The Contax Carl Zeiss video that nobody asked for, but I made anyway: CHEAT SHEET Two Versions of Contax Carl Zeiss lenses made: 1) AE “Ninja Star” (1975-1984). AEG (AE lenses made in West German) AEJ (AE lenses made in Japan) 2) MM (1984-2005). MMG (MM lenses made in West Germany) MMJ (MM lenses made in Japan) No difference between lenses made in Japan or West Germany, it was strictly a manufacturing cost savings decision. Zeiss quality control was entirely equal between both production lines.
No one asked for it because it was implied!!! I have so many lenses but these Contax Zeiss are something I have been lusting over for a very long time. Stop tempting me I'm going broke because of this addiction!
@@brakmaster You've got all the time mate! If i wasn't getting paid to use these ones (jobs) I might have held off. Over the last 3 years I've been convinced what I can achieve with these lenses and how I can use them. My friend Damon (who had the 16mm near the end of the video) has been using CZ for awhile before I got into them, I just couldn't (at the time) stomach the price for "old lenses" . Now it's ALL I want to shoot with :) Are you an AE or MM individual yourself?
@@MarkHoltze Yeah you're right. Obviously I'm not a professional just an amateur with a passionate hobby. I have just ordered a Canon Eos M to play around with raw video and I will pair it up with some vintage Canon FD glass. I would characterize myself as an AE individual!
@@MarkHoltze My pleasure.. looking forward to the next video as always! It's a realy nice to see someone enjoying so much making a video as you are! Btw i have 2 carl zeiss lenses. One is from 1958. (Altix nb)
Thanks mate! It was a passion project for sure, found myself saying half way though "not even sure anybody will even care" but I just felt it was an important one to get out the way before I dive more closely into these lenses for review.
@@MarkHoltze Oh, I'll re-watch it at least several times. Because there is so much details that I want to notice. It's like to listen a new track. First you just listen, then you emphasize only the beat, then violin or other instruments. It's layered experience for me )
This is the goal, of your time is being used I’m hoping you can walk away with a better understanding. It’s how you can use that moving forward to build your own creative empire.
So as not to waste your time mate. It’s a privilege to have your attention for a little while so my goal really is to make sure I don’t waste that. Walking away with a bit more info to take to the street is also always a good thing!
Thank you Mark. It is good review and can't wait to see comparison between Super Takumar and Contax Carl Zeiss. As man dusky so mentioned because of you he bought Takumar lens and this happened to me. I watched your video and bought Super Takumar 55mm F 1.8 and love feel of lens and focusing and manually taking good photo with my Olympus OM-D E-M 10 Mark II
The 55 is arguably one of their best lenses! A lot of people love it, that 55 focal length is perfect as well. Seems odd at first, it's how I felt about the 58mm focal length from the helios, but I kind of love it. Those extra mm's really make a difference for portraits, but still keep it wide and versatile enough for other stuff.
Thanks mate, ya it's a natural evolution of the intro I think. I can cut it super short or longer if need be well. Nice and dynamic. The old posters etc are my fav. I saw those by accident awhile and they totally inspired me to do a video on them.
@@MarkHoltze Creativity hits you random sometimes. Awesome that you took the time and energy to film the posters. Would have been easier to go on with life. How do you manage to find such clips on your hard drive after a while? I do project. based folders and I find it difficult to have a file system for such random clips.
@@MarkHoltze I loved the used market! Have you ever checked bestbuy.com for "openbox" items. Mass discounts on store display models and people that opened and then returned. It's my little secret for good used products with original warranty even though it was openbox/used
@@JamesDBuzzard we don't get as great of stuff at best buy up here. I've always been underwhelmed by their selection vs the USA. I do use B&H used ALL the time! Might re-check Best Buy though thanks mate!
@mark holtze - I'm about to add my first lens to a Panasonic G7 for pure 4K video work (RUclips). This is for the love of it only - I can't monetize these videos, as they feature fully copyrighted music everytime. One great lens, for close-up and even macro video work for RUclips, needed. Is it a Contax, a Zeiss Flektogon MC 35, a Pentax Takumar, a Helios 44, or perhaps a Canon FD 50?
@@MarkHoltze you misunderstand me Mark. I'm asking from that list, what would YOU choose to use? Also, the videos I'm doing feature the original artists and songs, so the answer is no on the music. See here : ruclips.net/video/g27MkhGOxyA/видео.html
'Corporate wars' so true, both CZ West Germany and CZ Jena DDR had legal battles about the rights of the Carl Zeiss brand between 1962 and 1970/71. West Germany won in the US but lost in the UK for example. Both manufacturers finally made a agreement in 1971 that established three different regions of the world where CZ West Germany and CZJ DDR could/couldn't or when both could used the brand at the same time.
It would be so cool although almost all info about this is in German. There is a explanation bellow. I always liked CZJ the quality is super with affordable prices, I have a Flektogon 35/2.8 and I loved it. In the past people on the web hates them irrationally but today they have a really good reputation that deserves. It woud be cool to compare the CZ Planar 50 1.7/1.4 to the CZJ Pancolar 50 1.8 both had excellent reputation and a comparison of the CZ Distagon 21/25/35 vs CZJ Flektogon 20/25/35 would be so cool too, it is said that the Distagon was inspired by the Flektogon. www.pentaconsix.com/jena.htm
Zeiss Contax are very under-rated lenses, especially for digital video where they offer a lower contrast than most modern glass so ideal for log grading. The constant aperture 35-70mm zoom is a real stunner but my firm favourite is the Contax 21mm Distagon F/2.8 which remains virtually a fixture on my Sony FS5 via a focal reducer. (aka: Speed Booster) The latter of course restores the Full Frame AoV on S35 sensors and gives me approximately F/2.0 at the sensor. Mated to the FS5's floating electronic ND, I set the 21mm at say F/8.0 where the focus is virtually from the glass to infinity with zero barrel or pin-cushion distortion. It's the wide angle lens you want when you don't want your pictures to look like a wide angle lens!
@@MarkHoltze pretty great actually! There aren’t any scratches, but there’s a decent amount of dust in the lens elements, I haven’t noticed too much of a drop in image quality though
Found a Contax Zeiss 50/1.7 on ebay while searching for Rollei 50/1.4s, got one for $80 and it's the best damned lens I ever had. Though I did sell it and got a Contax Zeiss 28-85mm since work was starting to pick up and I couldn't afford a CZ prime set yet (upwards of $200 per lens!). Will definitely buy a CZ set when I save up though 😄
@@MarkHoltze Actually sold the 50/1.7 that I first got for a bit more than twice the price I got it for and I still considered it a loss 😅 Near mint condition with the original caps and leather pouch for around $180.
