Author: Zhao Zhenguo

The Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f/2.4: A Vintage Lens That Thinks It’s a Swiss Army Knife (And It’s Kinda Right)

ziess jena 35mm f2.4 + sony a7s

1. Introduction: When East Germany Made Magic

Let’s get real: the Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f/2.4 is the unicorn of vintage glass. It’s a Cold War relic that somehow outshines modern lenses, a socialist-era gem that laughs at capitalist logic, and a pancake lens that’s somehow also a macro beast. Released when disco was still cool, this little DDR darling proves that East Germany did more than just build the Berlin Wall—they built a damn fine lens.

Is it perfect? No.
Is it ridiculously fun to shoot? Abso-freaking-lutely.

ziess jena 35mm f2.4 + sony a7s

2. Build Quality: “Chunky Charm with a Side of Nostalgia”

Specs:

  • Weight: 248g (or “heavy enough to feel German, light enough to avoid chiropractor bills”).
  • Materials: Metal, glass, and a dash of communist stubbornness.
  • Aesthetic: A brushed-metal brick that whispers, “I survived the ’70s, and I’ll outlive your mirrorless camera.”

The Flektogon 35mm f/2.4 is built like a Trabant—quirky, indestructible, and weirdly lovable. The focus ring turns smoother than a Bowie vinyl, and that M42 mount? Pure retro flex.

Pro Tip: If your lens doesn’t double as a self-defense tool, you’re not holding it right.

3. Optical Performance: “The F/2.4 That Out-Bokehs F/2”

Specs:

  • Focal Length: 35mm (the “Goldilocks” of street photography).
  • Aperture: f/2.4 (because East Germany loved almost breaking rules).
  • Special Sauce: Magic dust stolen from a Wes Anderson film.

Bokeh Sorcery:

This lens defies physics. At f/2.4, backgrounds melt into a watercolor dreamscape that’s creamier than a Bavarian latte. It’s like Zeiss said, *“Who needs f/1.4 when you’ve got socialist engineering?”*

Fun Fact: The bokeh is so smooth, it could convince a Leica fanboy to defect.

Sharpness:

  • Center: Cuts through reality like a Stasi agent interrogating a capitalist spy.
  • Edges: Soft enough to make you question capitalism… but who looks at edges anyway?

4. The “Swiss Army Knife” Superpowers

  • Macro Mode: Focuses down to 0.19m—close enough to count a ladybug’s freckles.
  • Street Photography: 35mm lets you capture life’s chaos without getting punched.
  • Portraits: f/2.4 serves just enough blur to make your subject pop like a strudel at a bake-off.

Pro Tip: Use it for everything. Literally. Flowers, faces, UFO sightings—this lens doesn’t care.

ziess jena 35mm f2.4 + sony a7s

5. Color Science: “The Rainbow Factory Called Dresden”

  • Straight-out-of-camera JPEGs: Cold-war cool with a dash of Ostalgie (that’s “East German nostalgia” for you capitalists).
  • RAW Flexibility: Desaturate it, and it morphs into a moody poet. Crank the vibrancy, and it’s a disco ball.
  • Golden Hour Glory: Turns sunlight into liquid amber.

Warning: Shooting with this lens may cause sudden urges to wear Adidas tracksuits and hum 99 Luftballons.

6. Quirks & Quibbles: “Love Letters from 1975”

Pros:

  • Versatility: Does macro, street, and portraits like a caffeinated octopus.
  • Character: Delivers that “I shot this on expired film” vibe without the expired film.
  • Price: Cheaper than a weekend in Berlin (if you avoid eBay scalpers).

Cons:

  • Aperture Blades: 6 straight blades make bokeh balls look like ninja stars at f/2.8. Embrace the chaos.
  • Flare Drama: Shoot into the sun, and you’ll get artistic ghosting. Or just call it “Soviet ambiance.”

7. The “Leica vs. Zeiss” Cold War (Spoiler: Everyone Wins)

  • Leica Comparison: Sharper than a Leica Summicron in the center, but with 10% of the pretentiousness.
  • Modern Zeiss: Less clinical, more “let’s drink schnapps and write poetry.”
  • Verdict: This lens is the lovechild of Leica’s soul and Zeiss’s brains—raised behind the Iron Curtain.

