Contax Planar T* 50mm f1.4 35mm Primes
Contax Planar T* 50mm f1.4 35mm Primes
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[May 24, 2000]
daniel steinberg
Expert
Model Reviewed:
Planar T* 50mm f1.4
Strength:
This is the best 50mm lens made. If you need an inexpensive setup, get a yashica body, with this lens, which can be found used for $125. I blow up color images in the darkroom to 30x40 with this lens, and they are superb. The color and contrast hold really well at this extreme blow up. The quality of the construction of the lens is industrial. Hold up a lens from any other company in one hand and a zeiss in the other hand and you will see the difference. Zeiss makes other lenses look like plastic toys. These lenses are rock solid!!
Weakness:
none Carl Zeiss lenses are the best lenses made, apart from Leica, which I haven't tried. Customer Service repairs can be expensive, and you have to send items directly to contax, which is an inconvenience. Similar Products Used: nikon |
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[Apr 10, 2000]
ND Janiszeski
Expert
Model Reviewed:
Planar T* 50mm f1.4
Strength:
The finest 50mm I have used. Smooth, well dampened focus action, but not stiff. Average size, weight, price. Only thing close I have used is the 50mm 2.0 Summicron R followed by the Nikon 50mm 1.4 AIS. Beautiful fit and finish.
Weakness:
None. Ever so slight tendency to produce veiling glare with sun shining in at oblique angle to lens axis. This is an extreme condition, very rare with this lens and will only matter to pros and those working at the extremes. Couldn't reproduce this effect with Leica 50mm or Nikon. Might just be my lens. The only lens that might outperform this lens is the new Leica R 1.4/50mm that takes E60 filters. Have not had a chance to compare. My wife still marvels at the clarity of the images from this lens. Similar Products Used: Nikon, Leica R |
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[Mar 22, 2000]
Peyman Kaiedi
Model Reviewed:
Planar T* 50mm f1.4
Strength:
The best lens in this range. Excellent sharpness and contrast.
Weakness:
None what so ever. This lens is legendary. You just have to see the results to believe it. this lens is a very valid reason to go to the Contax world. I have used many other 50mm lenses and this is my favourite followed by Nikon 50&60mm. Customer Service Not needed. Similar Products Used: Nikon 50mm AF & AIS, 55mm AIS Micro, 60mm AF Micro. Minolta 50mm 1.7MD. Canon AF 1.8 etc. |
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[Sep 17, 2000]
paul graham
Professional
Strength:
best standard lens made, (except for zeiis' own 60mm makro-planar)
Weakness:
none Forget Leica, forget Nikon, and all the others. this is sharpest one out there Similar Products Used: all |
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[Sep 29, 2000]
Rider André/Rider
Professional
Strength:
Sharpness without the extra contrast, very versatile lens, solid construction.
Weakness:
A bit soft wide open, but what lens isn't at 1.4? If I take a look at all my photographes, I would have to say that around 80% of them where taken with a standard lens. That's a lot of photographes. Customer Service None needed Similar Products Used: I have used to many to say. |
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[Nov 23, 2000]
Yuwen Huang
Intermediate
Strength:
Beautiful color, smooth tonality.
Weakness:
double image boken if wide open. I like this lense very much, its pictures always shows a special kind of soft touch, feel like water color. It has very natural color rendering. Customer Service Soso Similar Products Used: Nikon 50/1.4 AIS |
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[Dec 04, 2000]
Sarawoot Chittratanawat
Expert
Strength:
Sharp, sharp and sharp.. did I say it's sharp? Much better at f/2, but no problem at f/1.4. Even though the MTF said 50/1.7 is sharper, but 50/1.4 outperform 50/1.7 for color rendering, IMO. I like contrast from 50/1.4 better than 50/1.7. Built quality of 50/1.4 and 50/1.7 are completely different. Bokeh are not much different
Weakness:
None The best normal lens that you can buy. Rumor said Contax lose money whenever this lens is sold. Who knows? Customer Service No need Similar Products Used: Almost all Contax Zeiss glasses. For this lens, look for its competitive, 50/1.7. |
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[Feb 25, 2001]
DENIS RICE
Intermediate
Strength:
VERY SHARP, BUT THEN AGAIN, MOST 50'S ARE.
Weakness:
IT'S A 50mm. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, NOTHING TO REPORT IN THE WEAKNESS CATEGORY. THE WORLD IS CATCHING UP TO ZEISS OPTICS. I RECENTLY PURCHASED MY FIRST PRO MODEL AUTOFOCUS CAMERA, THE CANON EOS1V WITH A 28-70 AND 70-200, BOTH 2.8 'L' VERSIONS. INCREDIBLY SHARP!! I WAS GOING TO STAY WITH CONTAX (I HAVE THE RX AND RTSIII) AND TRY THE N1 (HAVEN'T HEARD ENOUGH POSITIVES FOR THE AX TO GO WITH IT). DECIDED ON THE CANON BECAUSE OF RAVE REVIEWS. NOW CONSIDERING A SECOND BODY AFTER 2 MONTHS OF SHOOTING. CONTAX IS VERY GOOD, BUT THE 'L' CANON LENSES ARE GREAT AS WELL, AND HAVE A MUCH LARGER AND VARIED SELECTION. Customer Service HAVE NOT HAD TO USE IT, YET. Similar Products Used: CANON 28-70 EF L |
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[Mar 16, 2001]
Ken
Expert
Strength:
Second best manual focus 50/1.4
Weakness:
Slightly weak at f/1.4 and f/2 while Ricoh Rikenon have done a much better job in this aspect. Test report of all manual focus 50/1.4 from a UK photographic magazine which published 10 years ago has revealed that this carl zeiss 50/1.4 is NOT the best. It is placed on the second. The real winner is the new Rikenon Program 50/1.4 by RICOH. Surprise? If you can find a Rikenon P 50/1.4 and take photo at aperture from f1.4 to f4, you will see how superb the Rikenon can perform at such wide aperture. Please don't mix up with Ricoh 55/1.2, as 55/1.2 is rubbish. Similar Products Used: Ricoh Rikenon P 50/1.4 |
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[May 28, 2001]
Philip
Casual
Strength:
- Sharp
Weakness:
- Lack of auto focus (could also be a strength) This lens is a treasure lost amongst modern photographic equipment. Knowing the capabiltiy of the lens in delivering the full colour, I take more time in composing my subject matter and mood, the result is always perfect and sometimes the 50mm f1.4 surprises me. Photography has never been more pleasurable. Having said that, the lack of autofocus makes life difficult to capture fast moving objects, like sports or moving children. Customer Service None so far Similar Products Used: - CZ 28 - 70mm |