Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

mikej1031
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

Hey everyone! I just received a contax zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 zoom lens that I ordered from Japan on ebay to take to a trip next week and have been toying around with it but I have a few issues with the lens that I’m not sure are a lens, adapter, or maybe evena me problem. I wanted to know if anyone has ever had an issue with the focus distance and racking when shooting objects that are at a distance? It seems that whenever I’m wide open I’m generally always out of focus unless I actually move the camera physically closer to a subject. I don’t really have this issue with my contax primes as I can focus on any subject from whatever reasonable distance even when wide open without a problem. I just wanted to know if anyone might know whether this is a faulty lens or just me not using it right or has had this same issue with their 35-70. Thanks!

Here is a link to an unlisted youtube video that I feel better expresses my issue visually : https://youtu.be/onOSkulnrgQ

May 22, 2024 at 03:40 PM

mcbroomf
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

Sounds like you have turned the barrel into macro mode.

May 22, 2024 at 04:33 PM

chez
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

I just tried your scenario with my Contax lens and I don’t have that problem.

May 22, 2024 at 04:56 PM

mikej1031
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

I tried it macro and that's not the issue. In the video I linked I actually put it in macro to show the difference. From what I can tell it might be a focus ring issue but again I'm not sure.

May 22, 2024 at 05:02 PM

mikej1031
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

Hm maybe I might have to consider returning it then. Thank you for comparing it with your lens, I appreciate it.

May 22, 2024 at 05:04 PM

mcbroomf
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

I just looked at your video. I think that your adapter is too thick. This lens is fantastic but needs an adapter a tad thinner than one that would be OK on a C/Y prime. Also it is not parforcal, so as you rack the focal length say 35 - 70 after focusing, you would expect it to go OOF and have to adjust focus.

Have you tried different adapters? If so and you have other known good adapters then I think your lens has been adjusted or damaged and you should return it.

May 22, 2024 at 06:45 PM

mikej1031
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

Thanks for watching the video mcbroomf, I use a fotodiox pro c/y to Fuji x to adapt all of my Contax Zeiss lenses. I own two of these adapters and both work great with all of my primes, no issues with focus. Both didn’t seem to fix the issue with the 35-70 though so I maybe a thinner adapter would be a better solution, I’ll look into that. Any chance you could recommend me one that you think may be thin enough to fix this problem? Thanks.

May 23, 2024 at 01:19 AM

mcbroomf
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

Sorry I don't know of one. I'd suggest returning the lens.

It's definitely worth the effort getting one that works properly. When I used Canon DSLRs it was my go-to lens together with the C/Y 21 2.8 Distagon.

May 23, 2024 at 04:26 AM

mikej1031
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

Alright, just returned it and ordered a new one. Hopefully this one doesn’t have the same issue. Thanks again for your help.

May 23, 2024 at 10:49 AM

mikej1031
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

Update: I was definitely given a faulty lens. I was able to return it no problem and a new one just came in and it is remarkable. I have none of the issues I had with the last lens and it works just as expected. 👍

May 28, 2024 at 02:48 PM

letchhausen
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Problem with newly received Contax Zeiss 35-70 f/3.4 lens

Interesting. I hadn't used mine in a long time. I just tossed it on my Sony and went out and took some video and it worked as expected, though mine is modded to EF. Glad you got a new one. It's a nice lens. Whenever people talk about all the new blah, blah, blah to "resolve" today's fancy sensors, I think they have to be massively pixel peeping or smoking something. Because I have old film era glass that looks great on digital.

May 28, 2024 at 03:21 PM


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