Letus C/Y mount

[Pedro Martins]

Hi all

I use the old nikon mount, and i want to purchase the new one. I am using nikon 50mm f1.4, 24mm f2.8 and 35-70mm f2.8. I am thinking in buying a 85mm and maybe a 100mm. So if i buy the new nikon mount (for my nikon lens), and a C/Y mount, and purchase a Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f1.4 and a Carl Zeiss Planar T* 100mm f2 do i get better results than purchase a nikon ones?
I see lots of people using zeiss for nikon mount, but don´t see any examples with C/Y zeiss lens. I don't know which way to go in my next lens purchase, so i need some light in here!!!
Anyone?

[David W. Jones]

I use Zeiss C/Y lenses, and I must say that they are fantastic.
You might consider getting a Canon EF, aka EOS lens mount for your DOF adapter.
You could then use Nikon to EOS mount adapters on your Nikon lenses, and C/Y to EOS mount adapters on your Contax mount lenses. That way you would not need to ever change the lens mount on you DOF adapter to use a variety of different mount lenses.
Good Luck!

[Christopher Witz]

wow.. nice box of tricks you have there! That 25mm keeps going up in value aye?

one thing I'm bummed about is that my canon 85mm f1.2 II has electronic manual focus and will not work on my letus EX...... I almost cried when I put it on and the ring just spun.

[Pedro Martins]

Really nice box david!!!!

Great idea with the mounts. i will follow that.

In terms of which Zeiss C/Y to buy, what are your sugestions?
I see that exists several types of lens mount, from here:

http://www.contaxcameras.co.uk/slr/slr.asp

which ones are you using? and which are your favorites?
And again thanks for sharing that great idea with the adapters.

[David W. Jones]

As far as lens mount, you want to use the C/Y, aka Contax Yashica mount for Contax 35mm SLR cameras.
The Contax N mount will not work. Nor will the Contax G.

The whole range of Zeiss C/Y mount glass is fantastic.
T* coated, color matched, great contrast, and they focus in the same direction as cine lenses. I have added like sized hard fronts so each lens fits my matte box perfectly, as well as focus gears.

[Peter Corbett]

Hi David,

Nice set of C/Y's. I too am collecting Zeiss C/Y lens for the Letus Ultimate. I have a few so far;

Zeiss 28mm f2.8
Zeiss 60mm Macro F2.8
Zeiss 85mm f1.4
Zeiss 100mm Macro f2.8
Zeiss 135mm f2.8
Zeiss Mutar II 2 x Extender
Zeiss 200mm f3.5
Zeiss 28-70mm f3.5-f4.5 Zoom
Zeiss 80-200mm f4.0 Zoom

I'm thinking of selling the 28-70 and replacing it with the 28-85, and the 200mm for the 180mm, but I'm still looking for a nice 50 1.4 and these ones;

16mm f2.8 (if I can find it cheap!)
18mm f4.0
21mm f2.8
35mm f1.4
180mm f2.8
28-85mm f3.3-f4.0
70-210mm f3.5
100-300mm f4.5-f5.6

Can you tell me where you got your hard fronts for the lens and the gearing? Not having to change the MB donut would be great.

Cheers,
Peter

[Bruce S. Yarock]

david,
In my other psot about gear rings, you never answered as to where i could get them made. Any info?
thanks
bruce S. yarock
Yarock Video & Photography

[David W. Jones]

I had the gears installed by Stuart at Focus Optics.
Although there are a number of optics houses that can do this job.
If you are an amateur using low cost lenses, I might suggest using one of the many low cost add-on gears available, as the cost of installing professional gears can exceed the cost of some of these lenses.
As for the hard fronts, you can purchase inexpensive step-up rings off ebay in a variety of sizes. Just pick the starting size of the lens, "55mm for example" then the size you want to achieve. It may be 72mm, 77mm, 82mm, or what ever size your matte box donut or filter size you are trying to match.

Good Luck!

[Peter Corbett]

Thanks David. I didn't think about step-up rings. I like the Zacuto gears but they are pricey. Much snugger than the Redrocks ones though...

[Peter Corbett]

Originally Posted by David W. Jones

I had the gears installed by Stuart at Focus Optics.

As for the hard fronts, you can purchase inexpensive step-up rings off ebay in a variety of sizes. Just pick the starting size of the lens, "55mm for example" then the size you want to achieve. It may be 72mm, 77mm, 82mm, or what ever size your matte box donut or filter size you are trying to match.

Good Luck!

Sorry David, one more! Did you standardize on a 82mm for the step up ring because of the 135mm? I guess you had to combine step-ups because of the 55mm thread on the 28/2.8?

Peter

[David W. Jones]

I have a number of fronts I can use, but mainly I use step-ups to 77mm, which give me a 80mm outside.