Never too late to get back in. The 1.4 is nicer feeling. I’m prob going to sell my 1.7 as well. Should do a compare video between the two first. Might make me second guess that decision ;)
Thanks mate! They are my new obsession as well. Just waiting for all this to clear up before I review them, I need to be outside! The macro I could do sooner.
Mark Holtze oh, the 60/2.8 Makro Planar is a stellar lens! I was just using it today. From product shots to detail work, it’s easily my favorite from that collection.
They're both fantastic to be honest, the differences are subtle I think. Contax have less natural contrast and more muted colours, this is a look many DP's like because it allows them a little more flex when pushing colour. The R's are beautiful, for me it just came down to how the Contax Zeiss lenses had me feel vs the Leica R's...I kind of committed to one over the other, but i'm not particular enough to really say why. R's I think have a stronger reputation and you'd have an easier time renting those out, but in my opinion you can't go wrong with either. I like the size of the Contax lenses a bit more too, a bit bigger and heavier with longer focus throws as far as I can tell (don't hold me to this). :)
I have a pretty big backlog right now mate. I appreciate it that! Maybe a bit later? When I test them it usually is over the course of weeks of use to developer a good sense. So the stuff I’m coming up to test has sort of been on the works for the last little while.
@@MarkHoltze I almost never used a CZJ lens directly but I have some of their soviet counterparts and they're really nice. I would recommend Flektogons 20mm, is really nice, they're other lenses like Sonnars, Biometars, etc...
@@MarkHoltze I was looking for one last year but the prices where waaay too high, around 4000 dolars here in Brazil, so i was looking for the 35mm 1.4 which was around 2k and a better buy at the time, but time passed and while I was saving some money , a friend of mine got this 28mm on a trade and sold to me for a really good deal because he knew I loved some old zeiss glass and the lens truly is amazing ! I shot my last music video mostly with it , as well as a couple shots with the 50mm and the 11-20 tokina for wide shots while I search for the 21mm zeiss here is the music video : ruclips.net/video/JGYbNy7ptJo/видео.html
Well the 35-70 cZ I hear is one vintage zoom that’s worth it in terms of image quality. The yashica lenses aren’t bad, but pale in comparison to the Contax lenses. It’s more how they handle. Do you have a set of yashica already?
Advertisements were on point back in the 70s-80s. Love the Porsche integration and the Ninja Star bokeh is beautiful, albeit subjective and super stylistic. Love your new effects and channel style of late!
HA HA !! hell yea - Well done Mark. Well done. I am so with you on this. We talk passionately about the old lenses. But when you think about it, with all the advances, 30 years past, here we are. And What would those lenses be worth by today's standards? In the 80's these were, in that day and age, very expensive. Planned obsolescence is front and center today. Yet the FD line for me is, well, it's Timeless. lets put it this way, after shooting this last home with all FD, never once using the Rokinon, I may skip renting to shoot real estate altogether. Great Epsisode Mark. I'm calling it, the next Mckinnon.
lol, thanks Ned. Doubtful on the McKinnon thing though, but I'll take it as a compliment. Part what motivated me to do this was to give options for McKinnon's audience who I saw complaining they couldn't afford the Canon sent lenses he was promoting "the one lens you NEED to have" ;) You can do a lot with a $50 lens, these CZ's aren't the best examples of that, but plenty of quality more affordable alternatives.
Mark Holtze Sounds great! I’ve been debating what camera to save my pennies up for as my eventual upgrade from my trusty G85 and the S1H is high on my list of candidates, if also notably pricier than the competition. But my thought is that if I opt to save up that extra amount for the S1H, it at least feels like a more concrete “long term” investment than most cameras we see on the market today. Its specs and all around versatility feel like a camera I could own and not have to worry about upgrading again from for at least four or five years, as opposed to two or three.
@@incendiesproductions Keep an eye on the used market, it's how I got this one. It was "open box" but otherwise pretty much never used and I saved $800 off the initial price. I agree, it's a proper long term camera, I was waiting for the A7SIII to upgrade my sii from, but work doesn't wait and my current spec'd cameras weren't cutting it for the production development work I do. My initial impressions are fantastic, so SO SO many record options and you've got 10 bit colour out the camra, upcoming RAW pro res with Atomos Ninja V and great stills option as well. It's worth the investment IMHO if you're doing this kind of thing as a business. Used mate, keep an eye out. B&H has one come up available like every week for like a few hours and then it gets scooped up.
Mark Holtze It’ll be a few months at least before I’m able to make the jump, but I will definitely be keeping the used market tip in mind! Thanks for the feedback, good sir!
@@incendiesproductions If you're in no rush, that's great as well. Chances for the prices to come down a bit. I take a LONG time to make a camera purchase and I'm glad I did. This one wasn't even on my radar when I first started looking, just wasn't seeing enough info on this one I would have missed it. Glad I held off, because it all of the sudden popped on my radar :)
Mark the puns are awesome, but you speak with such wisdom it shows in the story telling and video production great work man, we need to get you up to at least 250k subscribers haha
Might be awhile my friend, but appreciate the effort! 😂 very nice of you to say, it’s the love of these lenses that are my true motivator, sub counts or not :). Of course sharing this stuff with people who also love it is fantastic as well!
SOON, was hoping to do it but then everything got locked down and i pushed it off to make a bigger deal of it. I should get to it this summer though latest.
I've had a lot of luck finding deals on vintage glass recently. After snagging the canon FD 55mm 1.2 aspherical on christmas eve, In mid january I managed to snag a CZ Ultron 50mm 1.8 at about 1/5 it's ebay price (on an Icarex body). I didn't think i'd snag more zeiss glass anytime soon, but then stumble accross a used gear add that led me to snag a 159MM with the MM Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm 1.4 T* also for sub 100 bucks. The mantle in my living room is growing sexier daily.
I’ve only used the MMJ, but as far as I can tell the optical design is the same, but coatings are different. Not sure if the AEJ has ninja bokeh based on its aperture blade design pattern.
