pauld111
Well-known
I want to start collecting different filters for my Contax ii, Sonnar 50mm lens. I would like to know which are the correct ones to search for on Ebay. I was thinking the first I would like to get would be a dark red. Thanks
filters for Contax ii
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steveyork
Well-known
The old Zeiss push on filters are regularly available. R10 is the red one. They have a tendency to pop off though.
For screw-on, it's an odd ball size of 40.5 mm.
For screw-on, it's an odd ball size of 40.5 mm.
markjwyatt
Well-known
I ended up with a number of Zeiss filters. I shot a series of images to test them (landscape with sky and clouds). I will post some results once I work through them.
R10 is good as is a medium yellow (G3-4x in my case, but not a 4x filter factor I suspect, more like 2x). I also have a nice deep yellow (almost orangge in color), G4-5x (again not 5x filter factor as far as I can tell, more like 2.5-3x). Designations were a bit varied depending on whether Carl Zeiss Stuttgart, Carl Zeiss Jena, etc.
Most of the ones I got were 42mm push-on type. You can bend the tabs a little to make them tighter or looser if required.
R10 is good as is a medium yellow (G3-4x in my case, but not a 4x filter factor I suspect, more like 2x). I also have a nice deep yellow (almost orangge in color), G4-5x (again not 5x filter factor as far as I can tell, more like 2.5-3x). Designations were a bit varied depending on whether Carl Zeiss Stuttgart, Carl Zeiss Jena, etc.
Most of the ones I got were 42mm push-on type. You can bend the tabs a little to make them tighter or looser if required.
wes loder
Photographer/Historian
Actually, 40.5mm is a pretty standard filter size. Zeiss used it on its f2 and f1.5 normals. Nikon used it for its 50mm f2 RF lens, the 50mm f1.5 and the Nikkorex leaf-shutter reflexes. Several of the El-Nikkor enlarging lenses use that size.
If you are looking for a starter B&W filter, I would suggest going with a medium yellow or orange. Red is a bit extreme IMHO.
If you are looking for a starter B&W filter, I would suggest going with a medium yellow or orange. Red is a bit extreme IMHO.
pauld111
Well-known
Thanks guys for your input, it's a great help.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
I'll second that as I've seen lots of 40.5mm screw in hoods and so on. Most of the accessory makers did them and they are not so rare/dear as the CZ versions.
Another good starter for B&W would be a yellow-green.
Regards, David
markjwyatt
Well-known
I would add that I got my Zeiss filters for less per piece than good quality new ones (I paid $10-15 each max., some less). I did end up buying 9 of them, and some I may not use much, but they are pretty cool anyway (too many Y-G filters). A screw on is best, but most of mine are push-ons, and they do work just fine. I do not have a lens hood, so that may be a reason to go with the screw on.
Mr_Flibble
In Tabulas Argenteas Refero
Walz made a nice 40.5 Filter Set "For Sonnar".
steveyork
Well-known
You guys are correct -- 40.5 mm is common. I was thinking of a 50mm Canon LTM 1.5 I had trouble finding filters, but turns out that was 40mm. Zeiss is a different size, but I was able to use the push on filter for Canon 50mm f/2.8 and f/1.5.
peterm1
Veteran
One trick to try and which I quite often use if I cannot find a filter in the required thread diameter is to mate it up with a step up ring (or occasionally step down) to fit the larger (or smaller) filter on the lens I wish to use it with. Ditto lens hoods. Of course you cannot go too small without the risk of vignetting.
This approach has the added advantage quite often, that if I have more than one lens in more than one diameter then all I need are matching cheap step adapters and the same filter (or indeed, hood) can be used across a range of lenses. For example IR cut filters are relatively expensive and can be hard to find in non common diameters. When shooting my M8 I need several of these for several different lenses. I bought a 43mm diameter IR cut filter and use it with step up rings for 40mm (some Canon LTM lenses), 40.5mm (many European lenses), 41mm (Leitz Summarit lens) diameter lenses. For larger diameter lenses I also have a 49mm filter and use it, for example, on a 48mm diameter Canon lens (48mm is rare and quite hard to find in some filter types but fortunately a 48mm-49mm step ring was cheap and easy to find.)
