CONTAX ZEISS VS CANON FD | Comparison between my Vintage Lenses for Filmmaking ( BMPCC 4K / 6K )

Here is my comparison between the vintage Contax Zeiss and the Canon FD lenses.
Which one would you get or which one do you already have ?

Cheers,
Flo

thank you that would much help for me to choose lens

Hey Flo! I was wondering if you've experienced any increased CA from your Zeiss kit on the BMPCC4k and 6k? I just purchased a Contax Zeiss 35mm f1.4 and am experiencing an abundance of CA. I'm not new to vintage glass, but this lens produces more than any of my other lenses (takumar 25 f2, helios 85mm f1.5, Nikon 50mm, etc.). However, when I threw the lens on my Canon 5D Mark iii all the CA seemed to have vanished. So I was wondering if there was something specific to the Black Magic sensors or if I got a poor performing lens.

I have both Contax Ziess and Canon FD. HOWEVER, I think you have the NFD versions. Otherwise your build comparison would be different. Older FDs are all metal. I stay away from the NFD Canons and go for the ones built in the 70s. Anyway, great video. Thanks

I've never heard of Helios lenses other than the 58mm. Did they produce other focal ranges? I would immediately buy a set of their lenses.
There are also a bunch of cheap modern lenses like TT Artisan, 7artisans and Pergear that give a vintage look. They're much wilder than these, but still...

lol now do one with out using the canon with out mold for the comparison videos

Are there and trustfull online shops Where I can buy these lenses without Fungus etc?

As far as I'm aware, the optics used in Contax Zeiss lenses were so advanced for their time that their are still used in the CP2s, CP3s and Zeiss 'Classics' with minor updates. The 21mm f/2.8 and 28mm f/2 are two of those lenses.

Lots of variation in the fd 50 coatings. Nfd in my case has more pronounced coating than the older breach lock fd, but the 35 nfd has a similar coating. I think the nfd 50 has more power for light management, gives slightly warmer tones I think the strong violet back coating does alot to minimize the chromatic flaws in the fd breach lock. These 2 FDs have different mounting distances from flange to front with the fd breachlock type the front element is deeper set in. These are practical differences that may not comply with all camera flange distances equally because of the electro optical nature of light and the sensor..so even though it seems the 50 is a cut and dry case it's best to try these different copies and pairing with the right camera

What model of focus ring do youbuse in the lens?

Are you using an adaptor with glass because is a speed boost? or is because the focal distance? Because if this adapter is fixing the distance between the lens and the sensor you are loosing the real look on the FDs

Thank you! As always your videos answer the exact questions I had 👍I noticed you have the MM version which have more controlled flare. I liked the look of the Zeiss over fd so I'll go for Zeiss.

The Canon FDn 50mm 1.4 are MUCH better than the FDn 50mm 1.8 ! When you compare, then compare similar Lenses (with similar aperture) do not compare a 24mm with a 28mm Lens !

Do NOT use adapters with Lenses(es), use adapters without Lens(es), some of the best adapters are made by Novoflex.

Thanks for the overview, I found this video after falling down the rabbit hole at the contax guide over at redusers. Question on the lens handling, how/where do you typically grip the lens to mount/unmount? Ergonomically I am always a little sketch because my nikon gear has a defined grip area on the lens barrel that's stationary. With im trying to grip the little section between the focus and aperture rings. Thanks again, loved the video.

Planning on adding a Canon FD set for my Fuji X. The price is only gonna go up with the popularity of vintage right now. Why would you not use the Canons for “serious work”?

Keep in mind, that this gentelman uses an adapter that significantly messes up the image on FD glass... I dont think its fair to call it a comparison this way...
Swapping mounts to EF would make the image look different!

Nice video, interesting comparison. I have quite a few FD lenses, and I really like them. The 35mm ssc f 2.0 is a gem.
I like the few Zeiss lenses I have too, they are really something.
A budget alternative can be Minolta Rokkor lenses.

I have both a Canon FD SSC Aspherical 55mm f 1.1.2 and a Carl Zeiss Planar f 1.1.4 50mm lens. I have used both in SLR bodies with flm. They have super performance. Now I want to use them on my Sony Nex series mirrorless camera. I need to get the appropriate Adapter.

I built a set of Contax for video, but when I bought a Sony A7RIV I found that they blow away most high-buck digi-lenses for stills. I tried Sony G Master, Sigma and other blah, blah, blah fancy lenses and hated them. The Contax are sharp, resolve the sensor but don't have that flat, overly sharp, dead, clinical look.

Nice video. Looking at picking up the Zeiss as well as I have some modern Zeiss glass which I love. Just a note: a have a set of FD's that don't flare in this way. I suspect either your coatings are worn or perhaps it is your adapter causing it.

I've been shooting Canon since the 70's and prefer the earlier FD lenses with the breach mount...these lenses are more robust and have much better build quality compared the 'cheaper' bayonet style, 'plasticky' Canon lenses in this video. I also use Contax RTS with C/Y 28/2.8, 35/2.8 and the highly regarded 35-70 zoom. Unfortunately, once Canon came out with the EF lenses, the FD became unusable on Canon bodies. So when not shooting film, I use my FD lenses on a Sony A7R2 digital body with a simple adapter (and with Sony's in-body stabilization, every FD lens is now stabilized). This is where Canon goofed up in my opinion.

