Carl Zeiss T* / Vintage Full Frame / Super Set

THE SUPER SET

DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY and PRODUCERS working on demanding high end productions are looking for VINTAGE lenses that have the following requirements:

• A REHOUSED VINTAGE set of lenses that will organically soften the image of FULL FRAME sensors to help reduce the use of external filters and help avoid the FILTER LOOK.

• EXTRA LENSES that will accommodate two units when filming the same series.

• ALL AVAILABLE FOCAL LENGTHS and FAST LENSES to cover every possible scenario on set as well as consistent COLOR MATCH and COATING to maintain image rendering and flair.

THE BASIS Of THE SET

Carl Zeiss T* lenses from the 1970’s made for the Contax 35mm film camera system.

15mm f3.5,

18mm f.4,

21mm f2.8,

25mm f2.8,

28mm f2 (Hollywood),

35mm f1.4,

50mm f1.4,

85mm f1.4,

100mm f2,

135mm f2,

180 f2,8

200mm f3.5

300mm f4

All lenses are made in West Germany except the 21mm and 50mm which were only ever made in Japan.

Carl Zeiss T*

For decades the legend behind the relationship between the Contax and the Zeiss B lenses that were made in West Germany during the thick of the Cold War have been the subject of photography blogs and DP accounts worldwide.

There is no doubt that these two products share the same glass and coatings and that the Contax line offers a unique set of characteristics, the most important one being that it covers FULL FRAME SENSORS.

The Contax camera system was a partnership between Zeiss and Kyocera, it was designed by Porche made of full metal and have lasted for over 50 years, no wonder they were the unrivaled camera system of their era.

the relationship between Contax zeiss lenses and zeizz b speeds explained

NEWSHOOTER (SEPT 2019) MATHEW ALLARD AC interview with NIKOLAS MOLDENHOUER

How closely do Contax Zeiss lenses match the legendary Mark III Super Speeds? Well, Nikolas Moldenhauer takes us on a journey to find out:

Nikolas contacted Zeiss to talk to them about their old Super Speeds (The Shining, Lost in Translation etc.) and the Contax Zeiss lenses. What he found out was that both lenses use the same glass and the coating.

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Q. What gave you the idea to compare Zeiss Super Speeds against Contax stills glass?

If you are a filmmaker you probably love the work of Kubrick and you will undoubtedly be familiar with the Zeiss Super Speeds that he used for his iconic movies “The Shining” and “Full Metal Jacket”. I first used them on a TV commercial shoot last year and I was hooked. Of course, these are out of the owner-operator price range… at least for most of us.

I have seen offerings for single lenses as high as $13,000 USD, and they are very rarely on sale at all… so, what can a poor boy do?! That started my journey into the Contax Zeiss lenses that were first released in the same year as the Super Speeds… 1970’s. They also carry the same Zeiss signature T* coating brand. This really made me curious about how close these lenses would be if one used the most comparable lenses in the lineup… the f1.4 lenses.

I boldly called Zeiss in Germany to find out more, and they were very nice and very helpful. They did state, that not only are the coatings the same but the glass substrate also. The general design (like in Planar, Distagon etc.) is identical as well… But of course, the specific design is very different as the Super Speeds are faster (f1.2), and built for Super 35. The Contax lenses are built for Full Frame.

Q. What is it that you think makes the Super Speeds such a desirable lens to use?

As always, the lens is only one small ingredient in the magic sauce that makes an image great, but it can be an important ingredient none the less. In a world full of iPhone cameras and computer imaging, vintage lenses help to stand out by adding a subtle layer of poetry. Having said that, sometimes this subtle layer can be a bit too much. The Super Speeds and the Contax Zeiss lenses deliver an image that strikes the right balance between giving you contrast and detail while still showing some “character”. They can be just as sharp as modern lenses if they are stopped down a bit. The Contax Zeiss will not give you the same image, but something quite close for a fraction of the price. They are also suited to bring that vintage Zeiss look to LF cameras. What is not to desire about that?

Q. What tests did you do to compare the lenses?

We dis the usual, DOF, Bokeh, FOV, focus, etc. on Micro Four Thirds (Panasonic GH5), Super 35 (Panasonic EVA1) and Full Frame (Kinefinity Mavo LF) for the 50mm Zeiss Super Speed, and all lenses from our Contax Zeiss set. This will reveal how the lenses will behave on the camera that you are planning to use these lenses on.

It’s important to note that these kinds of tests don’t give you a feel for the lenses. That is why we took the 50mm f1.2 Super Speed and the 50mm f1.4 Contax Zeiss for a bit of a field trip, shooting both mostly wide open. As these shots are only marked by letters these tests are more to find out if there is a meaningful difference, and how important that difference is… to you.

Click on the images below >> Find the answer at the end of this page or watch Media Division’s video below this article.

Q. How close do you ultimately think the lenses match?

Everyone will have very different opinions on that and that is perfectly fine, but if you ask me what I think, I would say that they match quite well. To prove this point we did shoot the FX scenes of The Shining on CONTAX Zeiss to see how well they would match (of course, the camera and our limited grading abilities played a factor here). 

Looking at our field trip test, I can tell them apart especially how they render skin differently, but, if I didn’t have side by side comparisons, and if I didn’t name the clips accordingly, I couldn’t consistently tell which is which. That said it all for me. But of course, there are other considerations than the look of the image.

Q. Were you surprised by any of the results? 

Yes, in a positive way. For us, it really showed what you can get out of lenses and the sort of images one can create with a little attention to detail.

Q. How much time did it take you to complete this episode?

This was a long and hard episode to produce. Adding up all the nights, the field trip, trips to rental etc… I would estimate 8 days… long days. But this episode is based on a long time journey discovering the Contax Zeiss lenses, hunting for each one, modding each one, falling in love with each one. We hope, that other user can have an easier journey through our work… and can fall in love with cinematography all over again, adding a little magic from vintage lenses.

SOME MOVIES FILMED WITH ZEISS B SPEEDS

Below is a collection of examples and tests found online. They show the passion behind these lenses and offer a collective image of the characteristics that the CARL ZEISS T* VINTAGE have to offer.

See how something as simple as preparing a cup of coffee can be super charged with cinematic emotion.

Creatives in the ADVERTISING and MUSIC industry have for been drawn for decades to these lenses which are a real client pleaser, the Zeiss quality without being clinical is a great seller. Zeiss vintage lenses are also the favourite of the FASHION industry for the engaging emotional images they produce.

These mid range and personal productions rely on CineMod lenses that work well thanks to their metal construction, unparalleled to other photography lenses.

I trust that you will enjoy them and find them informative.

Emotional Examples

Examples of ADS & VIDEOS

TESTS

ARTICLES

https://www.alex-stone.com/2016/08/19/zeiss-contax-compared/

https://www.redsharknews.com/production/item/6683-classic-stills-glass-is-still-relevant-to-digital-video-this-is-why

Nikolas: If I didn’t have the direct comparison between them I would fail to consistently tell which is which, that means that your audience sure can’t tell the difference, or gives a dam.