Love cinema stories :)! Best part of not getting paid (much) for these is money doesn’t contaminate the effort. This is pure! ;) suoer coool of you to say so though mate! Thank you!
Great video! I’m an AE zeiss owner. I currently have 25mm f2.8/35mm f2.8/50mm f1.7/85mm f1.4 and I love them. Paired with pocket 4K, I’m getting good results. Keep up the good work.
Thanks James, ya the Zeiss lenses are pretty fantastic. You've got a nice collection there mate! The pocket 4k produces unbelievable images, do you use a reducer on that Micro 4/3 sensor to reduce that crop?
@@MarkHoltzeThanks mate! I currently have the viltrox speedbooster, but I've been debating whether to accept the crop and use a dumb mount or purchase a metbones cine speedbooster. Decisions! lol You using the metabones adapter? Do you recommend it with old glass?
@@jamomorrissey I'm working on full frame myself, so I don't need a booster. Never used one actually, but know people who swear by them. I don't think they're required, but nice to be able to get that extra light and closer to original FOV the lenses are designed for. Totally up to you and your work.
@@MarkHoltze Yeah, those are the reasons I'm leaning toward a speed-booster. It may all depend on the bank balance! lol Thanks for the interaction. All the best!
loved the video dude... as always... I always love the videos to be fair. can't wait to see what else is to come with that beautiful S1H, and the whole premiere things is awesome.
Totally! Thanks a bunch for stopping by you guys. I really enjoyed my first actual production with the S1H. The stills really helps out where the A7sii lacked as well. The video options are insane though, I need to find the right balance and mess around with the settings a bit more. It's so foreign to me now where the Sony and C100 are clockwork (can field assemble blindfolded under fire) ;)
Mark Holtze “this is my rifle, this is my gun...” I hear ya, really slowed me down in the short time we had it. But the shortcuts/favourites in the menu will help. For me I enjoyed the 4K rec709 for ease and quality balance.
Thanks for such an insightful and thorough video! Contax lenses were on my shopping list and this just saved me from getting the wrong ones 😎 Recently discovered your channel and really enjoying it.
Happy you found the content helpful mate! I wasn't fully convinced back in 2017 to invest fully in them, I messed around and was convinced by the Takumar's that I'm IN LOVE with these SLR lenses and after handling my first cine set of CZ's, I just had to start collecting my own. You'll love them!
Im looking forward to that rival video, oh yes indeed. I have a CZ Jena Pancola 50 1.8. It's a pretty sweet lens. Beautiful lenses you have there, I am jealous very much ha ha.
I just came from Matti Haapoja's channel about why he needs to spend all this money on gear. Here you are making stuff that's 100% better looking and sounding with a C100 and is that an IMAC? The density of this video is also better than anything I've seen from that twit. I have no idea how he has so many subscribers and you have so few. I know this is weird for you to hear probably, but I'm just being frank. My name is Frank by the way.
Which lens do you think is sharper wide open? The Contax Zeiss 85mm f1.4? Or the Super Multi Coated Takumar 85mm f1.8? They’re similar in price and I don’t know which one I want to get.
1.4 is much different than 1.8, the Zeiss at 1.8 is sharp, the Tak is a bit soft (lenses wide open rarely perform optimally). The Tak at 2.8 is perfect; so just depends I think. I should compare them
Hoade also has a cheap reliable adapter. and leitax has solid eos-mounts. K+F comfort adapter also can be recommend. and Dandelion Lushnikov chip(no battery drain and eTTL exclusively)
Hi Mark, I want to buy a kit of vintage primes, really undecided between all the great options you review, what would be your choice for best value ? a trinity of lenses
Contax Carl Zeiss are my fav right now. Consistent quality, easy to adapt and work well for both photo and video. They’re expensive. Had I know when I started what I know now I would have focused on a full set of those. 35, 50 and 85, 135. If that’s too rich, canon FD’s are good and of course Takumars are great as well. Def the best bang for your buck imho.
@@MarkHoltze nice thank you! I've been thinking about making "anamorfake" adaptations on them so maybe get cheaper first like helios to get practice and them trying on these more expansive right?
ohhhh not sure, anytime you put glass in front of a lens i feel there's a compromise there, but those boosters do great things for MFT sensor sizes and full frame lenses. I say go for the metabones to get the FOV bump
Mark another solid video! Considering the situation right now would be a great time to seriously consider doing that 20 hour video segment haha cause it looks like Florida is going to be under curfew and then after quarantined ;)
I have a dozen or so Zeiss of various mounts, including the Carl Zeiss Contax50mm f1.4 AEJ and 50mm f1.7 AEJ Planar in YC mount. Ironically it is the f1.4 that exhibits the (dreaded for me!) Ninja bokeh since I live mostly below f2.8 in my photos and video. Ironically the f1.7 is not affected by this that I see, but the f1.4 has a much better build quality than the f1.7 in my opinion. When compared side by side, the f1.4 has a solid metal build, the f1.7 has a plastic feel to it and you really feel it in the aperture range. The f1.4 is buttery smooth, the f1.7 feels like it has ground-up plastic stuck in the aperture ring and reminds me of a lesser-quality grade lens. I am surprised it even carries the Zeiss name, to be honest. ANY of the Yashica ML lenses and most of the DSB single-coated lenses are built better and I have about 20 of them to compare to the Zeiss. The trade-off is hard to accept, so both are for sale. I have the Yashica 50mm f1.7 ML, also a Planar design, nearly identical to the Contax f1.7 but sharper and better contrast! Even when compared to the Zeiss there is little difference between the two, but frankly, the Yashica ML lens has a better quality design, with solid metal whereas Contax Zeiss cheapened the f1.7 a lot. Hold all three side by side by side and you will see the difference. For that reason, I would actually prefer the Yashica 50mm f1.4 or f1.7 to the Carl Zeiss 50mm lenses for the reasons I stated above. With six blades on the f1.7 and even better, 8 blades on the f1.4, the Yashica beats both of the Zeiss in my opinion. Yes, the MM lenses for Zeiss are superior to the Yashica I feel, but not the AEJ versions. I cannot comment on the AEG versions, made in Germany, as I have none on hand to compare to. All three of these are made in Japan.
ive read that the first slr designed by zeiss and voitlander after zeiss aquired the voitlander company by computer was the Zeiss Ikon Voigtländer Icarex 35S TM Pro in 1967 with the legandary carl zeiss ultron 50 mm 1.8 lens , idk how true this is
What's the reasoning behind changing the colour of the highest F-Stop label? Is it to quickly identify the model of lens? Or was it found (later on) that one colour is easier to read than the other?
