PRODUCT REVIEWS
Contax Carl Zeiss T* 28mm F2.0 Distagon Lens & Canon 1Ds Mark II
The 28mm F2.0 Distagon is a rare lens compared to its little brother - the F2.8. The 28mm F2.0 Distagon’s optical formula is based on a Zeiss 28mm cinematic lens. The lens design was subsequently adapted for 35mm SLR use, so sometimes the 28mm F2.0 Distagon is referred to as the “Hollywood 28”. One of the key features of the 28mm F2.0 Distagon is the floating element design which provides significantly better near field performance and allows for a very short minimum focus distance.
The 28mm focal length is a very interesting discussion in and of itself. As a lens’ field of view (FOV) gets wider, more corrections are needed to convert the FOV into a rectilinear perspective. Depending on who’s opinion adopt, wide angle photography starts around 28-35mm on a full-frame dSLR. The 28mm focal length is at the upper bound of that range, so a 28mm lens does not require as much correction as 25mm, 21mm or 18mm lenses. Pictures with a 28mm lens have a wide angle feel, but still look natural without feeling overly corrected.
The Contax 28mm F2.0 Distagon excels at close-up photography. Compositions with a slight upward angle (taking advantage of the wide angle “feel”) produce a very bold perspective. The Contax 28mm F2.0 Distagon has a floating element lens design, so it resolves near subject matter very nicely. The three pictures on this page were selected because they illustrate the 28mm’s close focus abilities.
LENS PERFORMANCE
As stated above, adding a floating element improves resolution, sharpens corners and provides better frame illumination across the entire focus range. Most often a floating focus design is used to improve near focus performance. The use a floating element can helps minimize (possibly eliminate) focus shift. Focus shift is the shifting of the plane of focus as the aperture is changed. For example, the new Canon 50mm F1.2 L has a very nasty reputation for focus shift.
Soft corners and wide angle lenses go hand in hand. Photography forums such as DPreview or Fred Miranda have one post after another complaining about XYZ lens having poor corners. Soft corners are not always due to poor lens performance, in most cases the problem is adequate depth of field (DOF). As an extreme example, a 15mm lens on a full-frame 35mm dSLR focused at infinity at F4 will not have nearly enough DOF to have sharp lower corners. Wikipedia has a nice write-up (click here). To calculate DOF, this is a handy website: www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html. Keep in mind DOF is not absolute - it varies with each lens design. For example, The Contax 100mm F2 Planar and the Canon EF 100mm F2 USM both may have different DOF at F2. A DOF table is a general estimate or guide. (Continue to next page)
CONTAX CARL ZEISS T* 28MM F2.0 DISTAGON LENS
Lens Composition
Angular Field of View
Minimum Focus
Diaphragm Action
F-Stop Scale
Filter Size
Filter Connection
Lens Cap
Metal Lens Hood
Metal Cap for Hood
Rubber Hood
Len Pouch
Weight
Lens Size
First Year Available
9 Elements / 8 Groups
74 Degrees
.25 Meter / 10 inches
MM & AE - Fully Automatic
F2 to F22 in 1 Stop Increments
55mm - Non-rotating
Screw-in
K-51 55mm Snap-type Plastic Cap
55 / 86 Ring + No. 1 Metal Hood
K-94 99mm Metal Cap
G-2 Soft Rubber Hood
No. 2
485 Grams / 1.07 Pounds
62.5mm x 76mm / 2.46 in. x 3.00 in.
1976-1978 (Unconfirmed)
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