Carl Zeiss LTM Finally! ~ I bought a "wartime" 1943 CZJ Sonnar T f1.5/50 in LTM

[johannielscom]

Harsh light, I'll say!

Terrific shots Tom, the color ones are impressive! And, on the B&W shot, it at least emphasizes all the relevant parts of the model, right?😀

Seems I'll be forced to hook my 1953 Jupiter lens up to my 1935 Leica III (and get nowhere close to those shots of yours😛).

I think its terrific there are customers who go for this distinctive look of your work, instead of the modern-glass, beefed-up, DSLR-shot campaigns.

As you can see from my signature, I've put the IIIc up for grabs. Really appreciate the effort you put into getting the camera and lens sorted out and felt this should be said here, out loud!
I've shot it and although I like it a lot, I keep grabbing the M's. It's too nice a camera to have it sitting on a shelf, so it's up for trade/sale.

Really looking forward to seeing more shots from that session, as well as next weeks under controlled lighting!

 

[Mr_Flibble]

These color photos are great Tom,
Self-criticism is a good thing, though I find the black/white image quite appealing, and not just because it features a nude lady 😉

Darn, I need to load up one of my Leicas and get out there and shoot! I've been using mainly SLRs and TLRs these last few weeks, I have to get back to my rangefinders!
My next job will be at the 1934 London Melbourne Race event at the Aviodrome next week here in the Netherlands.

All these wonderful toys you tempt us with. A Sonnar is out of the question for me at the moment, though a Russian copy would be in the realm of possibility.

Johan, a Dutch marked IIIc would make nice addition to the collection, unfortunately I have nothing to barther with...and the holiday money is already planned to be spent on other collectibles (Wartime Signal Corps BD-71 Field Telephone center and a Colt M1911A1 pistol).

 

[Sonnar Brian]

> A Sonnar is out of the question for me at the moment, though a Russian copy would be in the realm of possibility.

This is with a 1953 KMZ J-3. It required a CLA, including repositioning the helical in the mount for correct focus.

Wide-Open at F1.5 on the Bessa R2, closest focus.

The early J-3's were the best, in my opinion. The images from a good one are hard to tell from a German Sonnar.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Someday I'll have to do a Sonnar and J-3 shoot-out. I have a few of each... Five F1.5 Sonnars and three LTM J-3's. And a J-3 for the Contax and one for the Nikon, CZO F1.5 for the Contax and one dedicated to an Amedeo LTM adapter...

 

[john neal]

Well, I finally managed to pick one up too 🙂

I'm impressed with the results from the lens as it arrived - dirty and in need of a CLA (hopefully Brian will be able to oblige - it's only a few numbers from the one he featured in his rebuild post). Here are a couple of shots from the test roll - my twin granddaughters. Fuji 400 HR at somewhere between f1.5 and f2 using my non-stamped IIIc K.

These two are my new best friends Jasmine and Jessica 😀

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I want an LTM Sonnar now! 🙁 Anyone know where to find one? Doesn't have to be wartime....Doesn't need to be 100% either.

*sigh* gonna have to get a Russian one I guess... it will be the red-headed stepchild in my collection.....

 

[JustPlainBill]

Tom,
My congratulations on aquiring your wartime CZ Sonnar in LTM and having Brian Sweeny bring it back to usefulness for you. I look forward to seeing many of the pictures you'll take with it. I have a 50mm f1.4 Nikkor in Leica screwmount which I bought used in1967. Should use it more often.
JustPlainBill

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The 1950's J-3's have been the best in my experience. I think the switchover occurred a few years earlier. One of the best J-3's that I ever shot with was a '58 with the same logo on it.

 

[raid]

I have a 1956 J-3 with the same Logo. It seems to be sharp.

Here is a crop at f 2.0:

 

[johannielscom]

I have a 1956 J-3 with the same Logo. It seems to be sharp.

Here is a crop at f 2.0:

'It seems to be sharp' 😱😱

Raid, that is a brilliant shot, and considering its a crop, I'll say that lens is sharp for sure!

Brian, I wasn't aware I might have done that well! I'll be on the door mat for the next couple of weeks expecting the mailman! Hope mine matches up to your experience with that lens.

 

[mynikonf2]

What is the serial range of the 1950's, J-3's??

 

[raid]

'It seems to be sharp' 😱😱

Raid, that is a brilliant shot, and considering its a crop, I'll say that lens is sharp for sure!

Brian, I wasn't aware I might have done that well! I'll be on the door mat for the next couple of weeks expecting the mailman! Hope mine matches up to your experience with that lens.

Yes, I am quite happy with this J-3. It is maybe having German parts, but who knows for sure. I also have a 1953 J-8 which is sharp.

 

[raid]

What is the serial range of the 1950's, J-3's??

Mike,
The first two digits of the serial number give the year of production in the old FSU lenses. Newer FSU lenses may not follow such numbering system.
My lens is 56xxxx ..., so it was made in 1956.

When looking at J3 and J8 lenses on ebay, I always ask the seller for the serial number when the photos of the lens do not clearly show the serial number. The dealers often are surprised why I ask about the number. I think that sometimes they have a "generic" photo that they use for all J-3 or J-8 lenses sold by them.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Hah! Instant Gratification!

Just bought an J3 with a serial number starting with 57, it comes with a hood, a lens case and a lens caps. Looking forward to see what it can do with my Leicas and my R-D1.

On a different note, I should really stop browsing this forum, it's given me the worst case of GAS 😉

 

[johannielscom]

... it comes with a hood, a lens case and a lens caps. ...

First, congrats on the lens! It would be nice to have a shoot out someday, some typical Dutch subjects like cheese or cows 😀

Question: I found an ad for a Jupiter lens on that Dutch sales site (search for 'Jupiter') and it said the original hood was included, which was an aluminium hood, starting like a wide angle hood but then extending straight. Any case your hood is like this?

I'm a bit of a completist and would really like an original hood with my J-3 😱 but have never found an actual original-hood-picture online yet...

If any of these re-enactments you tend to shoot is coming up again, I'd like to join you with my wartime rig, shooting slow film, if I may?🙄

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Hi Johan,

The hood that's supposed to come with my J3 starts as a rectangular wide-angle funnel and ends up round at the front of the lens (see here)

I'll send you a PM with some Events our group or some of us might be going to.

 

[raid]

raid, tell me what you think about this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=320399592123

Mike,
It is a 1962 lens,and the price is not that great.
It looks very good cosmetically.
I would skip it and wait for a J-3 from 1953-1955.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Yes, the lens can be converted using a J-3 LTM focus mount. This is a coated lens, and has some hidden set screws. Mine had one with a set screw that was embedded into the mount. Dremel.

Brian

Brian could this be converted to LTM?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zeiss-SONNAR-5cm-F1-5-Contax-Rangefinder-Bayonet-fit_W0QQitemZ260447954419QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Photography_VintageCameras_SM?hash=item3ca3e865f3&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A10%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Sweet! after 2 weeks my J-3 arrived at my door. Unfortunately nobody was around to sign for it. So today I picked it up at the post office.

I was rather eager to try it out, so I cheated and put it on my R-D1.

Lovely glow! At last!

Rick,

p.s. Sorry for posting this in entirely the wrong section of the forum ....should this go in the Epson R-D1 section, or the FSU? 😉
p.p.s Johan, the hood that came with it is marked FED, so not original to the lens I would think.

 

[benmacphoto]

I just got one, too!

Everything checks out down to the correct serial number. Bought it right here on RFF classifieds!

Yeah you were quick with that one. I saw it go up on the classifieds then the next thing I know you had sent a pm for it.