Unpopularity? DISTAGON 45 for C645

A review and Photo example of the DISTAGON T* 45mm for CONTAX 645 with a Leica S digital camera.

Gallery
Review
1. Overview
2. Usage
3. Summary
Specification
Reference links

Gallery

Sample photo taken with the LEICA S Typ007.

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1．Overview

The Distagon 45mm F2.8 is a wide-angle lens for the medium-format camera CONTAX 645, released in 1999. When used with the CONTAX 645, the film size is 645, so in 35mm it is equivalent to a 28mm lens, multiplied by a conversion factor of 0.62.

When used with a Leica S series camera, the medium-format digital sensor is 45x30mm, so in 35mm it is equivalent to a 36mm lens, multiplied by a conversion factor of 0.8.

When used with a Leica S series camera using the 16038 [Leica S Adapter C], the aperture ring on the lens is ignored, so the aperture value is set on the camera.
Manual focus can be interrupted during autofocus using the focus ring in the center of the lens.

The main specifications are a lens configuration of 9 elements in 7 groups, weight of 800g, and a filter diameter of 72mm, which is the general size for CONTAX 645 lenses. For detailed specifications, see the table below.

A dedicated lens hood (GB-71) and a bellows hood (GB-B1) are used.

2．Usage

The Distagon 45mm F2.8 was released with the CONTAX 645 camera. When used with the Leica S series, it is equivalent to almost 35mm in 35mm format, making it a highly practical lens that bridges the gap between wide-angle lenses and standard lenses. When using 645 film with the Contax 645, it becomes 28mm, the standard focal length of old wide-angle lenses.

The lens has an inverted telephoto structure with a thick lens placed in the center of the front and rear groups, so distortion is not noticeable in most scenes. It is a good choice for trying out wide-angle lenses for medium format cameras.

The focus speed is not particularly fast, but it is not unusably slow. When used with the LEICA S, there is a one-beat lag from turning on the power until you can actually take pictures, and it seems to take a little time to establish a connection between the camera and the lens, which can be a concern. There is a similar lag when waking up from sleep.

The focal length of 36mm in 35mm format is an easy-to-use angle of view, and it is useful for taking snapshots without a clear purpose, such as when taking a walk. The Leica S and Distagon 45mm weigh just under 2kg, making it one of the lighter lenses for the LEICA S series.

In the early 2020s, there was a wide selection of second-hand lenses available and they were reasonably priced, making them a good choice as a wide-angle lens for the LEICA S series, but as of mid-2020, they are becoming less and less available. This is true for all CONTAX 645 lenses.

3．Summary

In conclusion, to sum up the DISTAGON 45mm, with a bright maximum aperture of F2.8 and beautiful bokeh even at full aperture, the image quality feels like that of a large-format lens. Its focal length is just right for use with the LEICA S series, and it is a highly versatile lens, as it can use autofocus with a dedicated adapter.
If it were 1/3 the list price, I would recommend it, but if it was 1/2 the list price, it would be a bit of a questionable choice.

Specification and Competitor

It is appropriate to compare it with a medium-format SLR lens, and a direct comparison would be the Leica Elmarit-S f2.8/45mm ASPH. (Order no. 11077 | CS: 11078). This lens has a list price of nearly 1 million yen, making it difficult to obtain. As of 2023, the product is no longer on sale.

The table below shows a comparison of the specs on a desk.

The Elmarit-S 45mm is heavy and large. This is because it incorporates the latest optical design, such as a luxurious lens configuration of 12 elements in 9 groups, the use of aspherical lenses, and faster focusing speed due to the small glass rear focus.

In the comparison of MTF charts, Leica lists up to 27mm and ZEISS lists up to 35mm, so the ranges differ, but when comparing the Elmarit-S and Distagon after correcting, the graph shows that the Elmarit-S wins by a landslide, and it can be understood that this is a lens that is worth the price given its new release and high price. However, the Elmarit-S 45mm is a large lens considering it is optimized for a sensor size of 45x30mm. This is thought to be because the lens performance, such as telecentricity, has been optimized for digital SLR cameras.

Lens name	Distagon 45mm	Elmarit-S 45mm
Focal length(mm)	45.5	45
Max aperture	2.8	2.8
Min aperture	32	22
Lens Construction	9elements in 7groups	12elements in 9groups
Min distance(m)	0.5	0.6
Lens length(mm) Distance from mount flange	99	132
Lens Max dia.(mm)	80	88
Filter Size(mm)	72	82
Weight(g)	821	1030
Release date	1999	2013/10/10
Price	¥250,000- Y2023 Uesd price ¥70,000〜	Non shutter ¥847,000- With shutter ¥979,000-

Reference links

Update history

2025.5.14
2024.9.2
2024.03.04:update
2023.05.15:First draft

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