Contax N on a Canon

[9designs2]

Would any of the hard core Canon users think to go down the route of buying
a Contax N series AF lens (Carl Zeiss T*) and having it converted by Conurus to Canon AF mount ?

The conversion is around 600 dollars for the popular conversions and up to 1000 for say the 17-35mm f2.8..... Plus shipping, import tax and VAT, on top of buying said lens off the bay etc. ... Say 500 quid for a 50mm f1.4
So a very expensive exercise I think for a possible small improvement over L glass.....

I own both Canon and Contax systems and have no plans to convert. When I try to buy some extra Contax Lenses I'm confronted by optimistic sellers with very high Buy Now prices.....
Now from seeing how often the lenses get relisted they are not beating buyers off with a stick that's for sure !!
The responce I got back when making an offer was....."These are very much sort after lenses as people can convert them to Canon mount"
Yeah but not at these prices

So is there a queue of Canon users wanting these lenses ?????

 

[Ksanti]

Well I assume none of the AF gubbins would work any more after the 600$ conversion in which case, other than the practicality of having the mount built in and reduced risk of close focus limits on infinity, why would you not just use a mount adapter rather than a full on conversion?

Also, why not just respond that 'this lens has been relisted x times, so clearly they're not that sought after' and see what he says?

 

[9designs2]

All the AF works etc, as we are talking about the N series lenses not the MM older type.
You can't buy an adaptor for the N series lenses, only way is to have it converted.

Didn't see the point in arguing with the seller.

 

[Amp34]

Personally I'd check if it was actually worth it... A lot of the "stunning" lenses people rave about are more to do with rose tinted glasses and not remembering technology has moved on in that time.

For example

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/...LensComp=115&CameraComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

Considering the website above I certainly wouldn't pay that much, for example you could buy a new Canon 50mm f/1.2 for the price of a converted Zeiss 50mm f/1.4... Unless of course there is a really specialist lens that isn't available on the EF mount without conversion.

 

[Ksanti]

Personally I'd check if it was actually worth it... A lot of the "stunning" lenses people rave about are more to do with rose tinted glasses and not remembering technology has moved on in that time.

For example

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/...LensComp=115&CameraComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

Considering the website above I certainly wouldn't pay that much, for example you could buy a new Canon 50mm f/1.2 for the price of a converted Zeiss 50mm f/1.4... Unless of course there is a really specialist lens that isn't available on the EF mount without conversion.

That Zeiss is a £500 EF-mount lens, isn't it? I know that a lot of the obsession with older lenses is misplaced and most of Zeiss value is in the build (with a few optical stunners), but that 50 isn't an autofocus lens and it hasn't been converted?

 

[9designs2]

Ok people are getting confussed, there 3 basic types here,
AE or MM fitting, this is the original Yashica Contax mount used on classics like the RTS camera... Pure manual and can used on an EOS mount with an adaptor.

N mount this is when Contax went AF in the lens, it shares a lot with the medium format lenses from the 645.... No adaptor available, but Conurus offer to rebuild the lens with a Canon mount..... This what the sellers are banking on I guess when asking high prices for what is old obsolete lens !!!!

I agree with above, seems little point when Canon makes equally good glass.
I DON'T want to convert the lens.....I just to buy a few extra ones and fit them on my CONTAX camera's ..... Where they belong. I have an N1 and an N Digital.

Then there are the new manual focus Zeiss ZE mounts, nothing to do with Contax, and no convertion needed or offered. Not sure why someone would want to buy manual only, or why Zeiss went that way.