OVERVIEW

Finding fault with zooms is easy due to their optical compromises, but there is value in utility. Many times weather conditions make lens changes questionable - especially with dSLRs and the risk of dusting land on the sensor. Other times traveling light is more important, and we want kits that can do more with less. Sometimes we venture into the unknown and have no idea what to expect - would a normal prime be best, or a telephoto, or something wider?

The Contax 35-135mm Vario-Sonnar is a solid performing zoom. It is a well thought out lens with a useful zoom range. It will not replace a bag full of high quality primes, but the Contax 35-135mm zoom will do a fine job in good light. In my experience the 35-135mm macro function is the lens’ stand-out feature with very good performance. And the 135mm reach is very useful my shooting style. Last but not least, the Contax is 35-135mm Vario-Sonnar is a Zeiss and that has to count for something! The Canon 24-105L F4 IS has been my benchmark lens for a walk-around, vacation type zoom lens. Comparing a manual lens to a modern auto-focus lens with image stabilization is not the fairest of contests. But if you are feeling bored with your Canon 24-70mm F2.8 L or Canon 24-105mm F4 L IS, then the Contax 35-135mm might just have that something extra you have been searching for.

BUILD QUALITY

The Contax 35-135mm is a large lens. The size specifications listed on the Contax U.K. website list the weight at approximately 1.6 pounds; that is an error and the true weight is 2 pounds. The lens is about 5 inches long at 35mm, and about 7 inches when zoomed to 135mm. Like its twin brother the 28-85mm, these are big lenses which feel front-heavy or nose-heavy when mounted on a Canon dSLR. The Canon 24-105L is a large lens as well and is a good reference point when trying to imagine the 35-135mm’s overall volume and weight. The 35-135mm’s diameter is rather beefy, similar to a Canon 70-200mm L F2.8. It is dubious to label the Contax 35-135mm as a “compact” walk-around lens. The Contax is great for that purpose, but it feels heavy as the day wears on, especially with a Canon 1Ds Mark III hanging off the end.

The Contax 35-135mm is a one-touch zoom - meaning the focus ring is also the zoom ring. The lens employs a push-pull design. Some photographers like this design because they can zoom and focus very quickly without moving their hand from one ring to another. The push-pull zoom design does move air volume, and some people fear this will to lead to dust being stirred up in the mirror box and eventually landing on the dSLR’s sensor. I have used the Canon 28-300L IS and 100-400L IS. The Contax 35-135’s pumping action is more subdued in comparison and I do not worry about the Contax kicking up dust. Plus, with the dSLR dust shakers, dust is less of an issue today. The push-pull action is very smooth, nicely dampened and with no zoom creep.