Rediscovering the ZEISS Biogon 2.8/28 Lens
When I began photography the very first manual focus Zeiss lens that I purchased was the Distagon 2.8/28 for the Contax system. It was a very nice lens and I made some images I was happy with when I had it. I lacked experience so I sold it and never picked up another 28mm lens to replace it. I opted for other focal lengths ranging from 18mm to 135mm but always seemed to skip over the 28mm. I’m glad I took another shot with it.
The ZEISS Biogon 2.8/28 is a different lens when compared to the Distagon. Yes, they were both made for the Contax film cameras but the ZEISS Biogon 2.8/28 was made for the electronic Rangefinder Contax G lineup that replaced the SLR Contax cameras.
The lens doesn’t have any markings other than the aperture and can be odd to focus on since the lens itself lacks a focusing helicoid. There’s plenty of info on the internet about this.
All I can say is that it’s going to be challenging to take this lens off my Sony. It feels right at home for the type of photography I’m embracing more - Street and Documentary. In reality, I set it to f8 and forget it for that type of photography; maybe that’s why I find it liberating to use. It also renders beautifully even though this copy of the Biogon is prone to flare with light I embrace it happily.
Rediscovering the ZEISS Biogon 2.8/28 Lens required a subject to shoot. My first time taking it out was to make some images of this truck at my friend's house.
In this image, I like the colour rendition and sharpness. I don't feel like bokeh is a strength for this lens as it looks almost hazy and smeared. ZEISS Biogon 2.8/28 is also known to not play nice with certain mirrorless sensors because of the design of the rear element.
The 28mm offers a unique look at things and requires my composition to change to accommodate.
ZEISS Biogon 2.8/28 - Architecture
I shot all of these at F8, which seems the optimal aperture for sharpness. I was so impressed by how little distortion this lens has and that it is already a lens that is 25+ years old. It doesn't quite look like any modern Zeiss lens I've tried and because it has a lot of "defects" when compared to modern lenses it's perfect for adding character while still performing well when used to its potential.
ZEISS Biogon 2.8/28 - Handling
The ZEISS Biogon 2.8/28 is quirky and in reality not user-friendly. It has unfavourable focusing and can be too small for some people.
The handling is enough to turn most people away. I promised you, that if you persevere you will be rewarded. I know that there are people who offer and have done Leica M conversions on this lens and are extremely happy with the results. One person that comes to mind is Sebboh
I took my current lens adaptor made some markings for distances and called it a day. The Contax G lineup is fantastic and rewards those who are willing to challenge the manual focus experience. I have the 90mm as well, which is one of the smallest tele lenses I've used. I'll write and share my thoughts on the lens soon.
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