Joachim Wulfers
Veteran Member
I like that. Nice colours and contrast. But I am afraid that my Contax G 45/2.0 has been put into retirement by my Voigtländer Nokton 40/1.245mm f2, aperture unknown, arizona canyon:
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JoWul
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Contax G Lenses - Any happy digital camera users out there?
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JoWul
JW PHOTO
Senior Member
I have two G1 bodies, one green label the other not. My lenses are the 28mm, 45mm and the 90mm with a manual adapter and the techart adapter. I use the lenses on my Sony A7RII and Oly 5II. My 28mm sees almost no use on the A7RII due to corner smearing. I have been thinking of investing into a PCX filter, but know nothing about them or which one to buy. I'm curious as to what you bought and where you bought it. You can PM me if you wish and I would greatly appreciate all the help you can give me. JohnW
Lightshow
Veteran Member
Sorry I missed your question. A bit late...
There are 2 spacer rings required, one between the main body and the M-mount adapter, and one between the optics flange, and the mounting surface of the inner helicoid.
I believe there is a thread on here where the rings are discussed and possibly the drawings.
Don't worry, we all do it, useful threads should get bumped from time to time, and it provided me a chance to reply to a question I missed back then.
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FYI: To correct corner-issues on mirrorless for the Contax G 28mm and 21mm lenses. This works by changing the effective angle of light rays coming out of the lens (makes the angle less less obtuse). Apparently it also affects focal length of the lens slightly (Maybe someone can chime in with some technical background).
Parts needed:
Sample Images:
Landscape at F5.6 or higher. Notice there's still some vignetting at smaller apertures. This is normal for Biogon/Symmetrical designs.
At F2.8 - Excellent 3D pop/microcontrast from this lens.
More info here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1453834?b=2
Parts needed:
- EU -> https://www.optosigma.com/eu_en/pla...0mm-focal-length-400-700nm-SLB-50-1500PM.html
- USA -> https://www.optosigma.com/us_en/pla...0mm-focal-length-400-700nm-SLB-50-1500PM.html
- Fotodiox 46mm-55mm step up ring.
- K&F 55mm-52mm step down ring.
- Cheap transparent/UV 52mm filter from Amazon that has an inner retaining ring.
Sample Images:
Landscape at F5.6 or higher. Notice there's still some vignetting at smaller apertures. This is normal for Biogon/Symmetrical designs.
At F2.8 - Excellent 3D pop/microcontrast from this lens.
More info here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1453834?b=2
R
rich_cx139
Guest
Nice description of the method ( I followed the blog on Phillip Reeve’s site which is probably similar).FYI: To correct corner-issues on mirrorless for the Contax G 28mm and 21mm lenses. This works by changing the effective angle of light rays coming out of the lens (makes the angle less less obtuse). Apparently it also affects focal length of the lens slightly (Maybe someone can chime in with some technical background).
Parts needed:
Put it together: The plano-convex lens should be attached reversed (with the curved side towards the camera). You can tell which side is curved by placing the lens on a flat surface. The lens should be sandwiched between the 46mm-55mm step up and 55-52 step down and the inner retaining ring. Make sure it is centered (I used small strips of rubber band around the perimeter).
- EU -> https://www.optosigma.com/eu_en/pla...0mm-focal-length-400-700nm-SLB-50-1500PM.html
- USA -> https://www.optosigma.com/us_en/pla...0mm-focal-length-400-700nm-SLB-50-1500PM.html
- Fotodiox 46mm-55mm step up ring.
- K&F 55mm-52mm step down ring.
- Cheap transparent/UV 52mm filter from Amazon that has an inner retaining ring.
Sample Images:
Landscape at F5.6 or higher. Notice there's still some vignetting at smaller apertures. This is normal for Biogon/Symmetrical designs.
At F2.8 - Excellent 3D pop/microcontrast from this lens.
More info here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1453834?b=2
One point you mentioned that is pretty important and a bit tricky is to get the pcx lens nicely centred.
I meant to see if there was a neater way of doing this but it works and I have the pcx on my 21 and 28 permanently.
