Carl Zeiss 50mm 1.4 for SLR systems

[awilder]

Regardless of the blade count, the aperture shape is still triangular. This unusual blade design is a carryover from Zeiss' "B-Speed" lenses, the earliest 35 mm format high speed Zeiss cinematography lenses made in the 1970's for Arri Bayonet mount (B-Mount). There are at least 6 blades which form a triangular aperture when stopped down. It gave the lens a unique signature when stopped down. If you've seen the film "Taxi Diver" there are triangular OOF highlights in certain scenes, so you know the lens used was one of the Zeiss B-Speeds. Here's a video link demonstrating OOF triangular highlights for 25/1.4, 50/1.4 and 85/1.4 B-Speeds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyXoc7_ZDmU

 

[raid]

The history of such lenses is cool.

 

[rfaspen]

I happen to have had both a German and singaporean QBM 50/1.8. They were both great performers. The German 50/1.4 was not really any better.
I sold the singapore lens just because I don't need redundant lenses. The German 50/1.8 has become unusable with gummed up lubricants. 50/1.4 starting to get sluggish, barely.
QBM lenses are very good; they make me think of R level. I could use an adapter or conversion because I don't use my last rollei body for them...an SL35 made in germany. Sad because I have a lot of accessories for macro work with that system.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

I used to have the Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f1.4 (ZS M42 mount) made in Japan by Cosina. I used it on my Bessaflex TM SLR camera. Both camera and lens sold some time ago. I don't regret selling the Bessaflex but I should have kept the lens.

A few shots taken with it mounted on my Sony A7II

All the best,
Mike

 

[Doug]

I just read online that the QBM 35/1.4 shows 3 aperture blades but in fact each two blades were connected, so in fact it has 6 blades. In the 85/1.4 each three blades were connected, so a 3-blades aperture is in fact with 9 blades.

Interesting! I'm glad that my 1.4/85mm Planar ZK (Made in Japan, Cosina presumably) has nine independent blades that form a nice near-circular aperture!

 

[raid]

The triangular design is now collectible and worth more money.

 

[raid]

I used to have the Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f1.4 (ZS M42 mount) made in Japan by Cosina. I used it on my Bessaflex TM SLR camera. Both camera and lens sold some time ago. I don't regret selling the Bessaflex but I should have kept the lens.

A few shots taken with it mounted on my Sony A7II


All the best,
Mike

The bokeh is beautiful with this lens. I like using it for portraits. Your pics show it.

 

[raid]

I still recall buying the 35/1.4 and 85/1.4 from a man who insisted that I buy both together. Each lens cost me $200 then. Shutterbug magazine was the way to go for buying such lenses in the 80's.

In my 85/1.4 I had to get its aperture blades repaired. DAG did a splendid job. He was going to do a special service (but it was not needed in the end) to machine for the lens new blades. He found the original blades had fallen off inside the lens. He put them back together.

 

[x-ray]

I think I still have one of the v3 Rollei QBM 50 1.4’s. I had 2 Rollei 3003’s and a full set of Zeiss glass from the 15 including the 16 fisheye up to the 400mm. At one time there was a flood of 501.4’s and 1.8’s. Some had dry focusing mounts and they were being sold for $15 each. I bought several 1.4’s to use in the darkroom as magnifiers to view transparencies. They were cheaper than the cheap loupes at the time.

In all honesty comparing these lenses to other makes of the time many were no better.i had so many mechanical problems with the 3003’s and backs I sold the system after a few years and went back to Nikon. IMO the 15, 16FE 18, 25 and 60 macro were the best. The 50 1.4 was good but the 35 1.4 was just ok wide open but not great and the 85 1.4 was good but not up to the Nikkor or Canon 1.2. The longer glass was average.

 

[raid]

I think I still have one of the v3 Rollei QBM 50 1.4’s. I had 2 Rollei 3003’s and a full set of Zeiss glass from the 15 including the 16 fisheye up to the 400mm. At one time there was a flood of 501.4’s and 1.8’s. Some had dry focusing mounts and they were being sold for $15 each. I bought several 1.4’s to use in the darkroom as magnifiers to view transparencies. They were cheaper than the cheap loupes at the time.

