Contax Zeiss Lenses | AE vs MM

[@MarkHoltze]

Two Auto Exposure Variants - AEG (Auto Exposure made in Germany) AEJ (Auto Exposure made in Japan). Two Multi-Mode Variants (MMG Multi-Mode Made in Germany - RARE.) MMJ (Multi Mode Made in Japan) Now you know. GO!

[@contaxpaulharrison942]

A minor point, my AEG lenses were made in West Germany.

[@crispin8888]

Always a pleasure to watch and thank you for explaining ... MM, M&M's, S&M ... life is so confusing.

[@MarkHoltze]

I missed m&m’s ;)

[@ericcoen8894]

How many Contaxes do you have? When will you grab that 35-70/3.4?

[@MarkHoltze]

21, 35, 50 60, 85, 200 :)

[@ReimannPembroke]

Great video as always dude! I want some deadly ninja star bokeh

[@MarkHoltze]

I like it too. 🥷

[@RandomLifeProductions]

This is one lens I’m interested in I have the Leica CL and the Leica Voiglander is really expensive… so one of these may be interesting to get…. I thing I prefer the No Ninja version

[@julesfisher3551]

Hi Mark you are a bit of a Zeiss and S-M-C Takumar guy. Between the Zeiss CONTAX 85mm F1.6 and S-M-C Takumar 85mm F1.8 which would you say is the better lens?

[@MarkHoltze]

Tough to say I only use the Tak 85 for photo and the Zeiss 85 for video. I like them both and not sure I could just pick one 😆

[@julesfisher3551]

@@MarkHoltze you ever tired the Zeiss 100mm F2.0 for photo work? Thoughts

[@mimikak01]

Is there any difference at Contax-Zeiss 50mm 1.4 AE vs. MM regarding chromatic aberrations? My 1.4/50 AE has significant CA.

[@Vintageologist]

I have the MM versions of the 50 1.4 and 85 1.4 and they both have CA issues wide open.

[@mimikak01]

@@Vintageologist In the meantime, I have bought a MM 50mm 1.4 and have compared it with AE same lens. It is hard to see any significant difference. I also have MM 85mm 2.8 and this one is really a great lens.

[@blakeronan]

lovely little tutorial .. thanks

[@john_murch]

I still have my Contax 159MM bought new back in the day. Also my "Made in West Germany" 85/1.4 AEG amongst others; AEG's, MMJ's. That said, I've never used Program mode but I do use Aperture priority mode and Manual mode. Ninja Star bokeh never bothered me one bit...

[@MarkHoltze]

Love the Contax film cameras!

[@john_murch]

@@MarkHoltze I'm waiting to see a review of your favourite Contax film camera.

[@oceansidesounddesign8770]

Only channel I hit the like button before the video begins! =) Haha.

[@MarkHoltze]

Wow! That’s …. Huge mate. Thanks for the vote of confidence

[@bbrunorocha]

love the contax zeiss ! i'm building my set, they are amazing !!

[@bbrunorocha]

also, i love the ninja star bokeh 💙

[@MarkHoltze]

They are! Shot two amazing projects with them with the red and they killed it.

[@bbrunorocha]

@@MarkHoltze at least 90%+ of my projects i shoot with them on the blackmagic 4k as well as the 6k pro, and with the 6k pro, the colors i'm able to get from them are truly amazing, no complaints at all 🥰

[@contaxpaulharrison942]

Not all AE lenses produce Ninja Star bokeh, at least not with the click stops in them. Also Ninja Star Bokeh will appear when stopped down 1, 2, or possibly stops from full open. The 300mm F4 AE gives Ninja Star at F5.6 and F8, and the 200mm F4 at F5.6.

[@MarkHoltze]

Too many exceptions, just talking about the biggest differences in thr most common used focus lengths. I don’t think the 200 produces ninja stars and it’s AE. It is the biggest difference people observe when it comes to MM’s and AE’s in the digital world since their film use isn’t as common these days.

[@contaxpaulharrison942]

@@MarkHoltze Both of the AE 200mm I have look like they should produce Ninja Stars when you look at the aperture blades, as you can see the curved section where the blades meet. There is a 200mm F4 (Tele Tessar I think) and a 200mm F3.5 Sonnar. There are different numbers of blades in different lenses so you get variations in the Ninja Star effect.

[@MarkHoltze]

I just got mine so need to look at it. At the cottage this weekend but will check

[@ModernVintageFilm]

Gotta have more

[@bananasandbass]

I can only accept the MM bokeh haha. I’ve got 2 Contax Zeiss lenses now. Still looking for that 25mm 2.8 and a 85mm of some sort. I wanna keep them from the MMJ (Japan) series, to keep coatings and aperture design consistent. These lenses have such nice character, but a clarity and sharpness that rivals modern glass without being clinical. They also control CA well.

[@MarkHoltze]

Agreed! It’s all we use now.

[@bobceffo]

Casino Royal has some night shot with very prominent ninja star... I guess i can live with that too😊

[@MarkHoltze]

😆 truth mate.

[@raksh9]

I never noticed this, will have to look for it. They used Cooke S4 and Angenieux Optimo lenses, I wonder which ones have star highlights.

[@Itchybiscuit]

Thanks for the informative vid Mark. However, in terms of run-time I feel short-changed. 😉

[@MarkHoltze]

Ya took about 7 hours for a min so…lol experimenting with a few things.

[@Itchybiscuit]

@@MarkHoltze Your videos are always a visual treat no matter how long or short. I've mentioned before that I regularly purchase vintage glass just to see how it performs. My latest was a Konica Hexanon 52mm f1.8. A wee bit of purple fringing in certain situations but very sharp with wonderful colour rendition. I've bought a few lenses after watching your reviews - watching your videos is a danger to my pocket. 😁

[@tinosiocon]

I watched Tokyo Vice and notice something familiar with the Bokeh.

[@MarkHoltze]

Ya I caught that too. I think those are the dna hero lenses from arri. You can dial in the “look”. I might be wrong. I know Industry shoots on vintage Canon k35’s.

[@johndoane7200]

Yeah, ninja Stars, t’ latest Summicron m 35 has ‘em at that sweet spot, most be cool...🤪

[@MarkHoltze]

I never found them as pronounced with him. Higher resolution sensors are bringing them more into focus I think.