40.5mm is relatively common even today but the above strategy may still save you some headaches.
BTW if you are planning to shoot people / portraits then a green filter is good as it adds a nice skin tone by partially blocking pink/red of a natural skin color. The preferred green is a pale or "apple" green as dark green can over do it. When I shot black and white film I ended up with filters in yellow / orange / red as well as green to give me a full range of options for a range of image targets.
This approach has the added advantage quite often, that if I have more than one lens in more than one diameter then all I need are matching cheap step adapters and the same filter (or indeed, hood) can be used across a range of lenses. For example IR cut filters are relatively expensive and can be hard to find in non common diameters. When shooting my M8 I need several of these for several different lenses. I bought a 43mm diameter IR cut filter and use it with step up rings for 40mm (some Canon LTM lenses), 40.5mm (many European lenses), 41mm (Leitz Summarit lens) diameter lenses. For larger diameter lenses I also have a 49mm filter and use it, for example, on a 48mm diameter Canon lens (48mm is rare and quite hard to find in some filter types but fortunately a 48mm-49mm step ring was cheap and easy to find.)
40.5mm is relatively common even today but the above strategy may still save you some headaches.
BTW if you are planning to shoot people / portraits then a green filter is good as it adds a nice skin tone by partially blocking pink/red of a natural skin color. The preferred green is a pale or "apple" green as dark green can over do it. When I shot black and white film I ended up with filters in yellow / orange / red as well as green to give me a full range of options for a range of image targets.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
The push-on FSU made filters fit nicely on a classic RF Contax Zeiss lenses, as well as on Jupiter and Industar lenses for the Kiev and Zorki and Fed cameras and are not of a bad optical quality.
pauld111
Well-known
This is a link to a lens I bought. I was wondering if I had bought a true Zeiss lens or something else?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carl-Zei...lcZO95ReYE%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carl-Zei...lcZO95ReYE%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
F1.5 Jena Sonnars are not rare lenses.
It looks basically genuine in the pics, better quality and more photos would help to further inspect the lens to a higher degree. A pic of the f stop index dot/triangle would help.
Most J-3 lenses would have no ears on the aperture ring except for the earliest and these bring more money than a real Jena fast Sonnar, although some rare forgeries had crudely made ears filed and attached but these look fairly crisp in the photos , pointing out it is most likely the real deal.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
BTW, A few of my J-3 lenses outperform my Zeiss Opton f1.5 Sonnar lens and are more flare resistant to boot.
pauld111
Well-known
Hi, below are the photos of the lens:
IMG-0559 by paul Difford, on Flickr
IMG-0566 by paul Difford, on Flickr
IMG-0565 by paul Difford, on Flickr
IMG-0564 by paul Difford, on Flickr
IMG-0563 by paul Difford, on Flickr
IMG-0562 by paul Difford, on Flickr
IMG-0559 by paul Difford, on FlickrIMG-0566 by paul Difford, on FlickrIMG-0565 by paul Difford, on FlickrIMG-0564 by paul Difford, on FlickrIMG-0563 by paul Difford, on FlickrIMG-0562 by paul Difford, on Flickr
Bill Jones
Contax Lens User
Paul,
It looks like a genuine war time Sonnar 5cm f1.5. Enjoy using it.
Bill Jones
It looks like a genuine war time Sonnar 5cm f1.5. Enjoy using it.
Bill Jones
pauld111
Well-known
Thanks Bill,
One of the reasons I was not sure is that my lens goes to f22 and the Jena pre-T models I have seen online are mostly f11 and then a few f16. While the Zeiss Opton's I have seen are f16....so I thought it strange.
One of the reasons I was not sure is that my lens goes to f22 and the Jena pre-T models I have seen online are mostly f11 and then a few f16. While the Zeiss Opton's I have seen are f16....so I thought it strange.
JakobN
JakobN
In my experience prewar uncoated 1,5 Sonnars only stop down to 11, apparently to avoid excessive flare, but the lenses produced with coating stop down to 22. (I have not seen any 1,5 Sonnars from Carl Zeiss Jena with a minimum aperture of 16). Your lens dates from december 1945. I am not an expert of the early postwar period, but your lens looks very genuine to me.
JakobN
JakobN