8. Final Verdict: “The People’s Lens”

The Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f/2.4 isn’t a lens. It’s a time machine. It’s for photographers who crave character over perfection, who think bokeh should be felt, not measured, and who’d rather shoot than flex their gear on Instagram.

ziess jena 35mm f2.4 + sony a7s

Buy it if:

  • You want vintage charm without the vintage price tag.
  • You enjoy confusing millennials with “ancient tech.”
  • You’ve ever wondered, “What if Wes Anderson designed a lens?”

Skip it if:

  • You need autofocus (or basic human patience).
  • Your idea of fun is pixel-peeping at 400%.

Rating: 4.7/5 stars (minus 0.3 for the ninja-star bokeh balls, because priorities).

ziess jena 35mm f2.4 + sony a7s

Spec Sheet for Geeks (Because We Know You’re Reading This):

  • Aperture Blades: 6 straight (ninja stars included).
  • Close Focus: 0.19m (aka “close enough to smell the sauerkraut”).
  • Weight: 248g (heavier than your regrets, lighter than your DSLR).
  • Flare Resistance: Optional.
ziess jena 35mm f2.4 + sony a7s

The Leica R 35-70mm f/3.5 E67: When German Engineering Marries Japanese Flair (And They Live Happily Ever After)

Nikon D700 with Leica R 35-70mm f/3.5 E67

1. Introduction: The Unlikely Lovechild of Precision and Rebellion

Let’s get real: the Leica R 35-70mm f/3.5 E67 is the power couple of the lens world. It’s half German tank, half Japanese anime mech—sturdy enough to survive a nuclear winter, yet sleek enough to make your hipster friends weep into their pour-over coffee. Born from Leica’s obsession with perfection and Minolta’s “hold my sake” innovation, this zoom lens is proof that opposites attract… spectacularly.

Is it perfect? No.
Is it the most interesting lens in your bag? Abso-freaking-lutely.

2. Build Quality: “Built Like a Mercedes, Priced Like a Porsche”

Specs:

  • Weight: 450g (or “light enough to lift, heavy enough to bludgeon a thief”).
  • Materials: German metal, Japanese pragmatism, and enough heft to double as a dumbbell.
  • Aesthetic: A brushed-metal brick that whispers, “I’m here to work, not to accessorize.”

The E67 is built like a Bavarian bank vault—over-engineered, indestructible, and slightly intimidating. Minolta might’ve designed the optics, but Leica slapped on enough Teutonic polish to make even a Rolex feel insecure.

Pro Tip: If your lens doesn’t leave a dent in your coffee table, you’re not Leica-ing hard enough.

3. Optical Performance: “Leica’s Secret Sauce, Minolta’s Spice”

Specs:

  • Focal Range: 35-70mm (the “Swiss Army knife” of zooms).
  • Aperture: f/3.5 (or “how to flex subtlety”).
  • Special Sauce: Leica’s anti-chaos field (patent pending).

Color Science:

Leica’s signature “stable genius” meets Minolta’s rebellious flair. Reds don’t scream—they croon. Blues don’t glare—they serenade. Greens? Let’s just say they’ve got a PhD in chlorophyll.

Fun Fact: Shoot at golden hour, and your photos will look like they’ve been baptized in liquid amber.

Nikon D700 with Leica R 35-70mm f/3.5 E67

Sharpness:

  • Center: Cuts through reality like a katana.
  • Edges: Soft enough to make you question your life choices… until you realize nobody cares about edges.

Bokeh:

Smoother than a jazz saxophonist’s riff. At f/3.5, backgrounds melt into a watercolor dreamscape. It’s not “creamy”—it’s butter churned by angels.

4. The “Leica Stability” Superpower

Leica’s secret weapon? Consistency. This lens laughs at harsh light, scoffs at backlighting, and side-eyes chromatic aberration like it’s a peasant.

  • Flare Control: Better than your therapist’s poker face.
  • Low Light: Shoots in the dark like a ninja with night vision goggles.
  • Color Stability: Your photos will age like Keanu Reeves—ageless and vaguely mystical.

Pro Tip: Pair it with a Nikon D700, and watch it transform into a nostalgia machine.

Nikon D700 with Leica R 35-70mm f/3.5 E67
Continue reading The Leica R 35-70mm f/3.5 E67: When German Engineering Marries Japanese Flair (And They Live Happily Ever After)

The Leica Magic Designed by Minolta

Leica Vario – Elmar – R 35 – 70mm f/3.5 E67 with Nikon D700

Some say that Minolta-designed lenses lack a bit of the Leica magic, but looking at this lens – the Leica R 35-70mm f3.5 E67 – I think it still has some Leica characteristics, especially in black and white. Both highlights and shadows retain a remarkable amount of detail and smooth transitions. It still has that Leica magic.

