How about starting a 50mm/1.5 lens test?

Brian Sweeney said:
Raid- You should have a Ziess-Opton 50mm F1.5 for the Contax... (unless you traded!)

My 50/1.5's:

Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm f1.5, 1935 production, now in LTM;
Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.5 Shim optimized for the Nikon and LTM adapter;
Carl Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 in Contax mount, shim optimized for Contax
Summarit 5cm F1.5, (1) LTM and (1) M;
Canon 50/1.5 in LTM
Canon 50/1.5 J-3 Hybrid, LTM mount
J-3 in LTM, shimmed and elements adjusted for Leica
J-3 in Contax
J-3 Shimmed for Nikon
Voigtlander 50mm F1.5, Prominent mount with adapter for Nikon

And a Wollensak 51mm F1.5 large format lens that I'm going to hack into something!


The early Nikkor 5cm F1.4 lenses had slightly smaller optics, probably a bit closer to F1.5 than thr later lenses.
Close:
Nikkor 5cm F1.4 Early 5005 series, for the Nikon
Nikkor 5cm F1.4 Early series in LTM.

I have a wartime CZJ Sonnar coming in, a mystery lens in a movie camera mount. I plan on refitting it for LTM or Contax, depending.

The first generation Summilux lenses are closer to F1.5 than F1.4.
Click to expand...

Hello Brian,

No, I have not sold the lens. I was wrong in stating I had a Zeiss Jena 50/1.5. It is, as you have said, a Zeiss-Opton. You have quite a few 50/1.5 that could be tested. We have several examples of the J-3. I got a pm in which a gentleman offered also several lenses to choose from for the test.

It now becomes a problem to choose among all these interesting sounding lenses. I will list what I have and what I was offered to choose from.
 
If we return to the original 50/1.5 design, then I have the following lenses:

1. My lenses

J-3 shimmed by Brian in LTM
Zeiss-Opton in Contax mount
Nokton Prominent for the Prominent camera

2. Lewis: (offer)

ZI 50mm C-Sonnar f1.5


3. Brian: (I don't know yet which lenses Brian can part with for a while)

Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm f1.5, 1935 production, now in LTM;
Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.5 Shim optimized for the Nikon and LTM adapter;
Carl Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 in Contax mount, shim optimized for Contax
Summarit 5cm F1.5, (1) LTM and (1) M;
Canon 50/1.5 in LTM
Canon 50/1.5 J-3 Hybrid, LTM mount
J-3 in LTM, shimmed and elements adjusted for Leica
J-3 in Contax
J-3 Shimmed for Nikon
Voigtlander 50mm F1.5, Prominent mount with adapter for Nikon


There is also a RFF Member (via pm) who has kindly offered to contribute lenses when the test is more worked out so that we can see which lenses are needed and which are not. He has several lenses and the Contax LTM and M adapters, which could come in handy.

I feel that the lens line up is great. We will have quite a few 50mm/1.5 lenses covered.

Thanks.
 
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robin a said:
Raid,if you want to test a couple of Brian's adjusted J-3's I will bring mine on Sunday for you to use...............Robin
Click to expand...

Thank you, Robin. We are not at that stage yet. See you on Sunday. Drinking Starbucks coffee while chatting about cameras and lenses is just great.
 
You might want to toss in the modern CV Nokton 50/1.5. I know it's not vintage, but it's in the "user" price range, where a lot of the lenses mentioned above are typically found. Lots of folks stepping up to a faster lens on a budget might find it helpful.
 
So we have the classic Canon 50/1.4, 50/1.5 and the Nikon 50/1.4.
The Nokton 50/1.5 CV also should be includedas many people here use this lens.
 
As in past lens tests, the person sending a lens covers the cost of the shipping both ways. Any donations towards film developing are never turned down.The more photos taken, the more cases covered.


Let's start a definite commitment list here:

1. Canon 50/1.4 (Raid)
2. J-3 LTM (Raid)
3. Nokton Prominent 50/1.5 (Raid)
4. Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 Contax mount (Raid)

Please add your lens[es]

5. Nokton 50/1.5 CV (Michael)
 
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Hi William,

It is unlikely that we will locate a 50mm f1.5 Simlar LTM for the test.


Now we have the following lens line-up:

1. Canon 50/1.4 (Raid)
2. J-3 LTM (Raid)
3. Nokton Prominent 50/1.5 (Raid)
4. Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 Contax mount (Raid)
5. Nokton 50/1.5 CV (Michael)
6. Canon 50/1.5 (Fred)
7. Uncoated old Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 (Fred)

It is a good idea to have replicates with vintage lenses.
 
raid said:
Hi William,

It is unlikely that we will locate a 50mm f1.5 Simlar LTM for the test.