Good question, actually I'm not sure. I figured it was just an easier way to visually set them apart. They're practically the exact same save for the aperture blade on those first two stops after wide open. Might need to look into it. Thanks Blake!
The color is probably to help you know to set the lens to the smallest aperture to utilize Program and Shutter Priority modes. Similar to Later Nikon cameras that have program modes.
Mark Holtze Pentax did it right, by using a lock button on their A lenses. Pentax always does everything right though. LoL ... except for the Ricoh GR dust sensor thing. :(
What a cool video - congratulations to the wonderfully smooth transitions and the insights you provided on historical and technical facts: you nailed it - please continue to create more of these video's - Kudo's!
Sorta, will keep the two, but need the record specs of the Lumix for my professional work. Used all three in this video, works well with vintage which is what I was hoping for!
I am a sportjournalist. I have a Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f 1.1.4 T* lens that I use with my Contax RTS film camera. I want to use it on my Sony Nex mirrorless camera with a suitable adapter. What will the result be in terms of performance?
Results will hold up. Contax translate to digital very nicely. They’re easily my fav lenses adapted to digital out of the many I’ve tried and own. Don’t think you will be disappointed.
The Contax Carl Zeiss video that nobody asked for, but I made anyway:
CHEAT SHEET
Two Versions of Contax Carl Zeiss lenses made:
1) AE “Ninja Star” (1975-1984). AEG (AE lenses made in West German) AEJ (AE lenses made in Japan)
2) MM (1984-2005). MMG (MM lenses made in West Germany) MMJ (MM lenses made in Japan)
No difference between lenses made in Japan or West Germany, it was strictly a manufacturing cost savings decision. Zeiss quality control was entirely equal between both production lines.
Fantastic visuals, camera presence, motion graphics, and final edit as always. Keep it up!
Thanks mate! Finding that balance and covering my face as much as possible is the motivator here :)
No one asked for it because it was implied!!! I have so many lenses but these Contax Zeiss are something I have been lusting over for a very long time. Stop tempting me I'm going broke because of this addiction!
@@brakmaster You've got all the time mate! If i wasn't getting paid to use these ones (jobs) I might have held off. Over the last 3 years I've been convinced what I can achieve with these lenses and how I can use them. My friend Damon (who had the 16mm near the end of the video) has been using CZ for awhile before I got into them, I just couldn't (at the time) stomach the price for "old lenses" . Now it's ALL I want to shoot with :)
Are you an AE or MM individual yourself?
@@MarkHoltze Yeah you're right. Obviously I'm not a professional just an amateur with a passionate hobby. I have just ordered a Canon Eos M to play around with raw video and I will pair it up with some vintage Canon FD glass. I would characterize myself as an AE individual!
Amazing video. Thanks!
Thanks mate!
awesome content, thanks man
Thank you mate!
Very well done
Thanks Bart 😊
Love the real neon sign, keeping the craft alive 😉
✊
Great video !
Thanks for stopping by and saying so mate!
@@MarkHoltze My pleasure.. looking forward to the next video as always! It's a realy nice to see someone enjoying so much making a video as you are! Btw i have 2 carl zeiss lenses. One is from 1958. (Altix nb)
Wow...
Great video
I have no idea what came over me making this. I blacked out and like a dream woke up and it was published ;)
Great video as usual....
Appreciate that Andy. I’m worried one day a video will be like “needs work” ;) keeps me motivated
Mark Holtze no chance. Your videos are so well executed, that will never happen 📷📸📷
Great Video keep it up
Thanks Anup!
great video! thanks for sharing this
Thanks for stopping by, might have been a bit dusty in here. It’s been awhile 😆 ✊
Graete material: information? brols , sound affects! Better than Tv shows! Nice job!
Thanks 🙏
Wow dude your videos are always so top notch
Thanks Cam, it’s the lenses fault entirely. They just tell me what to do ;)
Sooo much pleasing to watch!
Thanks mate! It was a passion project for sure, found myself saying half way though "not even sure anybody will even care" but I just felt it was an important one to get out the way before I dive more closely into these lenses for review.
@@MarkHoltze Oh, I'll re-watch it at least several times. Because there is so much details that I want to notice. It's like to listen a new track. First you just listen, then you emphasize
only the beat, then violin or other instruments. It's layered experience for me )
nice one Mark great job yet again
Thanks for watching Tigers! 🐯
@@MarkHoltze a pleasure mate always entertaining and always learning something cool about our camera history !
How interesting!
Ahhh ...a kindred spirit
✊
I just got my hands on a 28mm Contax.
Fantastic lens mate! How do you like it?
@@MarkHoltze It's great. I'm using it with the Blackmagic pocket Cinema camera 4k.
Great combo mate!
God damn not another you tuber making the price go up
Still not enough people watching mate ;)
I fucking love your channel. Thanks for the education - I always leave your channel feeling more knowledgeable than when I got here
This is the goal, of your time is being used I’m hoping you can walk away with a better understanding. It’s how you can use that moving forward to build your own creative empire.
nice!
Not only informative but so well made.
So as not to waste your time mate. It’s a privilege to have your attention for a little while so my goal really is to make sure I don’t waste that. Walking away with a bit more info to take to the street is also always a good thing!
Thank you Mark. It is good review and can't wait to see comparison between Super Takumar and Contax Carl Zeiss. As man dusky so mentioned because of you he bought Takumar lens and this happened to me. I watched your video and bought Super Takumar 55mm F 1.8 and love feel of lens and focusing and manually taking good photo with my Olympus OM-D E-M 10 Mark II
The 55 is arguably one of their best lenses! A lot of people love it, that 55 focal length is perfect as well. Seems odd at first, it's how I felt about the 58mm focal length from the helios, but I kind of love it. Those extra mm's really make a difference for portraits, but still keep it wide and versatile enough for other stuff.
@@MarkHoltze Thank you for replying to my comments and appreciate your time to read my comment and reply.
@@daifuruta581 The least I could do, you gave me 7 mins of your time, I'll give you that in spades here mate.
Hope you have a nice weekend!
It blows my mind how good your videos are.
