Carl Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 in Contax mount: AWESOME

[Highway 61]

(can't recall if Jena put out any 50mm lenses after the war, someone will know)

Yes they did. They released about 600 items of the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 5cm f/1.5 T in aluminum or chrome plated brass barrels (or a mix of the two materials) and a tad more of CZJ Sonnar 5cm f/2 T in aluminum or brass barrels too. Those postwar Jena Sonnars are recognizable thanks to a specific lettering shape on their namerings and a very short black nose. They also use red copper for their internal barrels parts. They are absolutely excellent lenses. The aluminum made 5cm f/2 T is extremely light. Their aperture blades had a matte textured dark grey surface instead of the blueished steel used later on the Oberkochen lenses. The aluminum barrels made lenses have a quite thicker bayonet locking tab when compared with the chrome plated brass barrels made lenses.

They were made to be mounted on the so-called "Jena" Contax II bodies made in Saalfeld in 1946-1947 as well on the very first Kievs. But they are easy to find as a kit with the earliest Contax IIa cameras. When the first Contax IIa were released in 1949-1951 the Oberkochen plant wasn't running yet so the Stuttgart made cameras were sold with those Jena made Sonnars T for some time.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Yes they did. They released about 600 items of the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 5cm f/1.5 T in aluminum or chrome plated brass barrels (or a mix of the two materials) and a tad more of CZJ Sonnar 5cm f/2 T in aluminum or brass barrels too. Those postwar Jena Sonnars are recognizable thanks to a specific lettering shape on their namerings and a very short black nose. They also use red copper for their internal barrels parts. They are absolutely excellent lenses. The aluminum made 5cm f/2 T is extremely light. Their aperture blades had a matte textured dark grey surface instead of the blueished steel used later on the Oberkochen lenses. The aluminum barrels made lenses have a quite thicker bayonet locking tab when compared with the chrome plated brass barrels made lenses.

They were made to be mounted on the so-called "Jena" Contax II bodies made in Saalfeld in 1946-1947 as well on the very first Kievs. But they are easy to find as a kit with the earliest Contax IIa cameras. When the first Contax IIa were released in 1949-1951 the Oberkochen plant wasn't running yet so the Stuttgart made cameras were sold with those Jena made Sonnars T for some time.

Thanks for that information Nikolas, much appreciated, I'll try to remember it now for future reference!
Cheers,
Brett

 

[Hatchetman]

Sherman Tank by Rob F, on Flickr

 

[raid]

I have several 5cm 1.5 Zeiss lenses that Brian S converted to ltm, in addition to Zeiss 5cm/2 ltm that at some time was converted by someone into ltm via an Elmar barrel. These lenses do beautifully with Fuji Reala print film, and also with digital Leica (M8 and M9 for me). One of my favorite 5cm lenses was made in 1938. It is uncoated and it looks very clean.

 

[anindyo]

Hello,
Anyone use filter on CZ Jena Sonnar 50/1.5 and could recommend the appropriate ones?
Mine is LTM version, in my case, use of filters cause vignetting.
Thank you.

 

[Hatchetman]

Hello,
Anyone use filter on CZ Jena Sonnar 50/1.5 and could recommend the appropriate ones?
Mine is LTM version, in my case, use of filters cause vignetting.
Thank you.

Hmm. not sure. my Zeiss Ikon Stuttgart 40.5mm works fine on it. It is on the thin side.

 

[Hatchetman]

Juno Beach Normandy by Rob F, on Flickr

 

[johank]

When Goering was appointed Air Marshall he also came in control of Germanys Optical Industry. He promtly orderd Zeiss to prowide Optical Benches for the other Optical Industry. He also orderd Zeiss to make there Lenses with LTM.

 

[lundrog]

Carl Zeiss Opton Sonnar 1.5 T 50mm. SOOC. Fuji X-E2.




Picture of darkkavenger

 

[Larry H-L]

Need some Sonnar help. I recently picked up a Nikon S2, and I have a few 50mm Sonnars. I know that the Sonnars have some focus-shift up close, and I know that the Nikon has a slightly different focus rate than the Contax.

What I don't know is the net focus change, if any, of the Nikon/Sonnar combination when used at about 6-8 feet while wide open. Any suggestions before I mis-focus an entire roll? Will this setup tend to front focus or back focus?

 

[xayraa33]

Need some Sonnar help. I recently picked up a Nikon S2, and I have a few 50mm Sonnars. I know that the Sonnars have some focus-shift up close, and I know that the Nikon has a slightly different focus rate than the Contax.

What I don't know is the net focus change, if any, of the Nikon/Sonnar combination when used at about 6-8 feet while wide open. Any suggestions before I mis-focus an entire roll? Will this setup tend to front focus or back focus?

You very well could be out of luck with that combination.
I experimented with the reverse combo just to see.

I tried the 5cm Nikkor f1.4 on my Kiev 4a at full bore and close distance focus and no cigar, at f4 and smaller apertures it was fairly in focus but any thing else for close up and low light it was a no go.

I remember reading a while back that our lens hacking expert Brian Sweeney had to shim the lens mount on his Nikon RF camera to use the fast Zeiss Sonnar, as it will back focus if no adjustment is made. He also used the Helios 103 lens on his un-shimmed Nikon RF camera just by turning out the back lens element section on the Helios 103. just by half a turn out.

But having said all that , I would suggest if you can, to run a test roll of film with your set-up, all at various aperture openings and focus distance, as your mileage may vary as they say.

 

[stevesurf]

Does the Amedeo adapter provide rangefinder coupling for Leica M7

Does the Amedeo adapter provide rangefinder coupling for Leica M7

Hi folks, I have one CZJ Sonnar 5cm 1.5 in Contax RF mount with another on the way and saw that the OP talked about using the Amedeo adapter with the Leica M7 and anferred it was RF coupled so they could focus.

Is this possible?

To date, I wasn't aware of any adapter that would allow me to use my M7s focus patch.

If you know about this; please let me know (I know this is an old thread).

 

[Brian Legge]

The normal (non-wide angle) Amedeo Contax -> M adapters have RF coupled focus.

 

[rybolt]

https://shop.cameraquest.com/nikon-...x-rangefinder-mount-to-leica-m-mount-adapter/

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Local Veterans Day - October 2018
Contax II with 5cm f/1.5 Sonnar, Double-X (shame about the scratch)

 

[markjwyatt]

Here is an example of a 50mm f2 Sonnar (T lens) adapted to a Fujifilm XT-2


Fountain by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

I adapted it with this Ukranian adapter (appears to be built on a LTM adapter): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Contax-KIE...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

It also came with a "gift" Jupiter 8 lens (which looks good on the Fuji also).