DISTAGON 55 for CONTAX645

The lightest standard lens with AF for Leica S

A review and Photo example of the DISTAGON 55mm for CONTAX 645.

Gallery

Sample photo taken with the LEICA S typ007.

Review

Usage
Lens overview
Comparison with competitors

1．Usage

The Distagon 55mm is a standard lens with a focal length of 55mm released by Kyocera for the medium-format camera Contax 645. When used with the LEICA S series, the sensor size is multiplied by 0.8, making it an almost standard lens with a 35mm equivalent of 44mm. When using 645 film with the Contax 645, it becomes 34mm.

Lenses that can be attached to the Leica S are generally heavy and large. Among them, this lens is unique and very compact. When attached to the Leica S, the body’s muscularity cannot be hidden, but the entire system feels compact.

Thanks to the relatively easy-to-make focal length of 55mm and the large diameter of the lens barrel, there is no disturbance or distortion of the peripheral image when used with a medium-format digital sensor of 45*30mm.
The autofocus focusing speed is fast among 645 lenses, but those who are used to the high-speed focusing of 35mm SLR cameras will find it slow. The focusing accuracy is not so good, but you can use the interrupt manual focus if necessary.

I found this lens at a very low price when I was short on money, and I bought it, but I have no regrets about the purchase. As mentioned above, as a companion lens for the LEICA S, which tends to have large lenses, it is the lens I take out when I can’t decide which lens to choose.

2．Lens overview

Although it has an aperture ring at the base of the lens, when used with a Leica S using 16038 [Leica S Adapter C], the aperture ring is ignored and the aperture is set on the camera. The focus ring in the center of the lens allows you to interrupt focusing.

The filter diameter is 72mm and the dedicated hood is the GB-72, which is also used with the Planar 80mm F2.2. Of course, it is also possible to use a 72mm compatible hood (GB-71, GB-B1) such as for the DISTAGON 45mm.

It was released later as a CONTAX 645 lens and has a serial number of 1.5 million units.

3．Comparison with competitors

The Distagon 55mm can be compared to the Hasselblad HC50mm-II and Vario-Sonnar 45-90.

In a desk-based spec comparison, the HC-50-II and Vario-Sonnar are large and heavy, as shown in the specifications and comparison. The compactness of this lens and its light weight of 500g are its great advantages.

When I went up and down 1,000 snow-covered steps at Risshakuji Temple in Yamagata Prefecture in winter, I took the LEICA S Typ007 and this lens as a set. I feel like I was able to go up and down the stairs safely thanks to the combination of the lens and body weighing 1.8 kg. When combined with the Vario-Sonnar, which weighs nearly 3 kg, I feel like the difficulty of climbing the mountain path doubled.

The price of the Distagon 55mm F3.5, which was released as a budget lens, in 2024 will be more expensive than the Distagon 45mm, which had a higher list price at the time of release. Although the situation has turned around due to two reasons: the abundance of 45mm lenses on the used market and the small production volume of 55mm lenses, the prices of used lenses still seem strange.

Specification

Lens name	DISTAGON 45	DISTAGON 55
Focal length(mm)	45	55
Max aperture	2.8	3.5
Min aperture	32	32
Lens Construction	9elements in 7groups	7elements in 7groups
Min distance(m)	0.45	0.45
Lens length(mm)	99	75
Max diameter(mm)	80	81
Filter Size(mm)	72	72
Weight(g)	821	500
Release date	1999	2001
Price(Yen/No-tax)	288,000-	150,000-