35mm equivalent of the 50mm Zeiss Sonnar?

[dagubu]

I've been reading about the Canon 50mm 1.5 LTM lens, a Sonnar type lens, and how it has a certain "look" or signature compared with Planar lenses. Just wondering if there's a 35mm lens that has the same Sonnar look? Not necessarily a 35mm Sonnar design, but one that takes pictures with similar qualities?

 

[Roger Hicks]

The 'Sonnar look' is highly subjective to begin with, and the Sonnar design is not well suited to wide-angles. It is therefore going to be a matter of what different people see/want to see/think what they are seeing. I'd recommend an FSU 35/2.8 as beng closest to a Sonnar look, but (a) that's subjective and (b) the resolution is typically fairly miserable.

Cheers,

R.

 

[f16sunshine]

Tanaka kogaku f2.8/35mm seems to look a bit sonnarish to my eyes.

 

[axiom]

Rollei Sonnar 40mm

 

[aleksanderpolo]

May I resurrect this post and ask for some samples?

Also, why is ZM 35/2.8 a "C"-Biogon? What is the classic look that it is trying to imitate? A Sonnar look? Or is it something else?

Thanks.

 

[Richard G]

I think the C Biogon is C for compact. With the C Sonnar 50 the C is both C for classic and C for compact.

 

[aleksanderpolo]

thanks for correcting me. I found the sample of Rollei Sonnar.

 

[jsrockit]

So, is the Rollei really close to the C-Sonnar?

 

[noimmunity]

yes, but it only opens up to f/2.8
the Rollei Sonnar has the classic sonnar signature of biting sharp on center with very smooth transition to the less sharp corners. The HFT coating on the sample I have is a bit on the warm side, similar to Zeiss T*. The ZM C Sonnar has an incredible creaminess at f/2 and f/2.8 that makes the bokeh at those apertures look more like shots taken at f/1.5 . So there is something 'magic' in the ZM C Sonnar @ f/2.8 that the Rollei Sonnar doesn't quite have. But the Rollei Sonnar definitely has both charm and appeal. My ZM C Sonnar was originally optimized for f/2,8, but I had it recalibrated for focus at f/1,5. The previous calibration produced perhaps even more stunning bokeh at f/2,8 - f/4, but the focus shift at minimum focus distance wide open was a pain for me, so I really prefer the lens optimised for f/1,5. The Rollei Sonnar has no focus shift that I've noticed in use, but I've never done tests.

 

[fuwen]

Rollei Sonnar 40mm

Supported.


http://www.fuwen.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=55&Itemid=116

 

[Neare]

Contax T series? 😀
Each sonnar design ends up rendering differently anyway.

 

[BobYIL]

I have the C-Sonnar and as 35mm the C-Biogon, 8-element Summicron, 2.8 & 3.5 Summaron and pre-asp. Summilux (both Wetzlar & Canada) . I think it matches best with the pre-asp. Summilux, especially beyond f2.8.

 

[hausen]

Noimmunity, where did you have your Sonnar optimised for 1.5? I have the same issue with mine and now I have the M9 would love to have it calibrated for 1.5.

 

[noimmunity]

Noimmunity, where did you have your Sonnar optimised for 1.5? I have the same issue with mine and now I have the M9 would love to have it calibrated for 1.5.

I sent mine in to Cosina, Japan. You could also send it to Zeiss in Oberkochen. They've done it quite a bit, and it should be very simple, with only a nominal fee, if at all. Worth it, given my penchant for using the lens wide open and close up.

 

[hausen]

Noimmunity is there any chance you still have the contact details at Cosina? I really want to use mine wide open as well!

 

[t6un]

The prewar 35mm/2,8 Biogon and it's soviet copy Jupiter-12 are typical sonnars by design (if there is such a thing as a typical wide-angle sonnar).