Contax G Vario-Sonnar 35-70mm F3.5-5.6

[igor_feldman]

Hi,

I just bought a G2 system, but don't have it on hands yet, and would like to ask the forum

about this zoom lens. I know that the true pride of the system is its primes and I know

that any zoom is noticably or at least somewhat inferior than comparable prime lenses.

Now, considering those two facts, how good or bad is this Zeiss zoom? For some reason, I

don't see people talking about it on this and other forums and I could not find a single

comprehensive review of it. I was thinking of having it as a walk around lens but there is

so much quality I'm ready to sacrifice for the convenience. So, if I use it, how much quality

will I be sacrificing?

Thanks very much,

Igor.

[leslie_cheung]

I would rather walk a few feets and gain two stops. The 45mm is

one of the greatest lens ever. 70mm at 5.6 is not my cup of tea

to say the least. Sorry if this doesn't answer your question.

[marbing]

There are no 'bad' Zeiss lenses but there definitiely are expensive Zeiss lenses and the 35-70 zoom for the G2 is one of those. That is probably why there isn't much buzz about the lens as well as the fact that the more affordable fixed lenses for the G2 are so great.

[julius_huang]

I have been shoot my kis with G2 + 28, 45, 90 for a while.

 

Love all of them. (Slide of all 3 lens feel warmer than Hasselblad)

 

After search on the web, some G2 user prefer travel with 35-70.

 

I prefer 28 for indoor which is faster and wider.

 

Most G2 users like 45 or even love it.

 

90 is 2 stop faster (less DOF), I don't have problem with the focus but might be tricky sometime (paper thin DOF at 1M).

 

With almost same amount of money, I would go for Biogon 21mm.

 

Classic design, really nice. Feel good to own one.

 

Might not shoot lots picture with it though.

 

Right now any of my lens is sharper than my eyes.

 

Wish my eyes will get "sharp" sooner so my wife let me spent more money on new lens.

[kevin conville]

Igor, as has been said before, Zeiss doesn't really make lenses that don't perform well. I

haven't used one myself and I think they are probably quite rare, along with the 16mm

Hologon. I personally am not especially attracted to this lens' focal length range, and the

variable aperture, and the quite slow lens speed.

 

I think you might have a difficult time getting much feedback on this lens as I've heard

precious little about it myself. Good luck.

[julius_huang]

Check out the link below,

 

http://contaxg.com/document.php?id=1987

[igor_feldman]

Thanks to everyone.

 

Julius, thanks for the link. One of the advises there was to get a second body. That's what I could do. A used G2 with 45 mm I think is less than the VS zoom.

Thanks again,

Igor.

[robert_meyers]

You could also pick up a G1 used with a 45 or 35, as a second body. You could pick it up dirt cheap (like less than $400 on ebay). On the other hand... that 21mm is nice (just picked mine up).