The corner smearing is still there but reduced which might bother some but, for me, it has to be set against the superb rendering of these biogons over most of the field
The vignetting as you said, is just a function of the lens design. Easy to remove most in post and you can use the zm biogon profiles in LR which seem to work well. I usually leave most of it in.
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JW PHOTO
Senior Member
Thank you for your last post and it clears up all the questions I had about what to get and how to make it work.
JohnW
JohnW
JW PHOTO
Senior Member
Just bit the bullet and order my PCX and step-up, step-down rings. Didn't like the shipping cost of the PCX, but my 28mm is certainly worth the cost. JohnW
Excellent! I think you will enjoy it very much.
JW PHOTO
Senior Member
I'll let yo know how I like it. It will be nice to take the trio along with the Sony A7RII. If I like it a lot I might just take the three lens and leave my Sony lenses home. If I did that I'd load one of my Contax G1 film bodies with some B&W film and take it along for a very nice combination. Best of both worlds! JohnW
AdaptedLenses
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I took that setup (minus film body, Fuji GA645 instead) on a road trip from Phoenix AZ to Boise ID. Was pretty much perfect, and small. Love the shots from that trip. 28mm w/ PCX leaving Zion.
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JW PHOTO
Senior Member
That sot almost looks like a super-high definition painting. Very nice! If my 28mm G will do that I'll be more than satisfied. JohnWI took that setup (minus film body, Fuji GA645 instead) on a road trip from Phoenix AZ to Boise ID. Was pretty much perfect, and small. Love the shots from that trip. 28mm w/ PCX leaving Zion.
Joachim Wulfers
Veteran Member
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AdaptedLenses
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This actually wasn’t a great copy of the G either. Realized after this trip it had a slight tilt to it, I actually think from conversations with Sebboh and Nehemiah that the barrels might have had slight manufacturing deficiencies (ie whole optical block was tilted). Otherwise you should be able to get good results!
That sot almost looks like a super-high definition painting. Very nice! If my 28mm G will do that I'll be more than satisfied. JohnWI took that setup (minus film body, Fuji GA645 instead) on a road trip from Phoenix AZ to Boise ID. Was pretty much perfect, and small. Love the shots from that trip. 28mm w/ PCX leaving Zion.
AdaptedLenses
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One thing I’ll recommend and it’s partly why I don’t have them anymore (they were black too, really regret that decision). Anyway the 90 in particular could be real temperamental with the Techart TA-GA3. It would actually lock up the camera and you’d need to do a battery pull, and it wasn’t guaranteed to work after. To that end I remember abandoning a shot I liked coming up through the canyon above Sedona. Moral of the story is, pack a spare MF adapter if you’re gonna rely on the Techart.
On the topic of manual adapters, if it feels sticky and grimy when you focus you probably have the mounting slightly too far or too short and the screw post isn’t perfectly perpendicular. Play with its positioning and it’ll smooth out ALOT.
On the topic of manual adapters, if it feels sticky and grimy when you focus you probably have the mounting slightly too far or too short and the screw post isn’t perfectly perpendicular. Play with its positioning and it’ll smooth out ALOT.
That sot almost looks like a super-high definition painting. Very nice! If my 28mm G will do that I'll be more than satisfied. JohnWI took that setup (minus film body, Fuji GA645 instead) on a road trip from Phoenix AZ to Boise ID. Was pretty much perfect, and small. Love the shots from that trip. 28mm w/ PCX leaving Zion.
backsidewalkaround
Leading Member
Hi there,
as (almost) always - very late to the party. I have somewhat mixed feelings about the G lenses. I'm using them on full frame Sony cameras (A7, A7RIII) and with manual adapters only. I had tried a Techart for a while, but wasn't satisfied with the speed or the accuracy, so I quickly sold it again. It was a used item, so maybe it didn't work perfectly. Anyways, since I mostly shoot landscape nowadays, I'm using manual adapters and even prefer that, because it leaves me all the freedom I want. Even though they're a bit awquard to use, I don't find it bothersome. I had a Kiwi adapter that was a bit crooked, a Kipon one (that I destroyed, trying to lube it) and now got a cheap K&F, that is just as good as the Kipon. I get along with it just fine.
