Zeiss's constant-aperture Contax zoom — the Vario-Sonnar T* 35-70mm f/3.4, manual-focus glass for the C/Y mount.
The Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 35-70mm f/3.4 was a standard zoom for the Contax/Yashica mount, offered from the mid-1980s and known for holding a constant f/3.4 aperture across its range. The Vario-Sonnar name marks it as a Zeiss zoom design.
This is a manual-focus C/Y-mount zoom spanning 35-70mm with a constant maximum aperture of f/3.4. The fixed aperture kept exposure steady while zooming, unusual for a compact standard zoom of its day. Further specifications are omitted where they cannot be verified.
The 35-70mm range covers wide-standard to short-telephoto framing for travel, street, landscape and general work. Its reputation for consistent rendering across the zoom made it a favoured single-lens option for Contax users.
Used copies are sought after and hold their value well for a zoom. Check the zoom and focus for smooth travel, look for internal haze, fungus and coating wear, and confirm clean aperture blades. It adapts to mirrorless with a C/Y adapter.