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Contax Contax/Yashica mount Wide-angle zoom

Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f/3.4 Vario-Sonnar T*

Quick answer

The Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f/3.4 Vario-Sonnar T* is a wide-angle to standard zoom lens covering 35-70mm at f/3.4 for the Contax/Yashica mount. Its moderate maximum aperture works best in good light or with a higher ISO.

  • Full frame
  • APS-C (53–105mm equiv.)
  • Micro Four Thirds (70–140mm equiv.)
  • Other systems via mount adapter
Focal
35–70mm
Aperture
f/3.4–22
Weight
475g
Filter
67mm
Min focus
0.7m
AF motor
None

What 35-70mm sees

Full frame crop 1.0×
34.3–63.4° 28.8–54.4° horizontal
APS-C crop 1.5× → 53–105mm
23.3–44.8° 19.5–37.8° horizontal
Micro Four Thirds crop 2.0× → 70–140mm
17.6–34.3° 14.7–28.8° horizontal

Diagonal angle of view. Frames drawn to scale at 35mm (and 70mm). Calculated from the focal length and crop factor (adapted mount, so sensor size depends on your camera), not measured.

Open the field-of-view calculator

Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f/3.4 Vario-Sonnar T* specifications

Optics

Focal length
35-70mm
Maximum aperture
f/3.4
Minimum aperture
f/22
Format coverage
Full frame
Optical construction
10 elements in 10 groups

Focus

Autofocus motor
None
Minimum focus distance
0.7 m

Physical

Filter thread
67 mm
Weight
475 g
Length
80.5 mm
Diameter
70 mm

General

Brand
Contax
Lens type
Zoom

Specification source: en.wikipedia.org

What can you shoot with the Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f/3.4 Vario-Sonnar T*?

At 35-70mm this is a wide-angle to standard zoom, which typically suits:

  • Landscapes and cityscapes
  • Street and travel photography
  • Environmental portraits and interiors
  • Everyday and street photography
  • Natural-perspective portraits

Its moderate maximum aperture works best in good light or with a higher ISO.

Frequently asked questions

What mount does the Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f/3.4 Vario-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 35-70mm f/3.4 Vario-Sonnar T*?

It zooms across 35-70mm with a maximum aperture of f/3.4. That makes it a wide-angle to standard lens.

Is the Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f/3.4 Vario-Sonnar T* a prime or a zoom lens?

It is a zoom lens covering 35-70mm, so you can reframe without moving. Its maximum aperture is f/3.4.

What is the Contax Zeiss 35-70mm f/3.4 Vario-Sonnar T* equivalent on a crop sensor?

On APS-C (1.5x crop) it frames like 53–105mm on full frame, with a 19.5–37.8° horizontal and 23.3–44.8° diagonal field of view. On Micro Four Thirds (2x crop) it frames like 70–140mm on full frame, with a 14.7–28.8° horizontal and 17.6–34.3° diagonal field of view. These figures are calculated from the focal length and crop factor.