Is the lens on the Contax T and T2 the same?

[kram]

Refer to title. I have read on the Web that there were slight changes to the lens on the T anf T2. I thought Contac would just put the T lens in an autofocus system, but no optical changes. Does anyone know the facts on the T and T2 lens?

 

[Highway 61]

According to the schematics we can find here and there, no changes between the two. Same 38mm f/2.8, 5 elements in 4 groups. The aperture blades are located at the same place between the groups.

Beware : the T2 cannot be used at f/2.8 in aperture priority auto exposure mode. Nuts. Also, its shutter lag is difficult to live with.

If you want a good, reliable pocketable camera, with a brilliant Sonnar f/2.8, to replace your faulty T, get a Rollei 35S or 35SE, not a T2 and not a T3 (my 2c). Decades ago I stupidly got the bug, and wasted my money on two Contax T which both failed on me with no reason and couldn't be repaired (CPU dead end). Then I got a T2 but its quirks drove me crazy. Lesson learnt, back to the Rollei 35S, and forever.

 

[kram]

Thanks for the lens info. My T is OK now. But as I said, I read that imporements had been made with the T2 lens, probably by done who wanted to sell a number of T2s.... Shutter lag, not good. My Fujifilm DL super mini was dire. I had that camera befor the Contax T for many years. Had the Rollei 35 SE but meter was rubbish, not sensitive enough for my use Ev7.

 

[awilder]

If you like the 38 or 40/2.8 Sonnar rendering, the ultimate lens is the 40/2.8 Rollei Sonnar RF version made for a re-badged Bessa body under the name of Rollei 35 RF. It had frame lines for 40/50/80 and the lenses used Rollei Sonnar (40/2.8) and Rollei Planar (50/1.8, 80/2.8) designs. The lenses were LTM with M adapters, made in the 1990s and expensive but the great thing is you can use the 40/2.8 Sonnar on a Bessa, CL/CLE or mirrorless bodies and avoid the shortcomings of the fixed lens Rollei and Contax bodies. I use to have the 40/2.8 Sonnar RF for my CLE and it was great. However, a 40/2 Summicron might be more practical and cheaper.