Early CZJ 5cm F1.5 Sonnar "T".

Sonnar Brian

Sonnar Brian

Product of the Fifties
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I picked up a late Contax III with this lens last week. It is a Sonnar "T" from the 255 block of lenses. One of the earlier Sonnars marked with a "T". The earliest that I have taken apart was from the 267 block, which had the same alloy construction of the wartime lenses.

This one is different.

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The lens uses the same heavier metal of the pre-war uncoated lenses, feels more substantial. The aperture ring really shows a difference- not a light alloy.

The Contax mount is same weight and construction of the uncoated lenses, single set screw holds the optics in.

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I expected to find the hidden set screw holding the rear module in, visible after unscrewing the optics from the mount. I'll bet there is another one under the aperture ring holding in the namering. These set screws are not used on any uncoated lens that I have disassembled- about 14 of them.

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The optics fit into a Jupiter-3 focus mount with room to spare. I left the original shims in the Contax Mount so the optics can be used with the Leica and the Contax. This is reversible.

The Red "T".

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the lens is optimized for the M9 close-up and wide-open, works well at infinity at F2.8. The Sonnar focus shift pushes towards infinity.

The Contax III, working meter and all, has a Post-war CZJ 5cm F1.5 Sonnar on it now. The latter cannot be converted using a J-3 mount, and does not work well with a Contax to Leica adapter: the shape of the rear module interferes with the RF pickup of the Leica. So "win-win", M9 gets a unique lens and the postwar Sonnar gets a Body.

Pictures with the lens on the M9 will be coming, so far this week the weather is better suited for converting lenses rather than shooting with them.
 
Interesting, Brian. I have a bunch of 5cm Sonnars, but nothing close to this serial number. Theile production date of June 3, 1939, part of a batch of 3000 lenses.
 
The 1938 Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5 Sonnar "T", wide-open on the M9. ISO 160.

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100% Crop

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Some strong skylight in the background, also at F1.5

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100% crop:
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Sunset, F1.5:

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So I bought the C-Sonnar 50/1.5 and this lens in the same week. Converted this lens the day I received it to LTM.

You can never have enough Sonnars.
 
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Another at F1.5,
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100% crop:

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and at F4:

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100% crop, focus shift is toward infinity. I compensated slightly.

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Brian Sweeney said:
The Contax III, working meter and all, has a Post-war CZJ 5cm F1.5 Sonnar on it now. The latter cannot be converted using a J-3 mount, and does not work well with a Contax to Leica adapter: the shape of the rear module interferes with the RF pickup of the Leica.
Click to expand...

Brian,

Does that hold true for the post-war f2 versions as well? As you know, I have recently bought one - I know it's a pig to convert to ltm, but will it work with an adapter on my M3? I'm hoping the rear optic is a little smaller....

If not, I guess I will have to move it on somehow.

Great results above, BTW
 
Trip to the playground this weekend, at F4 on the M9.

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^Subject moved during exposure.^

And wide-open at F1.5,

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Very cool read...where do you find a screw driver to fit those set screws??? Every thing I try, the blade is always to large or the blade to soft, very frustrating!
 
You know, Brian, if any of us were to meet your daughter in person, we might not recognize her without that Sonnar look. :D

Seriously, you really make those Sonnars sing.

--Peter
 
Somehow I end up using the Sonnars more than any other lens that I have. Part of the attraction is the unique optical design that almost faded into oblivion for 50mm lenses.

One of Nikki with the Type I Rigid Summicron, wide-open on the M3.

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I've got an earlier sonnar T but it's a F2 model : 2202696 (I had another one in the same batch 2658 also T)

but I have no digital full frame body to show you the results...
 
Those 100% crops are unbelievable. Absolutely sharp enough for what my purposes would be. Great stuff; thanks for sharing.
 
I wonder who bought the 300*** series lens in a Cook & Perkins mount last weekend - I was bidding and the system told me my bid was leading (at the final selling price) but I didn't get it - and there was no record of my bid in the bid history (OK, I know ebay stinks, but you have to try).

Anyway, somebody got a mount that is probably worth more than the lens....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270789653377&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
 
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