
I got the C/Y 100/3.5 AE version from eBay to try it out ($320 Mint condition). As far as I could tell there is no evidence there was an optical upgrades between the two versions.
The Kipon is a very good adapter. It performed the same as my Novoflex. If focus past infinity but so does the Novoflex. I really think it could be the way the lens was designed. I tested the lens on both adapters and they passed my decentering test.
Sometimes, It's hard to know if an adapter is out of alignment (mount parallelism) or if the lens is decentered. But when you combine both lens and adapter and everything works, you know you just got lucky! I would stay away from Metabones and Fotodiox. The Kipon is not cheap being about half the price of the Novoflex though.
Good luck,
Fred
Yes, there are. Get the later MMJ version, not the AE verson. It has a green F22. I got mine in mint condition. I'm not sure if there are optical differences, but I think all the Zeiss guides are for the later MMJ version. Maybe there is not much difference, But I just went with later to be safe!
How does the Kipton compare to the Novoflex?
The Kipon is a very good adapter. It performed the same as my Novoflex. If focus past infinity but so does the Novoflex. I really think it could be the way the lens was designed. I tested the lens on both adapters and they passed my decentering test.
Sometimes, It's hard to know if an adapter is out of alignment (mount parallelism) or if the lens is decentered. But when you combine both lens and adapter and everything works, you know you just got lucky! I would stay away from Metabones and Fotodiox. The Kipon is not cheap being about half the price of the Novoflex though.
Good luck,
Fred
Yes, there are. Get the later MMJ version, not the AE verson. It has a green F22. I got mine in mint condition. I'm not sure if there are optical differences, but I think all the Zeiss guides are for the later MMJ version. Maybe there is not much difference, But I just went with later to be safe!
How does the Kipton compare to the Novoflex?
Apr 22, 2016 at 06:10 PM
p.10 #16Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
I got my Rayqual adapter today and infinity focus is much closer to hard stop. Not perfect, but now it's not different than a lot of other lenses out there. I posted some 'macro' shots with the combo on the Sony thread but here's a few from tonight. I think I'm set with this lens. I still can't believe how good it is.
Apr 22, 2016 at 06:17 PM
p.10 #17Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
Great pictures. This lens is pretty much sold out on eBay, thanks to this thread. I will wait for a good copy.
I will wait for a good copy.Apr 22, 2016 at 06:38 PM
p.10 #18Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
phantom76 wrote:
Great pictures. This lens is pretty much sold out on eBay, thanks to this thread. I will wait for a good copy.
This lens is way underpriced for what it is.
Great pictures. This lens is pretty much sold out on eBay, thanks to this thread.
I will wait for a good copy.This lens is way underpriced for what it is.
Apr 22, 2016 at 06:39 PM
p.10 #19Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
phantom76 wrote:
Great pictures. This lens is pretty much sold out on eBay, thanks to this thread. I will wait for a good copy.
I got mine right here on FM with a WTB listing. Someone might give one up.
Great pictures. This lens is pretty much sold out on eBay, thanks to this thread.
I will wait for a good copy.I got mine right here on FM with a WTB listing. Someone might give one up.
Apr 22, 2016 at 06:41 PM
p.10 #20Contax 35-70 vs 24-70 GM? Ultimate landscape lens?
I got mine on the forum too, but mine was converted to canon mount. Big plus since it mounts perfectly on my Canon eos 1v
Apr 22, 2016 at 06:57 PM