35-70mm 3.5-5.6 zoom for G2

[RF-Addict]

I just bought this little jewel from KEH and had a couple of questions:

1) The max. aperture range for this lens is 3.5 to 5.6 - does that mean I have to make sure that I dial in the smaller aperture when I am uisng the long end of the lens? I only know zooms from my SLRs and the max aperture is set by the camera automatically - even in manul mode.

2) The zoom action is a little bit stiff - not dramatically. Just wondering if this is normal for this lens.

The lens seems to be very well made (as all the Zeiss G2 lenses) and feels comfortable on the camera, even though it is a big lens for a rangefinder.

Thanks for any pointers

Juergen

 

[sepiareverb]

The only G lens I never got to see in person. Sorry I don't have your answer, but this will give you a 'bump' 😀

 

[RF-Addict]

Thanks for the bump🙂

I actually just took it out to take some pictures - it seems that the lens/camera compensates automatically. If I use f3.5 for 35mm focal length I would get 1/250 sec, leaving the aperture un-touched I would get 1/125 sec for the 70mm focal lenght - exactly one stop. The strange thing is only that the lens behaves like that also at the smaller apertures - which doesn't make sense to me. I just dropped off the film - in an hour I'll be able to scan the film and then we'll know a little bit more.

 

[Socke]

As far as I recall the f number is a function of aperture diameter and focal lenght. So when the aperture diameter is constant and the focal length changes, the f number changes with the focal lenght.

The G2 meters through the lens with working aperture, the metering should be uneffected.

 

[Mr Ho]

I just bought this little jewel from KEH and had a couple of questions:

I just saw this lens (in brand new, mint, boxed condition) yesterday here in Hong Kong and it's going for about USD900! Is that the ball-park amount for such a lens?

 

[Eugene]

This G zoom lens is a very nice lens for travel. It is definitely worth $900 USD particularly when it is brand new. It works a bit stiff but it is a well made lens. All in all, I would highly recommand it.

 

[flipflop]

used to have one

used to have one

I sold it because it was slow...I liked the versatility but it also made the camera bigger than I wanted. The lens is sharp for a zoom. I would rather a couple primes vs. the zoom. Just my opinion...Its great lens primes just fit my style of shooting better.

 

[awilder]

A much cheaper alternative is the Contax TVS III P&S camera. I picked up one LN IB with all the standard accessories from KEH for $364. The lens is a 30-60 f/3.7-6.7, effectively only a 1/2 stop slower at the long end but more useful for travel with it's wider short end. It focuses much closer at all focal lengths: 0.5 m vs. only 1 m on the 35-70. Best of all, the optics are much improved over the TVS/TVS II giving image quality on par with the 35-70. The entire camera is smaller than the 35-70 lens by it's self.

 

[kdemas]

I have a black "G Zoom" and it really is a very nice travel lens. Sure it's a little slow but it is really surprisingly sharp with nice color saturation.

If you get one you'll enjoy it, I got mine to "turn around" but I ended up keeping it.

Enjoy 🙂

Kent

 

[sqjaw]

If any of you folks are looking for a Clean and very good 35-70mm Carl Zeiss contax lens F-3.4 macro I have one for sale:

 

[awilder]

Sqjaw, that's one of the best 35-70's ever made by anyone for those that don't know it already.