BMPCC 6K | Contax Zeiss 28mm Video

Here is a selection of test shots taken with the Contax Zeiss 28mm on the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K.

I love the look of my Canon FD lenses but wanted something a bit more neutral that could be used for a wide variety of projects whilst still being high quality vintage glass.

Spent a couple of days in and around Sydney last month testing the lens. Shot in UHD Prores 422.

Let me know what you think and if you have any question .

Cheers,
Florent

Enjoyed that, now checking out the videos on your web site.

While living/working in Paris, I had a Parisian friend who went on vacation to Australia, came back, announced within days that he was emigrating there and in about three months made the move. He doesn’t regret it.

Enjoyed that, now checking out the videos on your web site.

While living/working in Paris, I had a Parisian friend who went on vacation to Australia, came back, announced within days that he was emigrating there and in about three months made the move. He doesn’t regret it.

Thanks for watching !! Yeah Australia is a pretty great place to live, expensive but worth it .

Looks great! And I read a narrative in there as well so came off as more than a collection of test shots. Good work. Love the bokeh on those handrails on the train car. No ninja star at 2:45 so I guess that's an MMJ. I just put together a set of those lenses myself because the only footage I got jazzed about when the Pocket 4K came out was shot on Contax glass. I've got the 18/4, 28/2.8, 50/1.4 and 35-70 all modded by Duclos. I'm still shooting on the Pocket 2K, but the 4K is on my list for 2020. I was thinking about the Metabones, but I'm not sure I would need it since I tend to shoot long.

Looks great! And I read a narrative in there as well so came off as more than a collection of test shots. Good work. Love the bokeh on those handrails on the train car. No ninja star at 2:45 so I guess that's an MMJ. I just put together a set of those lenses myself because the only footage I got jazzed about when the Pocket 4K came out was shot on Contax glass. I've got the 18/4, 28/2.8, 50/1.4 and 35-70 all modded by Duclos. I'm still shooting on the Pocket 2K, but the 4K is on my list for 2020. I was thinking about the Metabones, but I'm not sure I would need it since I tend to shoot long.

Thank you !! Yes it is an MM indeed .
I have the 85 2.8 and 50 1.4 and intend to get the 18 too. What do you think of it ?
My intention is also to get them modded by Duclos.

If I may jump intro this thread: I can recommend the 18mm f4. It is not fast, but it has a very nice kind of distortion. IMHO faces at the sides don't look as bad as from other 18mm.

You can put that 28mm on a MSB XL and get an 18mm FoV, without the distortion an 18mm would introduce. I use the Zeiss ZF 28mm f/2 with the SB on my Pocket 4K (previously used it with th original Pocket camera and the Micro Cinema camera. Nice test.
Cheers

If I may jump intro this thread: I can recommend the 18mm f4. It is not fast, but it has a very nice kind of distortion. IMHO faces at the sides don't look as bad as from other 18mm.

That is the next one on my list. I have heard good things about it and definitely need wider than 28mm and can't afford the 21mm haha !!

...definitely need wider than 28mm and can't afford the 21mm haha !!

If you haven’t already, maybe check out the Zeiss Biogon T 21mm f/2.8. Still made, but it’s an old, classic design and there appear to be a fair number available used.

The expensive 21mm Contax/Yashica is a retrofocus lens, which has no problems on modern sensors. Rangefinder lenses like the Biogon tend to show color shifts in the corners, it needs to be tested and it would only work on a 4K anyway.

The kind of distortion I was referring to in the case of the 18mm is not the typical wide-angle distortion of straight edges (which is not bad either in that lens), but the effect on perspective. Hard to describe, but to me it looks better than the 18mm side of my otherwise excellent Sigma 18-35mm.

Rangefinder lenses like the Biogon tend to show color shifts in the corners, it needs to be tested ...

I think that it’s important to distinguish between wide full frame lenses and normal/long lenses. I wouldn’t purchase any full frame wide lens without testing it, and the colour issue is apparently not limited to rangefinder lenses. A lot of the online discussion is by people who owned a Leica M8 or M9 in relation to a specific Leica lens, the discontinued Lecia 21mm f4 Super Angulon.

I am not having a colour shift issue with Leica 35mm, 50mm and 90mm lenses. I haven’t tested my Leica 75mm and 135mm lenses yet, but I’m not anticipating a problem.

The BMPCC 4k's smaller sensor and thinner sensor cover glass should mean that wide and ultra wide non-retrofocus lenses work well.

Yep, a smaller sensor should help.
Interestingly, the new Sigma fp (full frame, short flange distance) has a feature to dial in a correction for the corners.

There are several Contax Zeiss mount types and I wonder if you, or anyone could give sound advice on types of mounts, which are suitable for the BMPCC 6K and what adapters are needed or available.
Thanks.

Contax had a late model N mount but you have to really want it bad to adapt this to EF. These guys are on top of it. http://conurus.com/index.php

The G-Mount rangefinders will not work on EF no matter how hard you try.

There's really only the CY Contax/Yashica mount. Leitax make the the best mounts and are probably the best resourece for documenting the variations of the CY mount among the iterations. http://leitax.com/Zeiss-Contax-lenses-f ... meras.html

Good Luck

I second the C/Y line and Leitax.
If you need it cheaper there are many Chinese adapter rings for a few dollars, with varying precision.

You could also just get the Zeiss ZE 28mm lens, same glass as the Contax version, and it has a native Canon EF Mount, so no adapters required. I have and use the Zeiss ZF version, lovely lens.
Cheers

Thank you, Uli Howard and Denny.