Hi! Do you standardise the rear of the contax lenses? Ie: all of them have an EF adapter + EF rear lens cap? Tk u

You may be able to sharpen your image using the K&F adapter. Have you tried to rotate the glass? This is usually how I troubleshoot focus issues with my speedbooster (viltrox and metabones)

been wanting to collect this vintage lens lineups slowly because I reallt love the output from this lenses but it is really hard to find good condition ones 😐

Hello! I was seeing if you were able to provide some advice ! I use the BMPCC 6k and looking at getting the contax after your advice. What adaptor would I need for this and is the cheaper option ok to use ? Thank you !

Hey I have the 25 mm Zeiss and had no idea there was a 28… is the 28 worth it over the 25?

Great video! I think your adapter from FD to EF is decreasing the image quality of your Canon FD...on my full frame camera, they're almost as sharp as the contax zeiss.

I am using the newer Zeiss ZE lenses with my BMPCC 6K, since they do not cost too much second-hand - and usually they are in perfect condition. I assume that some photographers tend to dream about golden times when photographing with manual focus was easy and fun..and now when have to You rely on Your DSLR:s beeps and blinking lights You get with Your Zeiss blurry nose and sharp ear on that words most beautiful girl!

Right on

I'm building up my FD SSC set! 24mm f2.8, 55mm f1.2, and 85mm f1.8. Love the look and physical feel/focusing of the fully manual lenses. They definitely lose a lot of contrast in direct light, are people using matte boxes?

I think vintage lenses starting to loose their superpower. The look is undoubtedly unique and very pleasing, to my eye at least. But the prices are so high now I feel it's just crazy going for a Contax, not to mention a Leica. Nowadays you can get a modern cinema lens for the same price or cheaper actually, already geared and consistent. Vintage lenses were great options while they were affordable, now the new cinema lenses (DZO, Meike, SLR, etc) are in the affordable category and vintage is some sort of a luxury. For a hobby it's great, I love the history behind them and the look. I have a set of Jenas, I would say the look is in between the Contax and Canon/Helios and decided not to go further in the vintage rabbit hole. :)

You should do a Leica R comparison with these too sometime!

Great video! Love the in-depth demos.

So many options in lenses now and days. I'm thinking about a Contax set or trying out the Meike S35 lenses.

I have the same two Canon FDs as you and cant justify spending 1k just to replace them with Zeiss, although i would love to own them. These are just for special occasions when the project needs this look and for most corporate videos or other payed stuff i need a sharp lens like Sigma Art. But maybe the Zeiss Milvus are something to look into. They can produce highend images since they reportedly share the same glass as Zeiss CP.2/CP.3 but with a filter you can mimic a vintage look

Great Video Flo!
Did you go for de MM or AE version of de Contax Zeiss?

i love vintage lenses.

I've been thinking on getting a prime lens that's a bit more serious. I am looking at the FD 1.2 or maybe the Samyang / Rokinon, then this video came up.

The Zeiss is certainly a better image technically. So for that I think they do offer more flexibility for actual paid work. The FDs I worry it is actually probably harder to find such high quality versions due to them being so common, needle in the hay stack.

I think Samyang may off the balance of vintage-ness while offering some more coma and other aberrations / defects.

Then again I also feel I don't shoot enough to justify any of them 😅

Thanks for another lovely video Flo.

Nice video flo! Love the zeiss. You are right these lenses fall apart at 1.4, but very nice from about 2.8 down. Since putting them on an fx6 there is a LOT of vig and only goes away at 5.6 or 8

I think I am almost done building my Contax Zeiss set.. 28mm f2.8, 35mm 2.8, two 50mm f1.4 (selling one if anyone is interested), and the 100mm f2.

Any others I should look for? 🙏

I own also this two canon fd 24 2.8 and 50 1.4 and really like em …. Using them on Panasonic s1 with cheap adapter… maybe you should try em on you eos R 😀

Super vidéo. merci

Great video, Flo! For my it‘s the FDs 📸 I use the 28mm f2.8, the 50mm f1.8 and the 70-210mm f4 which is a great Macro-lens, too. Cheers!

I have fd lenses

The thing about the Zeiss Contax's is that calling them 'vintage' is potentially deceptive because the standard ones have a modern feel to them. They're like modern lenses with a tad bit of character.

I currently have the canon fds I love the soft image but using the fd to ef adapter holds the lens back with the infinity focus problem and the too soft look it gives when the lens is wide open

So cool.. interested to try canon fd for the price.. does conon fd give 3D pop / dimension like leica r/ zeiss? & may I asked your setting for Rode NTG mic, the volume number & the audio gain % in the setting menu? For the best audio result, less noise/hiss.. many thanks.

I just got the 28 mm zeiss last month because of your videos. I am absolutely obsessed with it. The image is absolutely stunning. Thank you so much for the videos!