Now we have the following lens line-up:

1. Canon 50/1.4 (Raid)
2. J-3 LTM (Raid)
3. Nokton Prominent 50/1.5 (Raid)
4. Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 Contax mount (Raid)
5. Nokton 50/1.5 CV (Michael)
6. Canon 50/1.5 (Fred)
7. Uncoated old Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 (Fred)

It is a good idea to have replicates with vintage lenses.
Click to expand...

Raid, I would be glad to contribute a 1942 vintage coated CZJ 50/1.5 R-Sonnar in LTM to the test, and a second example of a Canon 50/1.5 for comparison purposes, as well as several examples of pre-war uncoated 50/1.5 Sonnars in Contax mount (vintage 1934), if you were interested in doing a number of samples. Not a statistically valid sample of course, but could be interesting nonetheless. I also have recently CLA'd Canon 50/1.4 LTM, Nikkor 50/1.4 LTM, and 50/1.5 Nokton with Contax adapter
 
Hey, Raid, if you'll pm me your address, I'll be happy to send my 1960 J-3 for Contax.

William
 
dexdog said:
Raid, I would be glad to contribute a 1942 vintage coated CZJ 50/1.5 R-Sonnar in LTM to the test, and a second example of a Canon 50/1.5 for comparison purposes, as well as several examples of pre-war uncoated 50/1.5 Sonnars in Contax mount (vintage 1934), if you were interested in doing a number of samples. Not a statistically valid sample of course, but could be interesting nonetheless. I also have recently CLA'd Canon 50/1.4 LTM, Nikkor 50/1.4 LTM, and 50/1.5 Nokton with Contax adapter
Click to expand...

Hi Mark,

How about loaning me:
CZJ 50/1.5 LTM
Canon 50/1.4
Nikkor 50/1.4
Contax adapter for the Nokton

Thanks.


Then we have:
1. Canon 50/1.4 ..........................(Raid)
2. J-3 LTM .................................(Raid)
3. Nokton Prominent 50/1.5 ...........(Raid)
4. Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 Contax mount (Raid)
5. Nokton 50/1.5 CV .................(Michael)
6. Canon 50/1.5 ...........................(Fred)
7. Uncoated old Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 (Fred)
8. Nikkor 50/1.4 ............................(Mark)
9. Canon 50/1.4 ............................(Mark)
10. CZJ 50/1.5 LTM ........................(Mark)


Thanks for the loaners. I really appreciate everyone's willingness to contribute. Let's wait for the final list. Having too many lenses also implies for me extra cost and extra time consuming work. I hope not to have more than two replicates of any lens. Modern lenses don't need replicates. Vintage lenses can differ from sample to sample over time. I hate not accepting a kind offer.

In my last test of 35mm-40mm lenses I may have tested 26 lenses.

Thanks again.
 
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Thank you, Mark. Give me a day or two to finalize the list. I will then send a pm to all concerned. You are one of the "old contributers"!

By the way, is here anyone who has a Xenon ?
 
I forgot to list the Summarit as being promised for the lens!

1. Canon 50/1.4 ..........................(Raid)
2. J-3 LTM .................................(Raid)
3. Nokton Prominent 50/1.5 ...........(Raid)
4. Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 Contax mount (Raid)
5. Nokton 50/1.5 CV .................(Michael)
6. Canon 50/1.5 ...........................(Fred)
7. Uncoated old Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 (Fred)
8. Nikkor 50/1.4 ............................(Mark)
9. Canon 50/1.4 ............................(Mark)
10. CZJ 50/1.5 LTM ........................(Mark)
11. Summarit ................................. (John
12. J-3 ......................................... (William)

I can also get replicates for the J-3, Canon 50/1.5 and the Nikkor 50/1.4. There also are numbers of pre-war uncoated CZJ 50/1.5.
 
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Hi All: In a pm to Raid I just committed to sending a "transitional" CZJ Sonnar in LTM that Brian Sweeny has optimized, an early "Tokyo" Nikkor SC f1.4, and a very nice example of the Summarit.

Raid, if you still need them I will also send one of Amadeo's Kiev (Contax) to M-mount adapters, and a Contax-to-LTM adapter that is either an Orion or an incredibly convincing knock-off. It maybe that individual lenses need to be shimmed to get the most out of these adapters, but my results so far with them have been "acceptable".
 
Thanks a lot, John. The adapters will be welcome. I will take a "family photo" of all lenses when I get the lenses.

Important for the lens test:

Please send me a piece of paper on which you have written the name of the lens[es] and serial numbers and also whether front/back covers were included or even a lens hood. I usually donot use a lens hood in tests unless all lenses have a lens hood. Write on it also your mailing address for returning the lens to you.

If the lenses arrive to me at roughly the same time [within days of each other], then I can do the test and mail back the lenses in a shorter time. 2-3 weeks will do.

Thanks.
 
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