About the lenses: They're all very sharp and contrasty, which is exactly what I'm looking for. They're very beautiful, nicely made, but also made very light, which is very welcome on one hand, of course, but I think if they're mistreated, they may get a tilt much easier than other sturdier lenses, which is a problem if you buy them used. Be sure to be able to give them back.
The 2.8/90 is just great. Very, very sharp, awesome contrast down to the small details and punchy saturated colors. Definitely a keeper and a great lens to take hiking, small and light and very good looking.
The 2/45 has the same qualities, but for me somehow (it's probably just me), it doesn't produce the same depth as other lenses I use. However, it is a very sharp contrasty lens in a small and light package that works well on a Sony FF camera. Maybe I didn't use it enough for a final verdict, but I'm still waiting for an image that wows me completely.
The 2.8/28 is a very nice lens. I'm using it with a PCX filter. It produces great environmental portraits. The look of the images wowed me from the first shots I took of my son. It hasn't disappointed me since in that regard. I also find the bokeh very nice, if I shoot very close details.
For landscape or architecture it's also very sharp and contrasty and certainly a great choice if you shoot black and white. BUT, I've had my issues with the color cast, despite the PCX filter, that greatly enhances corner sharpness and reduces the color cast.
With single images, it isn't really bothersome and can be remedied quite easily using a circular gradient filter in post. However, I'm often doing panoramas and haven't been able to find a good solution. Skies are often full of color that doesn't belong there naturally.
One thing to remember, when using a PCX filter is also that the outer filter thread doesn't match that of the other lenses, so for using a polarizer on all lenses, you'd have to get step up rings for the other ones (but that's also the case if you use another lens, so it doesn't count as an argument).
Right now, for the reasons I stated above, I prefer other lenses, like the Contax Distagon 2.8/28 or the Hollywood 2/28 which I have as a Rollei version. They don't have the same color cast, but are pretty much as sharp and contrasty as the G28.
On the other hand taking the G28, G45 and G90 makes my backpack so incredibly light in comparison, that I often take them, despite my reservations.
as (almost) always - very late to the party. I have somewhat mixed feelings about the G lenses. I'm using them on full frame Sony cameras (A7, A7RIII) and with manual adapters only. I had tried a Techart for a while, but wasn't satisfied with the speed or the accuracy, so I quickly sold it again. It was a used item, so maybe it didn't work perfectly. Anyways, since I mostly shoot landscape nowadays, I'm using manual adapters and even prefer that, because it leaves me all the freedom I want. Even though they're a bit awquard to use, I don't find it bothersome. I had a Kiwi adapter that was a bit crooked, a Kipon one (that I destroyed, trying to lube it) and now got a cheap K&F, that is just as good as the Kipon. I get along with it just fine.
About the lenses: They're all very sharp and contrasty, which is exactly what I'm looking for. They're very beautiful, nicely made, but also made very light, which is very welcome on one hand, of course, but I think if they're mistreated, they may get a tilt much easier than other sturdier lenses, which is a problem if you buy them used. Be sure to be able to give them back.
The 2.8/90 is just great. Very, very sharp, awesome contrast down to the small details and punchy saturated colors. Definitely a keeper and a great lens to take hiking, small and light and very good looking.
The 2/45 has the same qualities, but for me somehow (it's probably just me), it doesn't produce the same depth as other lenses I use. However, it is a very sharp contrasty lens in a small and light package that works well on a Sony FF camera. Maybe I didn't use it enough for a final verdict, but I'm still waiting for an image that wows me completely.
The 2.8/28 is a very nice lens. I'm using it with a PCX filter. It produces great environmental portraits. The look of the images wowed me from the first shots I took of my son. It hasn't disappointed me since in that regard. I also find the bokeh very nice, if I shoot very close details.
For landscape or architecture it's also very sharp and contrasty and certainly a great choice if you shoot black and white. BUT, I've had my issues with the color cast, despite the PCX filter, that greatly enhances corner sharpness and reduces the color cast.
With single images, it isn't really bothersome and can be remedied quite easily using a circular gradient filter in post. However, I'm often doing panoramas and haven't been able to find a good solution. Skies are often full of color that doesn't belong there naturally.