In all honesty comparing these lenses to other makes of the time many were no better.i had so many mechanical problems with the 3003’s and backs I sold the system after a few years and went back to Nikon. IMO the 15, 16FE 18, 25 and 60 macro were the best. The 50 1.4 was good but the 35 1.4 was just ok wide open but not great and the 85 1.4 was good but not up to the Nikkor or Canon 1.2. The longer glass was average.

I have none of your chosen best QBM lenses. 😎

The 50/1.4 sells for around $400+ these days. The 35/1.4 and 85/1.4 each sells for around $1000. The high prices may have little to do with optical excellence.
The SL3003 (supposedly) was a much more reliable camera than the SL2000. I bought an SL2000 and its main board failed shortly after I bought it. I sent it to KEH Repair and they sent it to Braunschweig (I think), and after I got is back "repaired", it died again a few months later.

 

[Orthogonal]

It is not worth it to me to get into yet another digital camera system because of this lens.

...But it might be worth spending 1k on an M adapter?

Either way, if you want the best out of a a C/Y or QMB version you're best off ditching the m43 in favor of something full frame. You're essentially cropping out all the character if you're sticking with a sensor a fraction of the size the lens was designed for.

 

[raid]

No, I have set aside or rejected the idea of adapting one lens for so much money. A $25 adapter will do, if I use LiveView with the M10. The EVF would be another option.

 

[das]

Whoa. I didn't know that there was a M42 version of the Planar. That's pretty cool. As for Contax lenses in general, they may become rarer and rarer as cine people are gobbling them up for permanent conversions to cine mounts. Prices are through the roof now for the fast primes and only creeping up. The 21mm is selling for 2k or more. Absolutely insane for any SLR lens.

 

[raid]

Why do cine people want to use Contax SLR lenses?

 

[Doug]

Whoa. I didn't know that there was a M42 version of the Planar. That's pretty cool. ...

Yes, at one time these Zeiss/Cosina lenses were offered in half a dozen different mounts. The Nikon ZF and Canon ZE I think were most popular and continued on while the others were probably just made in one batch: Pentax ZS, Pentax ZK, Olympus ZO (?) and I think also Minolta. Maybe these others will be collector material? 🙂

 

[raid]

The old versions of the Zeiss lenses were QMB and then later on as CY. Other versions came later.

 

[x-ray]

I have none of your chosen best QBM lenses. 😎

The 50/1.4 sells for around $400+ these days. The 35/1.4 and 85/1.4 each sells for around $1000. The high prices may have little to do with optical excellence.
The SL3003 (supposedly) was a much more reliable camera than the SL2000. I bought an SL2000 and its main board failed shortly after I bought it. I sent it to KEH Repair and they sent it to Braunschweig (I think), and after I got is back "repaired", it died again a few months later.

There were 2 problems with the 3003. The gears in the motor were plastic and stripped every few months. Second the lube used to keep the rollers in the backs dried out and the backs would scratch film.

I used my cameras almost every day and wound up with one body in the shop so often that Rollei loaned me another body for a couple of years. One was in repair and I had 2 to use. Backs had to be sent in about every 6 month for overhaul. I had 6 or 7 backs so it wasn’t a problem.

I hated that the 3003 was so unreliable. It was a commercial photographers dream. Basically it was a small Hasselblad EL.

 

[rfaspen]

I sold my SL2003 and a couple lenses (135 and 50) to scrounge up $$ for my M8. I think I did well even though I took a loss on the Rollei system. It was kind of neat even if rather finicky.

 

[james.liam]

Skyllaney Optics are converting Zeiss CY 1,4/50 to Leica M mounts, if anyone is interested.

 

[das]

Hah, after raading your post, I just looked up "ZS" lenses. So these are the same as the modern Zeiss ones. I was thinking that there was a classic Contax C/Y Planar in M42. 🙂. I know that there is some elusive older 50mm f/1.4 Nokton in M42, but I have never come across one.

Yes, at one time these Zeiss/Cosina lenses were offered in half a dozen different mounts. The Nikon ZF and Canon ZE I think were most popular and continued on while the others were probably just made in one batch: Pentax ZS, Pentax ZK, Olympus ZO (?) and I think also Minolta. Maybe these others will be collector material? 🙂