Thanks mate, I blame the lenses. I feel they deserve the effort :)
like the new intro. And the found footage from the old commercials are just gold! Well done Mark!
Thanks mate, ya it's a natural evolution of the intro I think. I can cut it super short or longer if need be well. Nice and dynamic. The old posters etc are my fav. I saw those by accident awhile and they totally inspired me to do a video on them.
@@MarkHoltze Creativity hits you random sometimes. Awesome that you took the time and energy to film the posters. Would have been easier to go on with life. How do you manage to find such clips on your hard drive after a while? I do project. based folders and I find it difficult to have a file system for such random clips.
My rts shutter button had electro magnetic ..the best at the time
tasty video as always
Thanks Nathan!
Great Content! Nice work!!
Thanks mate! Appreciate it!
nice
Thanks
always great vid.. and great information
Many thanks mate! Glad you enjoyed it!
O shit! You got the S1H? Nice!
A used one so saved some coins, but ya opportunity came and I was waiting for the right one to come along :).
@@MarkHoltze I loved the used market! Have you ever checked bestbuy.com for "openbox" items. Mass discounts on store display models and people that opened and then returned. It's my little secret for good used products with original warranty even though it was openbox/used
@@JamesDBuzzard we don't get as great of stuff at best buy up here. I've always been underwhelmed by their selection vs the USA. I do use B&H used ALL the time! Might re-check Best Buy though thanks mate!
I smoked a number just now and kept thinking: „What the hell is a Zeiss baby?“
😂 it’s whatever you want it to be
@mark holtze - I'm about to add my first lens to a Panasonic G7 for pure 4K video work (RUclips). This is for the love of it only - I can't monetize these videos, as they feature fully copyrighted music everytime. One great lens, for close-up and even macro video work for RUclips, needed.
Is it a Contax, a Zeiss Flektogon MC 35, a Pentax Takumar, a Helios 44, or perhaps a Canon FD 50?
That's awesome about the new lens for the G7. Can you find some non copyrighted music?
That lens lineup is a good mix mate!
@@MarkHoltze you misunderstand me Mark. I'm asking from that list, what would YOU choose to use?
Also, the videos I'm doing feature the original artists and songs, so the answer is no on the music. See here : ruclips.net/video/g27MkhGOxyA/видео.html
Just bought the 35-70mm 3.4 😎
Tell me everything about it when you get it! It's on my watch list currently ;)
Always a great watch! Thanks!
Thanks Bo, happy you enjoyed it!
Dope
Thanks 🙏
'Corporate wars' so true, both CZ West Germany and CZ Jena DDR had legal battles about the rights of the Carl Zeiss brand between 1962 and 1970/71. West Germany won in the US but lost in the UK for example. Both manufacturers finally made a agreement in 1971 that established three different regions of the world where CZ West Germany and CZJ DDR could/couldn't or when both could used the brand at the same time.
It's very interesting, you could do an entire 60 min doc on that alone easily.
It would be so cool although almost all info about this is in German. There is a explanation bellow. I always liked CZJ the quality is super with affordable prices, I have a Flektogon 35/2.8 and I loved it. In the past people on the web hates them irrationally but today they have a really good reputation that deserves.
It woud be cool to compare the CZ Planar 50 1.7/1.4 to the CZJ Pancolar 50 1.8 both had excellent reputation and a comparison of the CZ Distagon 21/25/35 vs CZJ Flektogon 20/25/35 would be so cool too, it is said that the Distagon was inspired by the Flektogon. www.pentaconsix.com/jena.htm
Zeiss Contax are very under-rated lenses, especially for digital video where they offer a lower contrast than most modern glass so ideal for log grading. The constant aperture 35-70mm zoom is a real stunner but my firm favourite is the Contax 21mm Distagon F/2.8 which remains virtually a fixture on my Sony FS5 via a focal reducer. (aka: Speed Booster) The latter of course restores the Full Frame AoV on S35 sensors and gives me approximately F/2.0 at the sensor. Mated to the FS5's floating electronic ND, I set the 21mm at say F/8.0 where the focus is virtually from the glass to infinity with zero barrel or pin-cushion distortion. It's the wide angle lens you want when you don't want your pictures to look like a wide angle lens!
agree 100% Thanks for the fantastic comment mate! Appreciate it!
This video is awesome. Thanks for giving us some history on this!
My pleasure Luke! Thanks for watching mate!
I own the 50mm AE and its the best lens I own I love it!
So good!
I was lucky enough to pick up a 50 1.4 AE at an antique store for $12.50, I love it so much!
Wow!!! What a deal!! How’s the condition? I mean who cares for 12.50 but still lol
@@MarkHoltze pretty great actually! There aren’t any scratches, but there’s a decent amount of dust in the lens elements, I haven’t noticed too much of a drop in image quality though
Found a Contax Zeiss 50/1.7 on ebay while searching for Rollei 50/1.4s, got one for $80 and it's the best damned lens I ever had.
Though I did sell it and got a Contax Zeiss 28-85mm since work was starting to pick up and I couldn't afford a CZ prime set yet (upwards of $200 per lens!).
Will definitely buy a CZ set when I save up though 😄
You won't be disappointed with them! Just make sure they're all in good condition and worst case sell them in a few years for more than you paid ;)
@@MarkHoltze Actually sold the 50/1.7 that I first got for a bit more than twice the price I got it for and I still considered it a loss 😅 Near mint condition with the original caps and leather pouch for around $180.
1.7plastic,1.4metal body
Another banger!!!! Great job Mark!!!
Thanks Kyle!
Great video Mark. Recently sold my contax zeiss 50 1.7... you're making me regret it
Never too late to get back in. The 1.4 is nicer feeling. I’m prob going to sell my 1.7 as well. Should do a compare video between the two first. Might make me second guess that decision ;)
These Contax Zeiss lenses have completely overtaken my vintage lens collection. Great video. Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks mate! They are my new obsession as well. Just waiting for all this to clear up before I review them, I need to be outside!
The macro I could do sooner.
Mark Holtze oh, the 60/2.8 Makro Planar is a stellar lens! I was just using it today. From product shots to detail work, it’s easily my favorite from that collection.
It’s responsible for all my close up shots now lol. I bought one with the box, warranty cards and everything just cause.
