Review: Carl Zeiss Contarex Planar f=50mm 1:2

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The Zeiss Contarex line was Zeiss’ last attempt to produce a competitive camera system in Germany; after that production moved to Japan. Zeiss put a lot of effort into those lenses and cameras. You can read on the internet that they created a line of lenses which is considered by some “the best ever, optically and mechanically“.

So I was curious and bought a Carl Zeiss Contarex f=50mm 1:2 to see whether this assessment checks out. Today the Planar 2/50 is the cheapest of the Contarex lineup but it is still quite expensive at around 300€. I will review it as I would review any other lens, and see if the hype about this lens is justified.

Sample Images

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Sony a7 | Zeiss Contarex Planar 2/50  | f/8 | full resolution
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Sony a7 | Zeiss Contarex Planar 2/50  | f/4 | full resolution
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Sony a7 | Zeiss Contarex Planar 2/50  | f/2.8 | full resolution

Continue reading Review: Carl Zeiss Contarex Planar f=50mm 1:2

Review: Canon new FD 35mm 1:2.8

 

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The Canon nFD 2.8/35 offers really good image quality for very little money. I think it is a very good solution for most budget oriented Sony Alpha 7 users.

Sample Images

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Sony a7II | Canon nFD 2.8/35 | f/2.8 | full resolution
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Sony a7II | Canon nFD 2.8/35 | f/8 | full resolution

 

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Sony a7 | Canon nFD 2.8/35 | f/8 | full resolution

Continue reading Review: Canon new FD 35mm 1:2.8

Affordable manual lenses for the Sony Alpha 7,7r,7ii,7rii and 7s

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This is a collection of good manual lenses which are available for less than $100, it is meant as a resource for photographers who own a Sony a7/ a7r/ a7ii/ a7rII and want to discover the world of manual lenses without breaking the bank.

To learn more about a lens please check one of my reviews or follow the linked test. You will find the average price for a copy in good condition in the description for each lens.

All links market with a * are affiliate links. If you use them I will receive a small commission on your purchase without any additional cost to you. So if you found this article helpful using them is a great way to show your support. Thanks! 

You can find this article in German on phillipreeve.de.

Wideangle lenses

Canon nFD 2.8/24

Canon_nFD_24mmf2p8-6This would be my suggestion for someone looking for a small, sharp and affordable wideangle lens to take landscape images.
Weaknesses are mustache distortion and mediocre built quality.

240g | $85 | my Review | sample images

buy from ebay* | adapters on amazon*

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Sony a7 | Canon nFD 2.8/24 | f/11 | full resolution

Continue reading Affordable manual lenses for the Sony Alpha 7,7r,7ii,7rii and 7s

Review: Canon new FD 24mm 1:2.8 on Sony a7

There are many manual lenses above 28mm which work quite well on modern cameras like the Alpha 7 but not that many wide angle lenses perform good enough on modern cameras.

The Canon nFD 2.8/24 is one of the sharpest, affordable wide angle lenses and I think it can be a good solution for budget-oriented Sony Alpha 7 users.

A German version of this review can be found on phillipreeve.de.

Sample Images

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Sony a7 | Canon nFD 2.8/24 | f/11 | full resolution
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Sony a7 | Canon nFD 2.8/24 | f/8

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Sony a7 | Canon nFD 2.8/24 | f/11 | full resolution

Continue reading Review: Canon new FD 24mm 1:2.8 on Sony a7

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