Contax 159mm SLR Camera with Carl Zeiss planar lens.

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I have a chance to buy a used Contax 159mm that comes with a Carl Zeiss planar 50mm 1.7 lens at a good price(I think). I couldn't find any reviews on this particular camera on the internet so I'm hoping someone can help me out. The quality of this camera compare to perhaps a Nikon F3. Thanks for any info.

-- damian (damian_66@yahoo.com), April 16, 2000

Answers

The Zeiss Planar 50/f1.4 and 50/1.7 are both top quality lens. PoP test reported Planar 50mm f1.4 as the winner in fifty standard lens shoot out.

Contax 159 however was a problematic camera in all of Contax SLRs, it had a short production run and discontinued.

If everything works, and the price is good, you may still consider it.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), April 19, 2000.


Damian,

I've been shooting with a Contax 159MM since about 1985. I got it because I wanted the Zeiss lenses, and it's been mostly an unqualified great decision.

I have prime lenses (28/2.8, 50/1.4, 85/2.8) which I used for about 13 years or so. Then I finally got a 35-135 Zeiss zoom lens and I've almost never used the primes since then. Last month I picked up a 100-300 Zeiss zoom from ebay and between the two of them I'm a very happy camper.

Zeiss glass is truly the best to be had. I've had conversations with a Caltech physics student who evaluated many commercial lenses as part of a school/industry project (not funded by Zeiss) and their study found that the comparison was laughable. None of the others came close.

I had an episode when the winder mechanism (not auto) went south for a while, and it took a bit of searching to find the right shop to fix it. However, I'm now looking for another 159MM as a spare because I've become so used to its operation that I don't want to learn the modern versions from Contax. I'll never willingly give up my Zeiss glass, though.

Stephen.

-- Stephen Saxon (stephen@saxon.com), April 27, 2001.


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