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Archive 2011 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?

  
 
Ronan O Keeffe
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


Hi,

I'm seeing the odd Contax 200mm APO sonnar ƒ2 coming up on ebay from time to time but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of info or samples out there.

I'll be sticking with the Canon 200 ƒ1.8 unless the Contax prices drop by an order of magnititude! So this request is purely for informational/fun purposes.

Just wondering does anyone here have any experience with it?



Apr 02, 2011 at 06:11 AM
AhamB
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


From what I remember, the Apo-Sonnar also had more longitudinal CA than the Canon. I don't recall any merits that were mentioned.


Apr 02, 2011 at 08:41 AM
Ataboy
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


Has anybody tried them and Leica APO 180/2? I wonder how Leica compares to Contax and Canon 200/1.8.


Apr 02, 2011 at 09:32 AM
gasrocks
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


I have the Leica R APO 180/2 and it will probably be the last lens I ever sell. Had someone stop in with thier EF 200/2 L IS lens and he is now thinking about getting a Leica. AF and IS are nice though - depnds on useage of course.


Apr 02, 2011 at 11:35 AM
Ulff
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


I my archive I found some opinions of Pham Minh Son who tested many 180-200 2.0 lenses some years ago:

"Leica Apo Summicron-R 180 mm F2.0 - This is one of the kind lens in that it is so sharp and the focusing distance is much closer than the well known Canon 200 mm F1.8L. It is also rather compact for being at F2.0. This lens reminds me so much of the Zuiko 180 mm F2.0. However, in my test the Leica Apo 180 mm F2.0 has higher micro-contrast than the Zuiko lens. The bokeh of the Leica Apo 180 mm F2.0 is smooth and the colors is very pleasing and is well preferred by its users.

The Zuiko 180 mm F2.0 - This lens is a very beautiful lens. It is sharp and extremely well made. However, despite it has rare earth elements, the formula for this lens yield less resolving power than the Leica 180 mm F2.0.

Contax Carl Zeiss Tele - Apo - Sonnar 200 mm F2.0 - This lens is the most impressive lens in terms of its construction. The strengths of this lens is that the bokeh is the best in the 180 - 200 mm focal lengths, particularly yielding perfect circular blurred out background lights or lights piercing through the tree leaves. This lens is very sharp but not as sharp as the Leica Apo Summicron-R 180 mm F2.0 or the Canon EF 200mm F1.8L.

Canon EF 200 mm F1.8L - The legendary of this lens is one that I worked so hard to beat with other exotic lens but in the end the Canon EF 200 mm F1.8L is truly the king at these focal lengths in terms of resolving power in close and at infinity working distances. To me this lens has a special place in history like the Canon 1Ds. The only down fall of this lens is that you cannot get close enough to do some head portrait and the lenshood is very difficult to use which makes the lens bulky. All in all, performance alone, this lens is one that cannot be beat."



Apr 02, 2011 at 04:54 PM
Ataboy
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


Thanks for all information! I saw one Leica R 180/2 go on eBay for less than $3k on eBay few months ago and have been looking for another steal ever since then...


Apr 02, 2011 at 08:22 PM
JohnJ
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


gasrocks wrote:
I have the Leica R APO 180/2 and it will probably be the last lens I ever sell...


Ditto.

It has very soft Bokeh and is razor sharp wide open. Why would you stop it down anyway?

JJ



Apr 02, 2011 at 09:03 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


Ulff wrote:
...
Canon EF 200 mm F1.8L ...The only down fall of this lens is that you cannot get close enough to do some head portrait ...


No kidding! Try shooting head and torso portraits of couples. You have to stand off about 30 feet! Still, it works its magic.



Apr 02, 2011 at 10:10 PM
rico
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


I own the Aposonnar, and here's my original FM post from 2004!

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/117248

LCA/TCA is very well controlled. Wide open, central sharpness is excellent with slight softening toward the edges. The big weakness is background bokeh, which is frankly dreadful, but I needed to complete my CZ C/Y collection. That problem is solved by many other ~200mm "chubbies": Apo-Summicron-R 180, EF 200/1.8L, EF 200/2, Nikkor 200/2 AF-S. The Aposonnar cleans up by stopping down:





Apr 03, 2011 at 02:15 AM
Ronan O Keeffe
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


Hi guys,

Thanks for all the wonderful info. I did a search alright but Richard had so many posts when he was here that it's hard to get to specific topics.

Thanks once more.



Apr 03, 2011 at 01:46 PM
carstenw
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Contax 200mm f2: any info out there?


Here it is:

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/822150/0



Apr 03, 2011 at 02:22 PM





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