Contax Zeiss PC-Distagon 2.8/35 T* lens review
Key features
- Highly versatile 35mm focal length
- +/- 10mm shift (no tilt)
- 90° rotation left and right in 15° increments
- Shift movement operates without locking
- Floating element design to reduce aberrations at close range
- T* coatings reduce reflections, lens flare, and ghosting
- Made by Zeiss in Germany (Oberkochen)
- Stopped-down operation only
The Contax Zeiss PC-Distagon 2.8/35 T* is a shift lens manufactured by Zeiss for Contax C/Y mount SLR cameras, designed in the late 1970s or early 1980s. At that time, the 35mm focal length was a popular choice for shift lenses. Canon stood out for its tilt/shift model, but Minolta, Nikon, and Olympus all had 35mm shift lenses in their catalogue. With the advent of mirrorless cameras, all of the above can be easily adapted to work seamlessly.
Today, however, 35mm is a focal length that’s excluded for shift-type lenses, much to my amazement. It’s ideal for interiors without the exaggerated perspective of the wider (17mm and 19mm) types, and when 24mm is a bit too wide and 45mm a bit too tight for exterior architecture. The 35mm lens stands out as the most versatile option for shift photography, yet it seems to be overlooked by many.
Canon has the widest range of lenses with movements in EF mount, followed by Nikon in F mount and then Fujifilm (see here for my review of the GF30mm F5.6 T/S), but Sony doesn’t have a single shift lens in its range, nor do any of the independents (except Laowa/Venus). So shift (and to a much lesser degree tilt) is thought to be a bit niche, but it forms the backbone of many photographers working in commercial environments: architecture, interiors, gardens, food, studio and real estate.
Made by Zeiss in Germany, the PC-Distagon 2.8/35 T* is considered the best of its type in this focal length. Admittedly, it’s expensive, being around £700-£1,000 used and around double or sometimes triple that of rivals for a well-preserved one. Internally, there are 9 elements in 9 groups, and it has a “floating element” design to reduce aberrations at close focusing distances. Zeiss doesn’t claim whether any anomalous dispersion glass is used in its construction, as was the custom back then, but some likely are.
Most of these lenses I’ve seen have serial numbers in the 62-67xxxxx range, which are made in West Germany. The 62-63s have the all-black painted mount, the 65s part black/chrome and the 67s (with some late 65s) all-chrome, and marked as made in West Germany still. However, I have a later model in the 73xxxxx range, with an all-chrome bayonet mount and engraved Made in Germany. Information on manufacturing dates is scarce… but it’s presumed the lens was made in the late 90s or at the turn of the century. As far as I’m aware, none of these lenses were manufactured in Japan, but if you have information to the contrary, please let me know.
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How does it handle?
In every other regard, the lens looks the same as those of the earlier West German models. The exterior is all metal, and unusually, the shift feature is operated by pushing the lens up or down (+/- 10mm), just forward of the mount. The lens can be rotated in 15-degree steps up to 90 degrees left or right, to allow shifting at other angles, but that involves a somewhat fiddly ring to be pushed or pulled back towards the camera while simultaneously rotating the barrel.
For a two-shot panorama, if that’s your preference, you’re likely better off by rotating the lens 90 degrees to the left or right first, and then gently shifting outward. After taking a shot, I suggest returning it to the centre before extending it out in the opposite direction. It’s fiddly but less so than shifting first and then rotating.
At the front of the lens, what looks like a filter thread is actually a focusing helicoid. If you try to add a pinch-type lens cap, it will push it off when turning the focusing ring to infinity. Instead, Contax provided a push-on lens cap, which can be difficult to find secondhand now. And, that means you can’t use screw-in filters either; the equally elusive (and expensive) optional Contax 70/86mm push-on adaptor ring is required for filters or for the use of a hood.
The aperture isn’t coupled to the body in any way, either mechanically or electronically, and so there’s no aperture readout in a Contax body, nor, of course, in any mirrorless camera. Metering then is in “stopped down” mode, and the viewfinder obviously becomes progressively darker on stopping down. In good light, that’s not so much of an issue, but here in the UK, where the sun rarely shines, it’s a good idea to set the mirrorless camera’s viewfinder to disable exposure simulation. This then makes the mirrorless camera boost brightness in the viewfinder, but you’re then reliant on the exposure meter, losing one of the benefits of this type of camera when using a shift lens.
Another downside, at least for Canon users anyway, is the loss of Canon’s quirky but effective Focus Guide – an interactive aid designed for accurate manual focusing. It’s not displayed with the Zeiss fitted. While Canon specifically states not to rely on this when using T/S lenses, it works fine with their TS-E models for shifting anyway. Instead, I use the magnifier option to check focus accuracy, which works well with both the Zeiss PC-D and Canon TS-E lenses.