Leica Vario – Elmar – R 35 – 70mm f/3.5 E67 with Nikon D700

Let me whisper a secret to you: any standard lens beyond 50mm is a gem of a lens.

nikkor 58mm f1.4 auto with sony a7s

No wonder they say Nikon’s old masters excel at capturing landscapes—its scenery shots brim with an exhilarating vitality. Take Nikon’s 58mm f1.4 Auto lens, the first f1.4 large-aperture lens crafted for the formidable F-mount. Its lineage traces back to the rangefinder 50mm lenses, yet the reflex mirror of SLR cameras nudged it to 58mm. In truth, apart from a slightly narrower field of view compared to a 50mm, it transcends the standard in the ethereal realm of bokeh and that elusive, almost mystical quality. Heehee, here’s a little secret few know: when it comes to background blur, early standard lenses with focal lengths between 50mm and 65mm—think 58mm, 55mm, or 60mm—are truly exceptional. They share a deep kinship with that German flavor, steeped in a certain metaphysical allure.

Oh, and by the way, Leica’s 50mm lenses? They’re all ever so slightly larger than 50mm 😉—a subtle truth Leica kept quietly to itself back in the day.

nikkor 58mm f1.4 auto with sony a7s

The Contax CY 40-80mm f/3.5: The Zoom Lens That Thinks It’s a Prime (And Almost Gets Away With It)

sony a7s with contax 40mm-80mm f3.5

1. Introduction: When Germany Decided to Make a Zoom Lens (And Forgot to Apologize)

Let’s get real: the Contax CY 40-80mm f/3.5 is the unicorn of vintage zooms. It’s German-engineered, absurdly niche, and about as subtle as a polka band at a library. Released in the ’80s, this little gem is proof that Germans can do zooms—they just choose not to most of the time.

Is it perfect? No.
Is it ridiculously charming? Absolutely.

2. Optics: “Zeiss Colors, No Calorie Count”

Specs:

  • Focal Length: 40-80mm (the “Goldilocks” of zoom ranges).
  • Aperture: f/3.5 (or “how to make your photos look intentional”).
  • Construction: German steel, Japanese efficiency, and pure Zeiss magic.
sony a7s with contax 40mm-80mm f3.5
Continue reading The Contax CY 40-80mm f/3.5: The Zoom Lens That Thinks It’s a Prime (And Almost Gets Away With It)

The Yashica ML 35mm f/2.8: The Budget Contax That’s Basically a Cheat Code

sony a7s with yashica 35mm f2.8 ml

1. Introduction: When “Vintage” Means “Secretly Awesome”

Let’s get real: the Yashica ML 35mm f/2.8 is the undercover cop of vintage lenses. It looks like Contax’s thrift-store cousin, shoots like a mini Zeiss, and costs less than a week’s worth of avocado toast. Mount it on a Contax body, and suddenly you’re a “serious photographer.” Mount it on anything else, and you’re just… sensible.

Is it perfect? No.
Is it ridiculously good for the price? Absolutely.

2. Optical Performance: “Almost Zeiss, But With a Side of Humble Pie”

Specs:

  • Focal Length: 35mm (the “Goldilocks” of street photography).
  • Aperture: f/2.8 (or “how to make your photos look expensive-ish”).
  • Construction: 6 elements in 5 groups (because Yashica loves efficiency).

Sharpness:

  • Center: Razor-sharp, like a stand-up comedian’s punchlines.
  • Edges: Soft, like your grandma’s butter cookies. But hey, who looks at the edges anyway?

Colors:

Straight out of camera? A bit flat, like a soda left open overnight. But tweak the white balance (nudge it warmer), and suddenly it’s serving Contax vibes on a Yashica budget.

Pro Tip: Shoot RAW, add a dash of contrast, and watch this lens transform from “meh” to “oh damn.”

3. Design: “Tiny Titan, Big Attitude”

  • Build Quality: Metal barrel, rubber focus ring, and enough heft to feel substantial without weighing down your camera bag.
  • Size: Compact enough to fit in a jacket pocket, yet heavy enough to bonk a paparazzi in self-defense.
  • Aesthetic: Retro chic, like a ’70s sports car… if that car were made of recycled optimism.

