Optics as good as they say
Lens construction
Edge to edge definiton fantastic even at f2

None discovered yet although agree potential for indrawing of of dust and particles

The sharpest lens for 35mm photography I have personally used. Not seen any better used by others. Colour rendition fantastic although I mainly use B+W. Here however is where the lens really shines. I suspect the T* coating has something to do with this the contrast is so good I seriously wonder whether I will ever use red/yellow filters - this may be OTT!!

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

mainly nikon autofocus lenses

- Outstanding contrast, sharpness and resolving power
- Incredible performance at apertures (especially at F/4)
- Beautiful finish, quality construction
- small size
- great bokeh
- ridiculously low price for such quality

- wish max aperture was F/1.4 instead of F/2 (but not bad)

Did not expect this, but a large number of my best photos were done with this simple "boring" normal lens. Clearly images by it versus those made by my Canon EF 1.4 50mm are superior (although the Canon isn't at all bad). Nicer contrast, much more richness of detail and this magical "3-D" look I find only with images taken with Zeiss glass. Got this in a package deal with my G2. Prices are very reasonable (which is not true for Zeiss glass for other Contax/Hasselblad/Rollei/etc cameras, holy cow!)

Haven't found any other lens that can match it performance-wise. Best lens in my camera bag.

Customer Service

E-mail support is not very good.

Similar Products Used:

- Variety of Canon EF lenses (including "L" series)
- Zeiss Biogon 28mm 2.8 for G2
- Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 35-70mm for G2

Optical quality

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I really difficult for me to imagine how can the 50mm F2 Summicron for Leica M further improve on this lens. Someday I will get that one as well and do a super shootout of all the 50mm lenses (or the equivalent in medium format) I own. But this is the winner so far for the price/weight/optical quality. I put it on the G2 and take the combo wherever I go. This past winter during a trip to Zion NP, I put the lens on a tripod and shot at F8 for a self protrait using Provia 100F (the new version). From a distance of 6 feet. I could see the finest individual stiches on my khaki pants without any difficulty. The impact when projected was so astounding that you get a sort of tactile feeling for the objects recorded by this lens. The fabric, the smooth furniture, the waxy plant leaves...Man o man. My G2 tend to slightly overexpose, which may ruin the resolving power for the finest details in the highlights. I can handhold this lens down to 1/15s. But to take full advantage of the planar's resolving power, I make sure I shoot at speeds above 1/125s.

Customer Service

none necessary

Similar Products Used:

Canon primes
Medium format primes

Color saturation, good bokeh, sharpness, contrast

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I'm keen on normal lenses, almost all of my best pictures are taken with them (except portraits and macro, of course). I've bought this lens instead of EF 50/1.4, which is two times more expensive here, along with G1, and I never have to regret this decision. I cannot compare to 6x7 or so, but from all normal lenses I have ever used for 35mm, this one is simply increadible. Pictures have something more than just technical features described above. One has to see the results, they are simply breathtaking... you can check the www.contaxg.com, but there's only about 1/3 of the whole story. From $$$ point of view, this lens is a bargain! If you like natural perspective, but also want to add some dreamy effect to your pictures, go for it.

Customer Service

Not needed, but any reqests for equipment are sloooooowlyyy proceeeeedeeeeed

Similar Products Used:

Canon 50/1.8II, Pentacon 50/1.8, Contax 50/1.4, many other lenses incl. zooms, mainly Canon EF.

Vey Very Sharp
Very Contrasty
Solid Construction

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A great lens for the price. The sharpness, the contrast and the color rendetion is spectacular. This lens is the reason I wanted to purchace the G-camera system. This lens is a must have lens if you own the Contax G camera.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 50/1.4

Lens has almost zero flare when shooting ceiling lightbulbs during a test against Leica glass.

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Great lens. Period.

Similar Products Used:

Too many to list individual focal lengeths: Nikon, Canon, Schneider-Kreuznach, Voitlander, Yashica, Wollensack, Tamron,

Extremely sharp lens. Detail is unbelievable.

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This is the sharpest of all the 35mm lenses I've ever used. If used with a slow film, prints compare closely to medium format. Great for travelling light.

Customer Service

not needed

Similar Products Used:

Contax 28 & 90mm, Nikon 24mm, 35mm, 50mm,105mm, 180mm, 300mm

Not only the sharpest lens I have ever used, but a magical ability to render shading and nuance in color and shade transitions.

Images of people taken with this lens are magical in the way medium format photographs are magically superior to 35mm. This lens squeezes everything there is to get from 35mm film.

None.

If you buy only one lens for the G, this is the one. (I alos have the 28mm and 90mm)

Similar Products Used:

Nikon, Rollei, Olympus, Topcon 35mm normals.

Excellent normal lens, sharp and contrasty at all apertures. Can have the look of a w/a lens or telephoto lens depending on how it's shot.

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This, like all Zeiss lenses made for the Contax G system, is the best I have ever shot with. Non-photographers can tell photos taken with these lenses as compared to Nikkor or Canon optics. It will make you shoot with a "normal" lens again.

Customer Service

good

Similar Products Used:

28, 90 and 21

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All the Zeiss lenses for the Contax G I have used are superb. (21mm, 28mm, 45mm, 90mm) There are extremely sharp and saturated and have very good control of flare. But for me the most visible difference is in the shadow details. I used to have several Canon L lenses, and the G lenses win hands down when it comes to shadow details. Relatively speaking, images taken with the Canon L's look less emotionally involving and more artificial. I have tried showing my portfolio to people, and most of them were able to identify images taken with the G lenses.

The construction of these lenses is superb. They are very compact and the aperture ring feels very smooth on each lens. And it's great that most of these lenses take same size filters. The optional lens hoods are very effective, and one can also buy hood caps, which are very convenient.

Most of the G lenses are not expensive for the image quality and construction that they offer. I have yet to see better lenses for 35mm photography.

Similar Products Used:

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