50/1.1 MS-Sonnetar capsule review

[Dante_Stella]

I have been working on something while being terrorized into insomnia by my 3 year old daughter: about 3,009 words on the MS-Sonnetar 50mm f/1.1 M lens, which is a blast with the M typ 240 and 246. Assuming you get past the first week.

Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly, as well as a bunch of new illustrations of how it works and when it doesn't.

https://themachineplanet.wordpress.com/2015/11/12/ms-optical-50mm-f1-1-sonnetar-magic-time/

The follow-on will be the 50/1.2 Canon lens, which I shot in parallel. That will be in a few days.

Best,
Dante

 

[Noserider]

This is a great evaluation of this lens. My favorite line and I will be crediting this quote to Dante Stella:
"Bokeh is such a bourgeois concept."

 

[sevres_babylone]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Fascinating lens.

 

[bonatto]

nice writing 🙂

 

[jamin-b]

As always, an informative review and a good read in one. Please keep it up, Dante, you are a veritable public service!

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

As I understand it the XJS buttresses are not flying as they are solid. Those on Eg. The Maserati Merak on the other hand, are flying buttresses. Notre Dame comes to mind as the quintessential example of flying buttresses in architectural design.
Cheers
Brett

 

[Charlie Lemay]

Thanks Dante for the wonderful and thoughtful analysis. I have a Canon 1.5, 1.2, and a 1.5 Sonnar C and appreciate their differences. It sounds like this lens would fit right in.

 

[kbg32]

I think your daughter should terrorize you more!

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Haha, I came here to quote the line about bokeh being bourgeois. Great review, Dante, thanks! It actually makes me want to get another Canon 1.2 and compare them; I do wish the Sonnetar handled like the Canon.

 

[k__43]

You got me at "like The Life Aquatic"

 

[Dante_Stella]

As I understand it the XJS buttresses are not flying as they are solid.

Brett, that's indeed inaccurate from an architectural perspective but is the conventional term for the Jag fastback. I think it predates me and goes back to how much people hated that design when it came out. I would call it more "bat wing." 🙂

I think your daughter should terrorize you more!

She like to play with grown-up cameras. Isn't that terror enough? You'll notice in some of the pictures that the little boy (5) has a short haircut. That was the result of his self-haircut experiment. This lens testing has gone on so long that his hair is completely grown out now...

You got me at "like The Life Aquatic"

Remember, RFF's dress code does not admit of Speedos and Glocks. Well, not at the same time.

It actually makes me want to get another Canon 1.2 and compare them; I do wish the Sonnetar handled like the Canon.

The one thing I can tell you about that is that the cosmetics of the Canon lenses can be fairly deceiving; totally clean examples (which would be two out of the three I've had over the years) can be ho-hum performers. And ugly ducklings can be stars. It is funny that I just picked up another copy of Goodbye Picasso, and you can see the peculiar look of this lens in a bunch of the color shots. DDD is pictured in the dust jacket of one of his other books in a shot with (or by; I don't remember) Picasso with a black M3 with a Canon 1.2 mounted.

Dante

 

[Pioneer]

I had to check my coma adjuster. Interestingly it is just past the red dot. And you are absolutely right about the LensAlign and a digital being a very useful combo in attempting to get a handle on calibrating this lens.

By the way, I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings but I have had this lens for a bit over two years and am still trying to learn how to use it. Obviously I am a slow learner though.

Terrific review; keep up the great work. I too will keep your fantastic quote in my hip pocket for use in appropriate, and likely inappropriate, circumstances. 😀

Looking forward to your Canon review.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

This is a great evaluation of this lens. My favorite line and I will be crediting this quote to Dante Stella:
"Bokeh is such a bourgeois concept."

"There is nothing more bland than a 50mm Summicron" LOL

Seriously, Dante, this is such a great review. I don't think anyone writes about the technical aspects of photography better—your pieces are always so articulate and funny.