Top notch video 👏🏼
What’s your thoughts on Contax Zeiss vs Leica R for video? Deciding between the 2 / build a set
They're both fantastic to be honest, the differences are subtle I think. Contax have less natural contrast and more muted colours, this is a look many DP's like because it allows them a little more flex when pushing colour. The R's are beautiful, for me it just came down to how the Contax Zeiss lenses had me feel vs the Leica R's...I kind of committed to one over the other, but i'm not particular enough to really say why. R's I think have a stronger reputation and you'd have an easier time renting those out, but in my opinion you can't go wrong with either.
I like the size of the Contax lenses a bit more too, a bit bigger and heavier with longer focus throws as far as I can tell (don't hold me to this). :)
Information-packed video! 👏🏼
Thanks Glenn!
Zeiss lens sick. I have a contax tvs 3
✊
Hey Mark, great video! Would you like to test Minolta MC/MD lenses? I could send you a lot. Possibly for a next video?
I have a pretty big backlog right now mate. I appreciate it that! Maybe a bit later? When I test them it usually is over the course of weeks of use to developer a good sense. So the stuff I’m coming up to test has sort of been on the works for the last little while.
no problem. let me know if you feel like it.
Very generous of you mate! Thank you!
Man I love this one. Such a good video.
Thanks mate! Zeiss are pretty fantastic! Love shooting with them!
I used to have a Zeiss 30mm fish eye for Hasselblad
Nice!!
Fantastic video thank you for putting so much effort it’s a visual treat! This is so enticing
My pleasure, thanks so much for noticing and taking the time to watch.
Have you ever try Carl Zeiss Jena DDR lenses?
I had a Biotar 58 F2 on loan for review. I pronounced it Jena and not Yena and kicking myself over that still. That’s it though any recommends?
@@MarkHoltze I almost never used a CZJ lens directly but I have some of their soviet counterparts and they're really nice. I would recommend Flektogons 20mm, is really nice, they're other lenses like Sonnars, Biometars, etc...
@@NEOM80 Thanks so much for the recommends mate! I'll check those out once this crazy global situation calms down a bunch.
@@NEOM80 Copy mate! Thank you so much! I'll check those out!
as always, AMAZING content ! Just got the 28mm f2 hollywood, last week ! Amazing lens, paired really amazing with my 50mm 1.4
OHHHHH the F2!!! That's a keeper! Because I have the 35 I'm not sure I need the 28, but ask me again in a few months and what I "need" may change ;)
@@MarkHoltze I was looking for one last year but the prices where waaay too high, around 4000 dolars here in Brazil, so i was looking for the 35mm 1.4 which was around 2k and a better buy at the time, but time passed and while I was saving some money , a friend of mine got this 28mm on a trade and sold to me for a really good deal because he knew I loved some old zeiss glass and the lens truly is amazing !
I shot my last music video mostly with it , as well as a couple shots with the 50mm and the 11-20 tokina for wide shots while I search for the 21mm zeiss
here is the music video : ruclips.net/video/JGYbNy7ptJo/видео.html
VINTAGE LENS KIT: @t page not found :(
Ya not sure why. I need to fix those. I should just make a webpage. :(
Great vid! Best piece of advice I can say to anyone building a set is simply choose AEG or MMJ. stick to it and build a set.
This!
I always mourn the fact that I had to sell my 85 mm 1.4 in the 80s
Then digital came and it changed everything
Get it back ;)
Great video, man! Question:
Can these be modded to have a PL mount?
Not sure if these can to be honest.
Thanks mark. I really enjoy watching your videos. Thanks for all the effort you put into them. You inspire me to try new thinks. Thanks, thanks, 🙏
My pleasure mate! Thanks so much for watching and being apart of this effort.
Ever use the Yashica C/Y lenses?
I have one that came with the F2, haven’t really tested it though
@@MarkHoltze I was looking for something like the Contax 35-70mm f3.4 and a nice strong 50/24 that matched.
Well the 35-70 cZ I hear is one vintage zoom that’s worth it in terms of image quality. The yashica lenses aren’t bad, but pale in comparison to the Contax lenses. It’s more how they handle. Do you have a set of yashica already?
do the serial numbers matter?
I don’t think so, but don’t quote me. There will be people who say they do and I don’t want to step on their toes.
Advertisements were on point back in the 70s-80s. Love the Porsche integration and the Ninja Star bokeh is beautiful, albeit subjective and super stylistic. Love your new effects and channel style of late!
Big money ads back then for sure. It’s changed a lot in the last 10 years I think. Still money, but not the same kind.
Absolutely. It would be nice to have a revamp of these type of ads on massive billboards. It's art to me :D
HA HA !! hell yea - Well done Mark. Well done. I am so with you on this. We talk passionately about the old lenses. But when you think about it, with all the advances, 30 years past, here we are. And What would those lenses be worth by today's standards? In the 80's these were, in that day and age, very expensive. Planned obsolescence is front and center today. Yet the FD line for me is, well, it's Timeless. lets put it this way, after shooting this last home with all FD, never once using the Rokinon, I may skip renting to shoot real estate altogether. Great Epsisode Mark. I'm calling it, the next Mckinnon.
lol, thanks Ned. Doubtful on the McKinnon thing though, but I'll take it as a compliment.
Part what motivated me to do this was to give options for McKinnon's audience who I saw complaining they couldn't afford the Canon sent lenses he was promoting "the one lens you NEED to have" ;) You can do a lot with a $50 lens, these CZ's aren't the best examples of that, but plenty of quality more affordable alternatives.
Is there any chance you might make a video on that lovely looking Lumix S1H you’ve got there in the future?
Definitely! Just need to get some real testing hours under my belt so I can be “real” with it.
Mark Holtze Sounds great! I’ve been debating what camera to save my pennies up for as my eventual upgrade from my trusty G85 and the S1H is high on my list of candidates, if also
notably pricier than the competition. But my thought is that if I opt to save up that extra amount for the S1H, it at least feels like a more concrete “long term” investment than most cameras we see on the market today. Its specs and all around versatility feel like a camera I could own and not have to worry about upgrading again from for at least four or five years, as opposed to two or three.
@@incendiesproductions Keep an eye on the used market, it's how I got this one. It was "open box" but otherwise pretty much never used and I saved $800 off the initial price. I agree, it's a proper long term camera, I was waiting for the A7SIII to upgrade my sii from, but work doesn't wait and my current spec'd cameras weren't cutting it for the production development work I do.
