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contax distagon 21mm 2.8

gogopix

Subscriber
Prices of this lens seem to be slipping. Under $2000 on ebay now

Has the Canon crwd lost interest? Or is there an issue?

I have an SLRc that I might want to use it on, but have there been problems with the 21mm and canon mounts?

Thx
Victor
 

woodyspedden

New member
hey Victor

There have always been issues with the adapters to go from CY to EOS. The adapters must be very thin and precisely machined in order to achieve infinity focus. And there needs to be several thicknesses as there appears to be no one size fits all.

However it is possible to adapt all the CY lenses if you get the right adapters. you might want to talk to Pham minh Son as he made (IMO) the best of all the adapters. He could certainly provide guidance on adapting the CY 21 Distagon

hope this helps

Woody
 

ChrisDauer

Workshop Member
The auction I'm looking at isn't over and items like this tend towards 1 of 2 extremes (imo).

1.) No one bids at all.
2.) Lots of bids at the last minute.

as for mounts, good ones cost. Bad ones don't and you take your chances. I just couldn't image spending that kind of money on a lens and skimping on a cheap adapter.

FWIW, I'm surprised that the price is going down. I would have anticipated it going up w/ things like the 1Ds3. As sensors start taxing lens limits, the better lenses will really start to shine.
 

ChrisDauer

Workshop Member
Final sale price on Ebay: US $2,300.00

Perhaps the price is coming down.
Still, it's surprising to me because the more advanced a sensor gets, the better the lens needs to be, to keep up. I would think lenses like these would get more expensive with time, not less...
 

robmac

Well-known member
I think you're see the effect of the $1500 Nikon 14-24 G.

For $1500 (less used in 1 yr) and some form of adapter if a Canon-shooter (homemade or Mark's when they come out) you get less distortion, a broader FL, much easier resale and 90th percentile performance of the 21.

I suspect the new Nikkor will push down prices of the 21, Leica 19 and Leica 28 ver 2 - lenses that until now were the only uber-WA game in town.
 

ChrisDauer

Workshop Member
Excellent point. You could be right. Given that the adapters are not widely available for Canon, I would not have thought it would be making this level of impact. Now if those adapter's came from Mark in Jan as people were hoping, I'd agree outright. Still, an excellent point. It is certainly on my list (but not until after Mark can put a levered adapter into my hands!
 

woodyspedden

New member
Perhaps but the CY 21 Distagon is a special drawing style that is not replicated by other lenses. I have the Nikon 14-24 and find it just incredible for a zoom. This is one special puppy but the files from it are just not the same as the CY 21. Probably better in some ways but definitely different and some folks really value the difference. I sold my CY 21 in favor of the Leica 19 because the rendition of the Leica was more to my liking. Who knows but I bet the CY 21 won't come down dramatically because of its legendary status. JMHO YMMV

Woody
 

robmac

Well-known member
The 21 is a limited market and anyone considering one now knows they can get the far less costly Nikkor at ANY time.

From what I've seen, making your own adapter by modifying a spare Nikkor-EOS unit is a simple job for any tinkerer -at least until a more elegant solution comes around.

I agree, a legend will always be a legend and command a premium. I just think with the new player in town after such a dry spell in the mainstream UWA market, interested photogs now have the luxury of waiting for that magical deal on a 21 - if they have their heart set on one. Demand slows, prices ease.

You may also see some folks looking at their $2300+ 21mm that they likely don't use that often, glancing at the $1500 mustache-distortion-free Nikon and envisioning what toys that $800+ could buy. Supply goes up, prices ease.

Hell, KEH as at least in stock at last count - and you know they paid a hell of a lot less than $2300 for them.

I suspect the 14-24 dramatically changed the ultra WA cost/benefit curve for a lot of folks.
 
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woodyspedden

New member
The 21 is a limited market and anyone considering one now knows they can get the far less costly Nikkor at ANY time.

From what I've seen, making your own adapter by modifying a spare Nikkor-EOS unit is a simple job for any tinkerer -at least until a more elegant solution comes around.

I agree, a legend will always be a legend and command a premium. I just think with the new player in town after such a dry spell in the mainstream UWA market, interested photogs now have the luxury of waiting for that magical deal on a 21 - if they have their heart set on one. Demand slows, prices ease.

You may also see some folks looking at their $2300+ 21mm that they likely don't use that often, glancing at the $1500 mustache-distortion-free Nikon and envisioning what toys that $800+ could buy. Supply goes up, prices ease.

Hell, KEH as at least in stock at last count - and you know they paid a hell of a lot less than $2300 for them.

I suspect the 14-24 dramatically changed the ultra WA cost/benefit curve for a lot of folks.
Hey Robert

I agree with all that you say. As I mentioned earlier, I sold my 21 because I felt the the Leica 19 got the job done (the job that i wanted) a bit better. i am a big CY fan and I stil believe the 21 will command premium prices but it has little to do with which is the better (or the best) lens. Legend is legend and the CY 21 Distagon is at the top of the legend list. JHMO.....YMMV

Woody
 
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