Fun Fact: Pair it with a Contax body, and Japanese photographers will nod at you in silent approval. Pair it with a Canon Rebel, and they’ll pretend not to see you.

4. Real-World Use: “The Street Shooter’s Secret Weapon”

  • Street Photography: The 35mm focal length is perfect for capturing life’s chaos without getting punched.
  • Portraits: At f/2.8, backgrounds melt into a creamy blur that’s almost L-lens worthy.
  • Travel: Lightweight and discreet, it’s the ideal companion for when you want to look like a tourist but shoot like a pro.

Warning: The edges are softer than a kitten’s paw. Just crop ’em out and call it “artistic framing.”

5. The “Contax Illusion” Hack

Japanese photographers swear by Yashica lenses on Contax bodies. Why? Because it’s like putting a Honda engine in a BMW—nobody notices until you tell them.

  • Contax Body + Yashica Lens = Instant street cred.
  • Yashica Body + Contax Lens = A crime against humanity.

6. Pros & Cons: “The Good, the Bad, and the Cozy”

Pros:

  • Price: Cheaper than a Contax lens cap.
  • Size: Fits in a pocket, a purse, or a squirrel’s nest.
  • Character: Delivers that “vintage pop” without the vintage price tag.

Cons:

  • Edge Softness: Corners look like they’re on a Vaseline bender.
  • Straight-Out-of-Camera JPGs: As exciting as plain oatmeal.
  • No Aura of Pretentiousness: You’ll still have to explain it’s not a Zeiss.

7. Final Verdict: “The Hipster’s Guilty Pleasure”

The Yashica ML 35mm f/2.8 isn’t a lens. It’s a life hack. It’s proof that you don’t need to sell a kidney to shoot like a Contax snob. It’s a reminder that sometimes, almost perfect is perfect enough.

Buy it if:

  • You want Contax vibes without the Contax debt.
  • You enjoy confusing gear nerds at coffee shops.
  • You’re okay with cropping edges like a mad gardener.

Skip it if:

  • You need corner-to-corner sharpness (get a Zeiss, you diva).
  • You’re allergic to post-processing.

Rating: 4/5 stars (minus 1 for the edges, because priorities).

Now go forth and shoot. Or just admire how tiny it is. We don’t care. 📸✨

sony a7s with yashica 35mm f2.8 ml

The Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM: A Pancake Lens That Packs More Punch Than Your Morning Espresso

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

1. Introduction: When Small Is Mighty (Mostly)

Let’s get one thing straight: the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM is the Swiss Army knife of lenses. It’s tiny, it’s cheap, and it’s so light, you’ll forget it’s in your bag—until you realize it’s somehow survived three years of being tossed around like a gym sock.

Is it perfect? No.
Is it ridiculously good for the price? Absolutely.

2. Design: “Built Like a Legoland Masterpiece”

Specs:

  • Weight: 130g (or “lighter than your phone”).
  • Size: Thinner than a slice of deli ham.
  • Materials: Plastic, plastic, and more plastic (with a dash of hope).

The 40mm f/2.8 is a pancake lens—so flat, you could slip it into a greeting card. The metal mount? A nice touch. The rest? Let’s just say it’s “minimalist.”

Pro Tip: That matte black finish on the focus ring? It’ll start peeling faster than a sunburned tourist. Embrace the “distressed chic” look.

3. Optical Performance: “Surprisingly Not Terrible”

Specs:

  • Focal Length: 40mm (the “Goldilocks” of street photography).
  • Aperture: f/2.8 (or “how to make your photos look expensive on a budget”).

Sharpness:

  • Center: Razor-sharp, even wide open.
  • Edges: Acceptable, unless you’re pixel-peeping like a caffeinated squirrel.

Bokeh:

Creamier than a latte, softer than your grandma’s hugs. At f/2.8, backgrounds melt into a dreamy blur that’ll make your Instagram followers swoon.

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

Colors & Contrast:

Canon’s signature “friendly realism.” Skin tones glow, greens pop, and reds don’t look like they’re screaming for attention. It’s like Leica’s chill younger sibling.

4. Real-World Use: “The Street Photographer’s Sidekick”

  • Street Photography: The 40mm focal length is perfect for capturing life as it happens—close enough to feel intimate, wide enough to avoid jail time.
  • Portraits: Surprisingly flattering. Just don’t tell your 85mm f/1.2L.
  • Travel: Throw it on a full-frame body (like the 6D), and you’ve got a setup lighter than your emotional baggage.

