I used Contax 167 Mt and 28mm, 50mm, 35mm, and 28-85mm zoom for a while. They always gave very sharp and crisp, and vivid images. After someone taking the photogears and selling lenses, I purchased Contax n1 and 50mm, 24-85mm lenses.
These new line gears also gave me very impressive images,especially 24-85mm.
When I compare Leica lenses 35mm elmarit R (3cam) , 50mm summicron R (3 cam), and 90mm elmarit R (3cam), the quality of Contax is not much greater than those from Leica, but still very fine and its own characteristic image that Contax only has.
Brief Review for the some of my previous gears:
contax Distagon T* 28mm F2.8 MM
Most impressive lens so far. Make me stick to Contax
contax Distagon T* 35mm F2.8 MM
Very sharp and very detail image
contax Planar T* 50mm F1.4 MM
excellent color redation and superior images
contax Vario-Sonnar T* 28-85mm F3.3-4 MM
So far the finest zoom lens that I have ever had
But still behind than prime contax lenses
Contax 167MT:
very good, but need some improvement in focusing and metering
Contax N1: ***still keep ***
Very good in all aspects, but need brighter view finder
contax Planar N 50mm: *** stil keep ***
Quite good with same quality with Contax 50mm MM.
contax Vario-Sonnar N 24-85mm: *** still keep ***
quite sharp and impressive image, but slightly behind than 28-85mm lens
Leica R-E: *** still keep ***
quite good image and i am fully satisfied with it
leica Elmarit 35mm F2.8 R (3 cam): *** still keep ***
very sharp and excellent color rendering
leica Elmarit 90mm F2.8 R (3 cam)
one of the sharpest lens for portrait, but not much impressive
leica Summicron 50mm F2.0 R (3cam)
very sharp and quite impressive image
hopefully get it again soon
Minolta 600 Si:
best amateur camera that I have ever had.
never disappointed with me
Minolta Dynax 7:
finest AF camera so far to me. It has brighter viewfinder and excellent tering and focusing system
Minolta MF 28-135mm F4-4.5
Like tank, but provide excelent images all the time
Minolta AF 24-50mm F4
tack sharp, one of the best for landscape images
Minolta AF 100-300 mm F4.5-5.6 APO
excellent zoom lens and provide quite impressive animal images
Minolta AF 50mm F1.4
best Minolta lens in its natural colorand quite enough sharpness
Minolta 50mm F2.8 Ex
one of the sharpest lens that I have ever used
Very fine, but not impression in color rendation
Minolta AF 20mm F2.8
very sharp, but not good impression in color rendation
Sigam 20mm F1.8 EX DG
quite impressive, but not sharp at corner and low F
Nikon FE2
Excellent and the best manual camera that I ever used
Nikon 28mm F2.8 AIS:
very good and impressive
Nikon AIS 50mm F1.8:
very sharp and most impressive among Nikon lenses that I used
Nikon 75-150mm AIS E lens:
very sharp, but one ring system
Tokina AF 20-35mm II
cheap, but verysharp images and better than
Sigma 20mm and Minolta 20mm in color.
Sigma AF 50mm F2.8 Macro EX
Very sharp and natural images, but slight shallow impression than Minolta 50mm F2.8
Tamron AF 90mm F2.8 Macro SP
Very sharp and fine detail image for portrait
one of the best lens for portrait and macro image
Yashica T4 Super (35mm F3.5) *** still keep ***
quite good and impressive images consistently.
My wife and me are still it.
Yashica T4 Zoom (28-70mm)
sharp and excellent images, but far behind Contax system.
Olympus Stylus 80 (38-80mm)
sharp image , but poor color rendation
Ricoh GR1s (28mm F2.8): *** Still keep ***
The best PS camera that I have ever had. It gives always noble and balanced images
Leica Z2x (35-70mm)
the images are very crisp and pleasant in its price and high quality color rendation
Leica Mini (35mm F3.5)
good and sharp PS camera, but metering is not good at all.
Rollei Prego 90 (28-90mm)
quite sharp and delver excellent images, but poor performance in corner in spite such excellent images in the center
Pentax Zx:
very economic and hany, but quite good camera
one of the best for beginner
Pentax F 50mm F1.7:
Very sharp image and cheap, but not so impressive in color
pentax FA 35mm F2.0 AL:
produce very sharp and excellent color rendation
very similar performance to Minolta 50mm F1.4