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Contax N mount Wide-angle zoom

Contax Zeiss 24-85mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T*

Quick answer

The Contax Zeiss 24-85mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* is a wide-angle to short telephoto zoom lens covering 24-85mm at f/3.5 for the Contax N mount. Its moderate maximum aperture works best in good light or with a higher ISO.

  • Full frame
  • APS-C (36–128mm equiv.)
  • Micro Four Thirds (48–170mm equiv.)
  • Other systems via mount adapter
Focal
24–85mm
Aperture
f/3.5–22
Weight
570g
Filter
82mm
Min focus
0.5m

What 24-85mm sees

Full frame crop 1.0×
28.6–84.1° 23.9–73.7° horizontal
APS-C crop 1.5× → 36–128mm
19.3–62° 16.1–53.1° horizontal
Micro Four Thirds crop 2.0× → 48–170mm
14.5–48.5° 12.1–41.1° horizontal

Diagonal angle of view. Frames drawn to scale at 24mm (and 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 calculator

Contax Zeiss 24-85mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* specifications

Optics

Focal length
24-85mm
Maximum aperture
f/3.5
Minimum aperture
f/22
Format coverage
Full frame
Optical construction
14 elements in 12 groups

Focus

Minimum focus distance
0.5 m

Physical

Filter thread
82 mm
Weight
570 g
Length
71 mm
Diameter
90 mm

General

Brand
Contax
Mount
Contax N
Lens type
Zoom

Specification source: en.wikipedia.org

What can you shoot with the Contax Zeiss 24-85mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T*?

At 24-85mm this is a wide-angle to short telephoto 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 24-85mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* use?

It uses the Contax N mount, so it fits Contax N cameras directly and can be used on other systems through a mount adapter.

What is the focal length of the Contax Zeiss 24-85mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T*?

It zooms across 24-85mm with a maximum aperture of f/3.5. That makes it a wide-angle to short telephoto lens.

Is the Contax Zeiss 24-85mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* a prime or a zoom lens?

It is a zoom lens covering 24-85mm, so you can reframe without moving. Its maximum aperture is f/3.5.

What is the Contax Zeiss 24-85mm f/3.5 Vario-Sonnar T* equivalent on a crop sensor?

On APS-C (1.5x crop) it frames like 36–128mm on full frame, with a 16.1–53.1° horizontal and 19.3–62° diagonal field of view. On Micro Four Thirds (2x crop) it frames like 48–170mm on full frame, with a 12.1–41.1° horizontal and 14.5–48.5° diagonal field of view. These figures are calculated from the focal length and crop factor.