Contax Contax/Yashica mount Standard zoom
Contax Zeiss 40-80mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T*
Quick answer
The Contax Zeiss 40-80mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* is a standard to short telephoto zoom lens covering 40-80mm at f/3.5 for the Contax/Yashica mount. Its moderate maximum aperture works best in good light or with a higher ISO.
- Full frame
- APS-C (60–120mm equiv.)
- Micro Four Thirds (80–160mm equiv.)
- Other systems via mount adapter
- Focal
- 40–80mm
- Aperture
- f/3.5–22
- Weight
- 605g
- Filter
- 55mm
- Min focus
- 1.2m
- AF motor
- None
What 40-80mm sees
- Full frame crop 1.0×
- 30.3–56.8° 25.4–48.5° horizontal
- APS-C crop 1.5× → 60–120mm
- 20.4–39.7° 17.1–33.4° horizontal
- Micro Four Thirds crop 2.0× → 80–160mm
- 15.4–30.3° 12.8–25.4° horizontal
Diagonal angle of view. Frames drawn to scale at 40mm (and 80mm). 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 40-80mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* specifications
Optics
- Focal length
- 40-80mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/3.5
- Minimum aperture
- f/22
- Format coverage
- Full frame
- Optical construction
- 13 elements in 9 groups
Focus
- Autofocus motor
- None
- Minimum focus distance
- 1.2 m
Physical
- Filter thread
- 55 mm
- Weight
- 605 g
- Length
- 87 mm
- Diameter
- 67 mm
General
- Brand
- Contax
- Mount
- Contax/Yashica
- Lens type
- Zoom
Specification source: en.wikipedia.org
What can you shoot with the Contax Zeiss 40-80mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T*?
At 40-80mm this is a standard to short telephoto zoom, which typically suits:
- Everyday and street photography
- Natural-perspective portraits
- Documentary and travel work
- Portraits with a flattering perspective
- Events and weddings
Its moderate maximum aperture works best in good light or with a higher ISO.
Frequently asked questions
What mount does the Contax Zeiss 40-80mm f/3.5 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 40-80mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T*?
It zooms across 40-80mm with a maximum aperture of f/3.5. That makes it a standard to short telephoto lens.
Is the Contax Zeiss 40-80mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* a prime or a zoom lens?
It is a zoom lens covering 40-80mm, so you can reframe without moving. Its maximum aperture is f/3.5.
What is the Contax Zeiss 40-80mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* equivalent on a crop sensor?
On APS-C (1.5x crop) it frames like 60–120mm on full frame, with a 17.1–33.4° horizontal and 20.4–39.7° diagonal field of view. On Micro Four Thirds (2x crop) it frames like 80–160mm on full frame, with a 12.8–25.4° horizontal and 15.4–30.3° 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.
More Contax lenses for Contax/Yashica
All Contax lensesOther 40-80mm lenses
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