I used a Metabones Contax C/Y to Canon RF mount cine adaptor with a positive lock (PL) style ring, which I bought directly from the manufacturer. If you’re not familiar, it’s like the Canon FD breachlock from the 1970s in operation, which means once aligned, the ring is turned rather than the lens. The design maintains a tight fit without any slack, and it compensates for wear when tightened. The downside is that it doesn’t lock with a button. Another plus point with this adapter, though, is the inclusion of a detachable tripod mount with an Arca-style foot and the main reason for purchasing this model. Although the lens is relatively compact by today’s standards, it is still quite long and weighs a substantial 740 grams (1.6 pounds).
In terms of design, the lens combines elements from the Canon FD breechlock series of the 1970s, featuring orange and white numerals along with a rubber-knobbed focusing ring and the robust metal construction of AIS Nikkors from the early 1980s. The aperture ring operates more smoothly than the AIS Nikkors and is both slightly heavier and better damped. The same can be said of the focusing ring, which gives the impression that the AIS Nikkors are like cheaper copies; high praise indeed, given the latter’s outstanding reputation. That said, the focus throw is limited somewhat, making accurate focusing at long distances essential on high-resolution bodies.
How does it perform?
While the operation can be tricky, the results are worth the time invested to get to know it. True to form, the lens has superb rendering – very typically Zeiss – and it’s sharp wide open, even out to the edges of the frame. If being supercritical, background bokeh is a little distracting at F2.8, with some double outlines being visible along high-contrast edges, but it’s not a deal-breaker in a lens like this.
Stopped down the lens performs impeccably right through the aperture range to F22, albeit with some very slight loss of sharpness due to diffraction, noticeable at the smallest apertures. However, F8/F11 is the sweet spot for shifting, shifted to +/-7/8mm at least. Admittedly, more testing is required at the extremes. However, I rarely use shift lenses like that, preferring to leave some “residual perspective” to prevent the unrealistic, top-heavy look of buildings, which, in effect, is over-corrected to my eye.
Chromatic aberration is very low, exceptionally so for a lens design this old. There’s also some barrel distortion, which was a little surprising, but it’s mild and not that noticeable, especially with exteriors. Depending on the scene, some interiors might present more of an issue. However, both the slight lateral chromatic aberration and distortion are relatively easy to correct in post.
Conclusion
The 35mm Zeiss PC-D has, for the time being at least, replaced my Canon 45mm T/S lens. The Zeiss is more versatile, has better rendering and far less chromatic aberration. There’s no doubt the Canon is a great lens, but the LaCA is the 45mm’s weakness; while I can remove most of it in post, there’s always some remaining. Handling can be quite subjective, but the Zeiss lens may present some challenges depending on the scene and your setup. Panoramas and filters add a layer of complexity, but both are easily overcome when used on a tripod. When the lens is used handheld, without filters, for simple rise or fall shifting, handling is sublime and as easy to use as the original smaller 24mm or the 45mm T/S lenses, maybe even more so. Best of all, the sharpness across the entire image field, even when shifted at least out to ±7/8 mm, is excellent, and that Zeiss rendering is highly attractive.
While there are some shortcomings, mostly with the handling, the Contax Zeiss PC-Distagon 2.8/35 T* is highly recommended.
Pros
Zeiss drawing style/rendering
High sharpness at all apertures
Low LaCA
+/- 10mm shift
Shift and rotation operation relatively easy once familiar
Well made
Cons
Slight barrel distortion (more noticeable at close distances)
86mm filters only with accessory ring
Rotation fiddly at first
Short focus rotation
Stopped down use only
Expensive used
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Sample Gallery
Technical Data
| Manufacturer | Zeiss (for Contax) |
| Model | Contax Zeiss PC-Distagon 2.8/35 T*. |
| Web | zeiss.de |
| Elements/construction | 9 elements in 9 groups |
| Angle of view (d/h/v) | 63/83° (diagonal) |
| Max aperture | F2.8 |
| Min aperture | F22 |
| Min focus distance | 0.3 m / 8.3″ |
| Mount | C/Y mount |
| Filter size | Clamp-on Contax 70/86mm ring |
| Length | 85.6 mm / 3.4 in |
| Diameter | 70 mm / 2.8 in |
| Weight | 740 g / 1.6 lb |
| Price | £2,100 inc VAT / $2,499 RRP when new, over £4,000, nearly $5,000 today (2025) |
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