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Contax N mount Short telephoto prime

Contax Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar T*

Quick answer

The Contax Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar T* is a short telephoto prime lens covering 85mm at f/1.4 for the Contax N mount. Its very wide maximum aperture suits low light and shallow depth of field with strong background blur.

  • Full frame
  • APS-C (128mm equiv.)
  • Micro Four Thirds (170mm equiv.)
  • Other systems via mount adapter
Focal
85mm
Aperture
f/1.4–16
Weight
800g
Filter
82mm
Min focus
0.83m

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.

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Contax Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar T* specifications

Optics

Focal length
85mm
Maximum aperture
f/1.4
Minimum aperture
f/16
Format coverage
Full frame
Optical construction
10 elements in 9 groups

Focus

Minimum focus distance
0.83 m

Physical

Filter thread
82 mm
Weight
800 g
Length
80 mm
Diameter
90 mm

General

Brand
Contax
Mount
Contax N
Lens type
Prime

Specification source: en.wikipedia.org

What can you shoot with the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar 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 very wide maximum aperture suits low light and shallow depth of field with strong background blur.

Frequently asked questions

What mount does the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar 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 85mm f/1.4 Planar T*?

It is a fixed 85mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4. That makes it a short telephoto lens.

Is the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar 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/1.4.

What is the Contax Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar 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.