One thing to remember, when using a PCX filter is also that the outer filter thread doesn't match that of the other lenses, so for using a polarizer on all lenses, you'd have to get step up rings for the other ones (but that's also the case if you use another lens, so it doesn't count as an argument).
Right now, for the reasons I stated above, I prefer other lenses, like the Contax Distagon 2.8/28 or the Hollywood 2/28 which I have as a Rollei version. They don't have the same color cast, but are pretty much as sharp and contrasty as the G28.
On the other hand taking the G28, G45 and G90 makes my backpack so incredibly light in comparison, that I often take them, despite my reservations.
JW PHOTO
Senior Member
My findings seem to mirror yours when it comes to the 45mm and the 90mm. My Techart adapter works great with the 45mm and the 28mm, but is a little touchy with the 90mm. My solution is to keep my Techart adapter on the 45mm and my manual focus adapter on the 90mm. I'm using the Sony A7RII and this setup seems to work just fine and like you say, It very light and portable. I can't wait to give my new PCX filter a try. JohnW
lsds
Member
I have the new Techart TZG-01 AF adapter finally arriving tomorrow - fingers crossed!!
The journey manually adapting CG lenses on Nikon Z has been very satisfying so far with the 1500 PCX added.My favourite MF adapter so far is the Urth followed by the Fotofox but I sincerely miss seeing the Exif info as with the vintage nikkors.
Hopefully the new TZG adapter will help fill this void…
The journey manually adapting CG lenses on Nikon Z has been very satisfying so far with the 1500 PCX added.My favourite MF adapter so far is the Urth followed by the Fotofox but I sincerely miss seeing the Exif info as with the vintage nikkors.
Hopefully the new TZG adapter will help fill this void…
lsds
Member
Early tests on the CG45 & Nikon Z6
The TZG adapter is a pleasure to use n Aperture priority. Let’s you quick focus in AF-s or AF-c and then fine tune using the Manual focus wheel on the adapter. IBIS & low light focusing is also quite impressive. Only call-out so far has been the actual Aperture value which does not show in the EXIF data.
sharing some early JPG captures(low resolution) while I am lazily stuck with my phone for a few days.
CG 45 @f2
CG 45 @f2- handheld at 1/8s
CG 45 @f4
Happy New Year 2022 all!!
The TZG adapter is a pleasure to use n Aperture priority. Let’s you quick focus in AF-s or AF-c and then fine tune using the Manual focus wheel on the adapter. IBIS & low light focusing is also quite impressive. Only call-out so far has been the actual Aperture value which does not show in the EXIF data.
sharing some early JPG captures(low resolution) while I am lazily stuck with my phone for a few days.
CG 45 @f2
CG 45 @f2- handheld at 1/8s
CG 45 @f4
Happy New Year 2022 all!!
AdaptedLenses
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If it works like the old Sony Weston you can record correct aperture up too f/5.6 or f/8. Just set camera aperture AND lens aperture but you’ll have to dial in exposure compensation to match as the camera (at least Sony) thinks it’s still wide open when metering.
Early tests on the CG45 & Nikon Z6
The TZG adapter is a pleasure to use n Aperture priority. Let’s you quick focus in AF-s or AF-c and then fine tune using the Manual focus wheel on the adapter. IBIS & low light focusing is also quite impressive. Only call-out so far has been the actual Aperture value which does not show in the EXIF data.
sharing some early JPG captures(low resolution) while I am lazily stuck with my phone for a few days.
CG 45 @f2
CG 45 @f2- handheld at 1/8s
CG 45 @f4
Happy New Year 2022 all!!
lsds
Member
On the Nikon Z6(in AP or M mode) , the TZG needs to be told the camera Aperture to recognise the lens & allow IBIS to work correctly. So this f value is manually set on camera per CG lens and for the CG 45, it is f/1.6 so this stays fixed unfortunately and is what the EXIF displays - I assume it was the same with the TA-GA3 on the Sony’s as well?
Lens Aperture on the CG lens is manually changed and not transmitted as EXIF though the CPU’s of both lens & camera communicate- have asked this question now to the Techart team.
Metering wise, I personally find the Nikon Z6 is far superior as compared to the older Nikons like the DF where non-tab lenses like the pre-AI Nikkors or the Leica-R’s would need EV compensation when stopped down.
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