Fun Fact: This lens is so compact, you’ll start questioning why any lens needs to be bigger than a soda can.

5. Quirks & Quibbles: “The Good, the Bad, and the Flaky”

Pros:

  • Price: Cheaper than a Netflix subscription.
  • Size: Fits in a pocket, a purse, or a squirrel’s cheek.
  • Silent AF: The STM motor is quieter than a librarian’s whisper.

Cons:

  • Build Quality: The focus ring coating peels like a bad sunburn.
  • Durability: Bump it, and the extending barrel might collapse like a folding chair.
  • No Hood Included: Because Canon assumes you’ll never shoot into the sun (lol).

6. The “Pancake vs. L Lens” Showdown

Comparing the 40mm f/2.8 to Canon’s L glass is like comparing a tricycle to a Ferrari. But here’s the kicker: this tricycle can keep up.

  • Sharpness: Matches the 35mm f/1.4L (at f/2.8, at least).
  • Portability: Beats every L lens in a marathon.
  • Ego Check: Reminds you that gear isn’t everything.

7. The Verdict: “A Lens for the Rest of Us”

The Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM isn’t a lens. It’s a philosophy. It’s proof that great photography doesn’t require a second mortgage. It’s a middle finger to gear snobs and a high-five to pragmatists.

Buy it if:

  • You want a lightweight, versatile prime for street or travel.
  • You’re tired of lugging around lens bricks.
  • You enjoy confusing Leica shooters at coffee shops.

Skip it if:

  • You need weather sealing (or self-esteem).
  • You’re planning to use it as a hockey puck.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars (minus 0.5 for the peeling paint, because sigh).

Now go forth and shoot. Or just admire how tiny it is. We don’t care. 📸✨

Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

Contrails and Birdsong: A Blue Afternoon

sony a300 + minolta 100mm-200mm f4.5

I walked alone with my Minolta 100mm-200mm f4.5, the kind of lens that feels like an old friend—light, unassuming, yet always ready to show me something new. The sky was a deep, unblemished blue, the kind of blue that makes you think of forgotten jazz records spinning in a quiet room. I looked up, as I often do, and there it was: an airplane slicing through the emptiness, leaving two white contrails behind, like the faint traces of a memory I couldn’t quite place. Not far off, a flock of birds circled in the high air, their wings catching the light in a way that felt almost deliberate, as if they were writing a message I’d never decipher. I stood there, the shutter clicking softly, feeling the weight of the moment settle into me—a strange, gentle happiness, like the last note of a song fading into silence.

sony a300 + minolta 100mm-200mm f4.5

CCD Spring: When Pixels Blush Youth

sony a300 with minolta 100mm-200mm f4.5

My Sony A300, with its CCD heart, captures spring like a time traveler stuck in 2008. It doesn’t record light—it whispers it. Those greens? Not emeralds, but fresh chlorophyll still trembling on willow buds. Those pinks? Not petals, but the shyness of first blooms caught mid-sigh.

CCD sensors are digital photography’s adolescence. Their color science stutters like a teenager’s heartbeat—overexposed whites blooming into halos, shadows clinging to blue like denim jackets in March wind. Every image wears a vintage sweater, all soft edges and nostalgic noise. This isn’t imperfection; it’s the raw grammar of beginnings.

CMOS is summer’s sober adult. Precise, efficient, flexing dynamic range like sunbaked muscles. Its colors don’t blush—they declare. Where CCD stumbles into accidental poetry (a blown highlight mimicking overeager laughter), CMOS calculates every photon like a banker counting daylight.

Yet I choose to wander with my CCD relic. These spring frames pulse with what EXIF data can’t quantify—the way morning light spills through Beijing’s hutong cracks like stolen apricot jam, how bicycle baskets overflow with pear blossoms pretending to be snow.

Youth isn’t in the device, but in how it fails. The A300’s blooming highlights? That’s spring refusing to hold its breath. The chromatic aberration around temple eaves? Time itself lens-flaring. When my focus hesitates on a girl’s flying hair instead of her face, the sensor shrugs: “So what? She’s moving, alive—aren’t you?”

Come July, I’ll let CMOS harvest summer’s ripe light. But today, my CCD and I chase adolescent photons—those wild particles that haven’t yet learned to behave.

sony a300 with minolta 100mm-200mm f4.5
sony a300 with minolta 100mm-200mm f4.5
sony a300 with minolta 100mm-200mm f4.5
sony a300 with minolta 100mm-200mm f4.5