My initial impressions are fantastic, so SO SO many record options and you've got 10 bit colour out the camra, upcoming RAW pro res with Atomos Ninja V and great stills option as well. It's worth the investment IMHO if you're doing this kind of thing as a business.
Used mate, keep an eye out. B&H has one come up available like every week for like a few hours and then it gets scooped up.
Mark Holtze It’ll be a few months at least before I’m able to make the jump, but I will definitely be keeping the used market tip in mind! Thanks for the feedback, good sir!
@@incendiesproductions If you're in no rush, that's great as well. Chances for the prices to come down a bit. I take a LONG time to make a camera purchase and I'm glad I did. This one wasn't even on my radar when I first started looking, just wasn't seeing enough info on this one I would have missed it. Glad I held off, because it all of the sudden popped on my radar :)
Absolutely incredible mini documentary. The visuals and edit are also as good as they get!
Thanks Alan! Gearing up for the Helios review...
Mark the puns are awesome, but you speak with such wisdom it shows in the story telling and video production great work man, we need to get you up to at least 250k subscribers haha
Might be awhile my friend, but appreciate the effort! 😂 very nice of you to say, it’s the love of these lenses that are my true motivator, sub counts or not :). Of course sharing this stuff with people who also love it is fantastic as well!
Very interesting. Takumar vs Zeiss for when?
SOON, was hoping to do it but then everything got locked down and i pushed it off to make a bigger deal of it. I should get to it this summer though latest.
I've had a lot of luck finding deals on vintage glass recently. After snagging the canon FD 55mm 1.2 aspherical on christmas eve, In mid january I managed to snag a CZ Ultron 50mm 1.8 at about 1/5 it's ebay price (on an Icarex body). I didn't think i'd snag more zeiss glass anytime soon, but then stumble accross a used gear add that led me to snag a 159MM with the MM Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm 1.4 T* also for sub 100 bucks. The mantle in my living room is growing sexier daily.
is the 85 1.4 better in an AE or MM?
I’ve only used the MMJ, but as far as I can tell the optical design is the same, but coatings are different. Not sure if the AEJ has ninja bokeh based on its aperture blade design pattern.
You should be paid a million bucks for these sexy promos. Between you and me, you 're more than good enough to start your own cinema stories.
Love cinema stories :)! Best part of not getting paid (much) for these is money doesn’t contaminate the effort. This is pure! ;) suoer coool of you to say so though mate! Thank you!
@@MarkHoltze I definitely love your approach. ;)
Great video! I’m an AE zeiss owner. I currently have 25mm f2.8/35mm f2.8/50mm f1.7/85mm f1.4 and I love them. Paired with pocket 4K, I’m getting good results. Keep up the good work.
Thanks James, ya the Zeiss lenses are pretty fantastic. You've got a nice collection there mate! The pocket 4k produces unbelievable images, do you use a reducer on that Micro 4/3 sensor to reduce that crop?
@@MarkHoltzeThanks mate! I currently have the viltrox speedbooster, but I've been debating whether to accept the crop and use a dumb mount or purchase a metbones cine speedbooster. Decisions! lol
You using the metabones adapter? Do you recommend it with old glass?
@@jamomorrissey I'm working on full frame myself, so I don't need a booster. Never used one actually, but know people who swear by them. I don't think they're required, but nice to be able to get that extra light and closer to original FOV the lenses are designed for.
Totally up to you and your work.
@@MarkHoltze Yeah, those are the reasons I'm leaning toward a speed-booster. It may all depend on the bank balance! lol
Thanks for the interaction. All the best!
loved the video dude... as always... I always love the videos to be fair. can't wait to see what else is to come with that beautiful S1H, and the whole premiere things is awesome.
Totally! Thanks a bunch for stopping by you guys. I really enjoyed my first actual production with the S1H. The stills really helps out where the A7sii lacked as well. The video options are insane though, I need to find the right balance and mess around with the settings a bit more. It's so foreign to me now where the Sony and C100 are clockwork (can field assemble blindfolded under fire) ;)
Mark Holtze “this is my rifle, this is my gun...” I hear ya, really slowed me down in the short time we had it. But the shortcuts/favourites in the menu will help. For me I enjoyed the 4K rec709 for ease and quality balance.
@@120fps Rec! I'll check it out, I've been doing all recording externally on my Atomos anyway, waiting on SD cards that are fast enough to come in ;)
This is some of the best Zeiss porn I’ve seen thank you!!!
My pleasure mate. It’s an infatuation for sure
Okay, that was worth waiting for. Great work. Will you make separate videos for the lenses you have?
Yes for sure. Just wanted to get some general info about the lenses first. Saves me repeating it in the reviews. Get to use new info for those :)
is there a. l mount adapter yet for these lens ?
Thanks for such an insightful and thorough video! Contax lenses were on my shopping list and this just saved me from getting the wrong ones 😎 Recently discovered your channel and really enjoying it.
Happy you found the content helpful mate! I wasn't fully convinced back in 2017 to invest fully in them, I messed around and was convinced by the Takumar's that I'm IN LOVE with these SLR lenses and after handling my first cine set of CZ's, I just had to start collecting my own. You'll love them!
Did I spot Porsche footage by mister Tomato?
You did! Full credit thanks at the end :) I need to put his link in description! Forgot to do that.
@@MarkHoltze Works perfectly for the video, good job.
Im looking forward to that rival video, oh yes indeed. I have a CZ Jena Pancola 50 1.8. It's a pretty sweet lens. Beautiful lenses you have there, I am jealous very much ha ha.
I just came from Matti Haapoja's channel about why he needs to spend all this money on gear. Here you are making stuff that's 100% better looking and sounding with a C100 and is that an IMAC? The density of this video is also better than anything I've seen from that twit. I have no idea how he has so many subscribers and you have so few. I know this is weird for you to hear probably, but I'm just being frank. My name is Frank by the way.
The production in your videos is so epic
Thanks Denise! Just nice to have a platform to share the love for these things. Thanks for watching!
Which lens do you think is sharper wide open? The Contax Zeiss 85mm f1.4? Or the Super Multi Coated Takumar 85mm f1.8? They’re similar in price and I don’t know which one I want to get.
1.4 is much different than 1.8, the Zeiss at 1.8 is sharp, the Tak is a bit soft (lenses wide open rarely perform optimally). The Tak at 2.8 is perfect; so just depends I think. I should compare them
great review.....
the diaphragma ring is smoth or clicked in the 50 mm plenar? thnx
Thanks. I have my contax declicked, but typically it’s snappy.
