Contax-Zeiss 35-70/3.4 - The 24-70L Killer

Trixster! wrote in post #12326544
Nice review, it sounds like a fantastic lens, but the "24-70LKiller" is hardly accurate and just an attention getter. No af, no weather sealing (hence the dustpump quote), considerably narrower at the wide end and no f/2.8 make this a totally different kind of zoom.

Agreed, but one i can totally live with considering the price i got one for several months back !

Yep, it looks like a very desirable piece of glass. Much like most Zeiss stuff!

Is the half stop difference between 2.8 and 3.4 really that big of a deal?

And while it's only a 2x zoom the 24-70 is weak at the wide end you would have to crop the image to 30mm or more to achieve the same sharpness throughout the frame.


The title of the thread is a bit salacious but I guess it depends on what metrics you are basing it off of. I've had a few copies of this lens and I often use it as my walk around lens. Certainly one of the finer zoom lenses if you can deal with its limitations.

Mike K wrote in post #12325259
The macro mode is like a built in extension tube in its action.

For a zoom this lens can be a terrific buy, and after all it is a Zeiss and has a rendering quality similar to the other Zeiss lenses. In my tests it is not equivalent to a 35/2 or 50/2 MP, but hey, its a zoom. One suggestion is to forget focus confirm, which is challenging to get accurate results, and use Live View 5-10X for manual focus and Live View Silent Shooting instead of MLU. I just checked your gear list (1DsII) and see that your body does not support Live View focus. Too bad, I consider LV SS an essential capability for my MF lenses. Would you consider Ec-B split screen?
Mike K

I'm eagerly waiting for the 1DsIV and all of the sensor-cleaning, live-viewing, microadjusting goodness therein. Maybe it'll outresolve this lens as well.

I've thought about the EC-B, but the lack of spot metering bothers me a bit. I can't use the EC-S as my 1DII lacks the proper metering curve for it, but the default screen obviously isn't up to spec for manual work. Any suggestions?

Got my 67-->step up ring and hood today, which is a fair bit of extra peace of mind for that front element.

And I'll agree, from the smiley by the thread to the end quote, I think the 24-70L is a different lens aimed at a different sort of person. I don't think it's as sharp, bokehlicious, or interesting, but it goes wider, has AF, and is faster. I couldn't justify having both at once, and I'd certainly pick the Zeiss between the two. I'd venture most people would be better suited by the Zeiss as well, but for wedding work where missing a shot either form AF or not having something wide/fast enough means those advantages are significant.

Re: 2.8 vs. 3.4. It's significant, but maybe less so than I you would think. To me, the 24-70 always felt only fractionally faster than a 3.4 actual lens, and has heavyish vignetting that furthered that impression. I think you could probably dig up T-stop information somewhere to back that up. I think the 35-70 meters more like a 3.8ish lens. Of course, I've not tested both at the same time but that's what it seems like.

I just leave the 35-70 on 4.0 all the time unless im doing a wide landscape. It works fine on the 5D MKII with the step-up ring and the 77mm wide hood.
No vignetting at f4

I like it just as well on the 60D using the macro mode and the articulating screen in LV.

i did try to acquire this lens at a good price. but alas...unsuccessful. this range in fl is not critical to me, so i can live with out it. but still, it is a legendary zoom that would be pretty sweet to own

I also have a the Zeiss 35-70, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a 24-70L killer...that depends on your 24-70L. But is is quite an exceptional lens...my experience mirrors that of yours.