Zeiss 85mm 1.2 50 Jahre

[MaxBerlin]

I was lucky enough to marry the right girl that bought me this lens as a present. I have had a hard time though getting filters to fit it and the 1.2/85mm hood doesn't extend far enough to stop as much flare as it should. Would anyone that also has one of these please let me know what other choices I can make for this lens with filters and hoods?

Thanks Max

 

[nickdando]

This might be of interest, if you haven't already seen it.

http://applications.zeiss.com/C12578620052CA69/0/D64453B7717B7F54C12578690032ABA6/$file/planar1-2_85mm_e.pdf

As for the source of filters and lens shades, then you can either use round or square filters. The choices for round will be Contax themselves, Schneider/B+W, Heliopan or Leica, as they all make top class glass in substantial brass mounts. There are many available second-hand. The same goes for the metal and rubber lens shades.

For the square filter systems, then there are Lee, Formatt, Cokin, etc. The advantage here is that you buy suitable mount adaptors for the lenses and just one set of filters. The systems are much more expensive, but in the end are more flexible. I can use my Lee filters and bellows shade with my Contax SLRs, Leica Ms and 5X4 camera (all on a tripod, as using the big bellows on a Leica M handheld can be troublesome as you can't see a thing through the rangefinder!).

Nick

 

[MaxBerlin]

Nick thanks again. I feel like you and I should just get a chat room since we're about the only ones here. (or perhaps a lot of lurkers...?)

Max

 

[Old_Contax_User]

Hi Max,

Another way to go is to buy UN Contax lens shades. They are duplicates of the original Contax one except the lack the Contax name. With these you buy an adapter ring to fit the lens, in this case the UNS-5316 Adapter Ring 77/86 at 3990 yen and the hood UNS-5303 Metal Hood Black No.3 86mm at 5565 yen along with a cap UNS-5321 Metal Cap For Metal Hood φ89 at 5565 yen and get the original set up for your lens. With these hoods for your lenses you could then standardize all your filters at 86mm. Alternately the Sony Zeiss or Zeiss 77mm filters have T* coating and fit the 1.2 Planars (both 55mm and 85mm.) I use both of these setups with my 1.2 Planars.

FYI the 50 Year Planar has an interesting history. About half of the production run along with a number of 70-210 Vario-Sonnars was involved n a hijacking in Germany in 1982 and recovered in NYC in 1984 by Tokio Marine Insurance and sold back to Contax USA. That's how I got mine new for $1200.

Stopped down to f5.6-8 it gives the sharpest picture of any Contax lens.

 

[MaxBerlin]

That's a cool story about the theft - great price also.

I ended up getting a Contax 77/86 ring from Arnie at Brooklyn Camera Exchange (nicest guy ever) and can use a # 5 on it without hindrance on a Nex7.

 

[Old_Contax_User]

Hi Max,

About the price, that was full list price, no discount back then due to the rarity factor.

Bill

 

[biggles3]

I love the theft story - I'm more intrigued to note that they were still shipping my all-time favourite Vario-Sonnar in 1982.

I equipped both of my 85 1.2 Planars with the 77/86 + Hood No.3 combination although I have the original hood for the 60th Anniversary lens (I love the felt on its interior - a very good idea). I also use the 77/86 with Hood No.2 for my 55mm Planar.

The only weird thing is that I have somehow ended up with a spare metal front cap for the Planars with a miniscule ding on it. I found it in the bottom of a box of old Contax kit that I finally managed to get out of storage last week (the joy of divorce and freedom to have my toys around again) but have no idea how I got it!

 

[Old_Contax_User]

Hi biggles3,

The buy date was mid 1984 not 1982. And yes the 70-210 was still catalogued then.

 

[Old_Contax_User]

Hi Max,

Glad to hear you found an adapter and hood. Arnie Duren is a great guy to do business with. I have off and on for the past 30 years, but always in the Contax classic line.

That 85/1.2 must look huge with the #5 hood in it. I'll have to try it. I use a Kipon adapter with a tripod mount and when I'm walking around I put a Leitz large ball head on it as a handle and angle the head so the body of the ball head is under the lens to get a good balanced feel with the NEX. Do the same thing with Sony Alpha zooms.

I'm still looking for a way to attach a neck strsp to the lens or ball head.

Bill

 

[MaxBerlin]

Walking around with the lens - yikes !

I hold the 85 like a preemie baby. I make sure it's attached securely to a Novoflex adapter that's secure in a Novoflex ASTAT-NEX that's securely attached to a Manfrotto 055xpro3 and at least 500 miles from any fault line.

That's a little bit true but my actually solution was to pick up the 1.4 for everyday use.

Other than the first weekend when I carelessly went everywhere with the 1.2 it's been shelved and only brought out for special occasions and bench tests on ISO charts against other lenses - which by the way it KILLS THEM ALL.

It's not even a contest.

 

[Old_Contax_User]

Fault lines

Hi Max,

My 55/1.2 and 85/1.2 have lived for a few years in Tokyo well within 100 miles of 3 fault lines and been thru I don't know how many hundreds of earthquakes with no ill effect. They are however stored in a temperature and humidity controlled camera storage case. These cases are very popular in Japan and all the camera stores sell them, but I've never seen one in the US.

Bill