Contax Contax/Yashica mount Short telephoto prime
Contax Zeiss 85mm f/2.8 Sonnar T*
Quick answer
The Contax Zeiss 85mm f/2.8 Sonnar T* is a short telephoto prime lens covering 85mm at f/2.8 for the Contax/Yashica mount. Its bright maximum aperture handles indoor and evening light reasonably well.
- Full frame
- APS-C (128mm equiv.)
- Micro Four Thirds (170mm equiv.)
- Other systems via mount adapter
- Focal
- 85mm
- Aperture
- f/2.8–22
- Weight
- 255g
- Filter
- 55mm
- Min focus
- 1m
- AF motor
- None
What 85mm sees
- Full frame crop 1.0×
- 28.6° 23.9° horizontal
- APS-C crop 1.5× → 128mm
- 19.3° 16.1° horizontal
- Micro Four Thirds crop 2.0× → 170mm
- 14.5° 12.1° horizontal
Diagonal angle of view. Frames drawn to scale at 85mm. Calculated from the focal length and crop factor (adapted mount, so sensor size depends on your camera), not measured.
Open the field-of-view calculatorContax Zeiss 85mm f/2.8 Sonnar T* specifications
Optics
- Focal length
- 85mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/2.8
- Minimum aperture
- f/22
- Format coverage
- Full frame
- Optical construction
- 5 elements in 4 groups
Focus
- Autofocus motor
- None
- Minimum focus distance
- 1 m
Physical
- Filter thread
- 55 mm
- Weight
- 255 g
- Length
- 47 mm
- Diameter
- 62.5 mm
General
- Brand
- Contax
- Mount
- Contax/Yashica
- Lens type
- Prime
Specification source: en.wikipedia.org
What can you shoot with the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/2.8 Sonnar T*?
At 85mm this is a short telephoto prime, which typically suits:
- Portraits with a flattering perspective
- Events and weddings
- Isolating subjects from the background
Its bright maximum aperture handles indoor and evening light reasonably well.
Frequently asked questions
What mount does the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/2.8 Sonnar T* use?
It uses the Contax/Yashica mount, so it fits Contax/Yashica cameras directly and can be used on other systems through a mount adapter.
What is the focal length of the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/2.8 Sonnar T*?
It is a fixed 85mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8. That makes it a short telephoto lens.
Is the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/2.8 Sonnar T* a prime or a zoom lens?
It is a prime lens with a fixed 85mm focal length. Primes usually open wider than zooms; this one opens to f/2.8.
What is the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/2.8 Sonnar T* equivalent on a crop sensor?
On APS-C (1.5x crop) it frames like 128mm on full frame, with a 16.1° horizontal and 19.3° diagonal field of view. On Micro Four Thirds (2x crop) it frames like 170mm on full frame, with a 12.1° horizontal and 14.5° diagonal field of view. These figures are calculated from the focal length and crop factor.
Alternatives for Contax/Yashica from other brands
All Contax/Yashica lensesSame mount, overlapping focal range, closest maximum aperture first.