You deserve way more subs and views for this incredible content. ✌️❤
Kind of you to say! Glad you liked it mate, made making it worthwhile.
Hoade also has a cheap reliable adapter. and leitax has solid eos-mounts. K+F comfort adapter also can be recommend. and Dandelion Lushnikov chip(no battery drain and eTTL exclusively)
Hi Mark, I want to buy a kit of vintage primes, really undecided between all the great options you review, what would be your choice for best value ? a trinity of lenses
Hmmmm, depends. What camera are you on? Photography or video?
@@MarkHoltzefor video, Sony a7iii
Contax Carl Zeiss are my fav right now. Consistent quality, easy to adapt and work well for both photo and video. They’re expensive. Had I know when I started what I know now I would have focused on a full set of those. 35, 50 and 85, 135.
If that’s too rich, canon FD’s are good and of course Takumars are great as well. Def the best bang for your buck imho.
@@MarkHoltze nice thank you! I've been thinking about making "anamorfake" adaptations on them so maybe get cheaper first like helios to get practice and them trying on these more expansive right?
Which one is better? Use C/Y lens on CY to MFT adapter? Or just covert it to EF mount and then use is on Metabone speedbooster?🤪
ohhhh not sure, anytime you put glass in front of a lens i feel there's a compromise there, but those boosters do great things for MFT sensor sizes and full frame lenses. I say go for the metabones to get the FOV bump
Mark another solid video! Considering the situation right now would be a great time to seriously consider doing that 20 hour video segment haha cause it looks like Florida is going to be under curfew and then after quarantined ;)
I have a dozen or so Zeiss of various mounts, including the Carl Zeiss Contax50mm f1.4 AEJ and 50mm f1.7 AEJ Planar in YC mount. Ironically it is the f1.4 that exhibits the (dreaded for me!) Ninja bokeh since I live mostly below f2.8 in my photos and video. Ironically the f1.7 is not affected by this that I see, but the f1.4 has a much better build quality than the f1.7 in my opinion. When compared side by side, the f1.4 has a solid metal build, the f1.7 has a plastic feel to it and you really feel it in the aperture range. The f1.4 is buttery smooth, the f1.7 feels like it has ground-up plastic stuck in the aperture ring and reminds me of a lesser-quality grade lens. I am surprised it even carries the Zeiss name, to be honest. ANY of the Yashica ML lenses and most of the DSB single-coated lenses are built better and I have about 20 of them to compare to the Zeiss.
The trade-off is hard to accept, so both are for sale. I have the Yashica 50mm f1.7 ML, also a Planar design, nearly identical to the Contax f1.7 but sharper and better contrast! Even when compared to the Zeiss there is little difference between the two, but frankly, the Yashica ML lens has a better quality design, with solid metal whereas Contax Zeiss cheapened the f1.7 a lot. Hold all three side by side by side and you will see the difference. For that reason, I would actually prefer the Yashica 50mm f1.4 or f1.7 to the Carl Zeiss 50mm lenses for the reasons I stated above. With six blades on the f1.7 and even better, 8 blades on the f1.4, the Yashica beats both of the Zeiss in my opinion. Yes, the MM lenses for Zeiss are superior to the Yashica I feel, but not the AEJ versions. I cannot comment on the AEG versions, made in Germany, as I have none on hand to compare to. All three of these are made in Japan.
Your videos are incredibly beautiful ... the lights and perfect editing ... thank you and congratulations ...
Thank you for the kind words, love these lenses so I think some of that spills out in my efforts lol.
ive read that the first slr designed by zeiss and voitlander after zeiss aquired the voitlander company by computer was the Zeiss Ikon Voigtländer Icarex 35S TM Pro in 1967 with the legandary carl zeiss ultron 50 mm 1.8 lens , idk how true this is
That’s super interesting! Thanks for sharing mate!
Jena is in East Germany
I'm fairly new to your channel. Great job. Watches like a doc film. Good effects. And glad to see you've upgraded lenses. ;)
Great RUclips algorithm we got here, so glad it reads my interest so darn well. Thanks for video, imma subsrcibe right away!
I was wondering where the spike came from. Welcome and thanks for stopping by!
Hrvat sam bio i Hrvat cu biti! Zivjela Hrvatska!
Great video! If you have an idea, how would you compare this lens to a Nikkor 50mm 1.4 AIS mainly for photo?
Not sure first hand, apart from the focus being reversed. Haven’t played with too many nikkors
you should check out the legendary zeiss ultron with the concave front element
What's the reasoning behind changing the colour of the highest F-Stop label? Is it to quickly identify the model of lens? Or was it found (later on) that one colour is easier to read than the other?
Good question, actually I'm not sure. I figured it was just an easier way to visually set them apart. They're practically the exact same save for the aperture blade on those first two stops after wide open. Might need to look into it. Thanks Blake!
The color is probably to help you know to set the lens to the smallest aperture to utilize Program and Shutter Priority modes. Similar to Later Nikon cameras that have program modes.
This sounds about right! It’s tough to find hard answers here, but it’s definitely intentional and not just as a visual cue.
Mark Holtze Pentax did it right, by using a lock button on their A lenses. Pentax always does everything right though. LoL
... except for the Ricoh GR dust sensor thing. :(
Got a couple MMJ versions for my Contax S2. Really amazing lens
Beauty! Hold onto them!!
What a cool video - congratulations to the wonderfully smooth transitions and the insights you provided on historical and technical facts: you nailed it - please continue to create more of these video's - Kudo's!
Thanks Joey! Very kind words of support my friend. Appreciate it
I havea dreame ...to learn edeting like you do
Just follow the puck, listen to the words and see what images come to mind. Follow those and the rest is gravy ;)
Making the switch from Sony A7S II to the Panasonic Lumix?
Sorta, will keep the two, but need the record specs of the Lumix for my professional work. Used all three in this video, works well with vintage which is what I was hoping for!
I am a sportjournalist. I have a Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f 1.1.4 T* lens that I use with my Contax RTS film camera. I want to use it on my Sony Nex mirrorless camera with a suitable adapter. What will the result be in terms of performance?
Results will hold up. Contax translate to digital very nicely. They’re easily my fav lenses adapted to digital out of the many I’ve tried and own. Don’t think you will be disappointed.