AF Planar T* 45 +CONTAX G1,G2
Review and photo examples using the CONTAX G PLANAR T* 45mm with the film camera CONTAX G1,G2.
Table of contents
Gallery
- The sample photos were taken with a CONTAX G1 camera body and Fujifilm TREBI 100 film.
- The film was scanned with a COOLSCAN 5 ED.
- The sample photos were taken with a CONTAX G2 camera body and KODAK PKR-64 film.
- The film was scanned with a COOLSCAN 5 ED.
レビュー
1．Overview
The CONTAX G PLANAR T* 45mm was an autofocus lens for the CONTAX G released in 1994.
The main specifications are as follows, with details shown in the table.
- Maximum aperture: F2
- Lens construction: 6 elements in 4 groups
- Aperture blades: 6
- Minimum focusing distance: 0.5m
- Hood: 46mm screw-in hood GG-2
- Lens color variations: Champagne gold and black
The Planar 45mm was released at the same time as the BIOGON 28mm and SONNAR 90mm when the CONTAX G1 was released.
2．使用感
The original CONTAX G PLANAR T* 45mm lens was used with the film cameras CONTAX G1 and G2.
As the name Planar suggests, the image plane is flat and there is no dissatisfaction with the resolution on positive film. The resolution is average, and the image is soft rather than sharp. In addition, there is little light falloff in the peripheral areas, making it an easy-to-use lens.
The Planar 45mm is designed so that the double Gauss type rear lens can be distanced from the film plane, so the TTL (Through the Lens) actual aperture metering (center-weighted average metering) of the original CONTAX G series body determined the exposure with satisfactory accuracy.
A dedicated hood is provided, the 46mm screw-in GG-2. I left it on with a small hood, so I did not check the difference with or without the hood, but when combined with the T* coating on the lens, there were almost no suspicious lights in backlighting.
From here on, we will talk about usability including the camera, not the lens. When using the Planar 45mm with the CONTAX G1 or G2, autofocus is the main method of focusing. There is no way to check the focus position in the viewfinder of the CONTAX G1 or G2, so the photographer looks at the scenery without any problems.
The autofocus focus position is relatively good for distant views, but reliability decreases at close distances of less than 1m. When using manual focus, the photographer needs to determine the distance from the subject, so the photographer is required to know how to determine whether the set distance is appropriate.
Using manual focus is troublesome, as there is no distance display on the lens barrel, so the photographer relies on the rangefinder displayed in the camera viewfinder and adjusts the shooting distance using the focus ring on the top of the camera for the G1 and the focus ring on the front of the camera for the G2.
The shooting range frame displayed in the viewfinder of the CONTAX G1 and CONTAX G2 shows the shooting range including parallax correction when close up, so it functions well as a guide for the shooting range.
3．Summary
In conclusion, the CONTAX G PLANAR T* 45mm is an essential standard lens for those using the film cameras CONTAX G1 and G2. There is no problem with the image quality when using a film camera.
With the popularity of mirrorless cameras, it is good to be able to use this lens with a mount adapter, which is a great way to reuse old lenses. As of 2025, the price of this lens has risen considerably, so if you do not purchase it with the understanding that it is an old lens, you may be disappointed with the image quality in the peripheral areas when using a camera with a high pixel sensor.
・Digression side note
This is the only 45mm lens for 35mm format with the Carl Zeiss Planar logo, and the focal length usually referred to as the standard lens is 50mm. 50mm Planar lenses are sold under brands such as Zeiss and Rollei.
There are several possible reasons why the focal length of 45mm was chosen, such as the consideration that there would be too much space between 28mm and 50mm with 28mm, 50mm, and 90mm, or the fact that the sequence of 28, 45, and 90 has a good rhythm of 1.5x and 2x, but I do not have any official information.
If the initial lens lineup of CONTAX G had started with the BIOGON 21mm, PLANAR 35mm, and SONNAR 90mm, it is highly likely that the standard lens would have been 50mm.
Specification and Competitor
Compared to the Zeiss Planar 50mm ZM released in 2005, the lens construction is almost identical, but the lens is thought to have changed slightly due to differences in focal length and design concept.
- The lens construction diagrams are quoted from each company’s materials, and the sizes have been adjusted by us, so they are not exact.
| Item | PLANAR | PLANAR |
| focal length(mm) | 45 | 50 |
| Maximum aperture | 2 | 2 |
| Minimum aperture | 16 | 22 |
| Leaf blade | 6 | 10 |
| Lens configuration | 4群6枚 | 4群6枚 |
| Minimum distance(m) | 0.5 | 0.7 |
| Lens length(mm) | 38.5 | 44 |
| Lens max diameter(mm) | 56 | 52 |
| Filter type | 46 | 43 |
| Weight(g) | 190 | 230 |
| Hood | GG-2 | Carl Zeiss レンズシェード 35mm/50mm |
| Lens mount | CONTAX-G | ZM |
| Release date | 1994 | 2005.1.15 |
| Price | ¥37,000 | ¥75,000 |
Reference links
- Wikipedia’s explanation of the Contax G
- PLANAR G 45mm・Zeiss Lens Specifications PDF
- PLANAR T* 2/50 ZM Cosina official page
- PLANAR T* 2/50 ZM・Zeiss Lens Specifications PDF
- CONTAX G PLANAR 45mm Ms-optics modified lens・Shige’s hobby contents
- Carl Zeiss PLANAR T* 50mm F2 ZM・Shige’s hobby contents
- CONTAX G1・Shige’s hobby contents
- CONTAX G2・Shige’s hobby contents
Update history
- 2024.4.13
Affiliate links
- Amazon Affiliate link for CONTAX lens
- Amazon Affiliate link for Ms-optics
- Amazon Affiliate link for CONTAX books
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