It crawled out of the Parts Bin. Jupiter-Sonnar 5cm F1.5 Hybrids.

[Sonnar Brian]

This week Dexdog and I met up, and he kindly gave me a Barrel with middle triplet from a 1951 KMZ, "ears" and rear fixture. Missing the rear triplet, the front element, and namering.

And this is why you always save parts from lenses, and try to remember to mark them.

From 20 years of collecting and repairing Jupiter-3 and Sonnar 5cm F1.5 lenses, you built up some parts. Mostly shims, and Contax mounts from doing conversions. Also some "less than perfect" elements and groups from buying parts lenses and swapping out glass. I remember when people would tell me "you can't swap out Groups between lenses". It's just not true if you stick to the same version of the lens. Even between versions, you will find more interchangeability thanks to the robust design of the Sonnar formula.

SO: This lens,

1) 1951 KMZ Barrel, Middle Triplet, and rear fixture.
2) Uncoated Rear Triplet from a 5cm F1.5 Sonnar, some slight haze in the cement- which is why I swapped it out.
3) Front Element: 1955 KMZ, light cleaning marks, also why I swapped it out.
4) Contax Mount from a Wartime Sonnar
5) 1952 KMZ Namering.

SO- Components from Five lenses, Jupiter and Contax.




The filter ring was out-of-round, repaired with my Filter repair tool. Now takes 40.5mm Filters.

Shim set for focus at F1.5 to be between Nikon and Contax standard. Best at F2.8 on the Contax, and wide-open is good enough for Nikon.

I used it with my inexpensive Chinese LTM adapter, focus is perfect at F1.5.

Wide-Open, on the M240- focus via the RF and confirmed accurate with the EVF.


Focus is accurate from close-up to infinity at F1.5, using the 1:1 Cam of the Chinese adapter. This lens would be perfect on a Nikon,

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Wide-Open, my Backyard.

It was Windy, and at F1.5- had to be quick.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

At F4,

 

[Sonnar Brian]

F1.5, "Flatness Test" corners are pretty good!


Focus on the group of flowers- also good, at F1.5



SO- Good lens, fast 5cm F1.5, KMZ/CZJ Hybrid. The Left-Over Parts Lens.
Now I need a junker LTM mount.

 

[dexdog]

Nice work, Brian! I figured that you would put it to good use. I briefly considered keeping the ears, but really did not have any KMZ spare parts, especially rear lens group, needed to assemble a complete lens. I have however cobbled together a Franken-ZOMZ outta spare parts that turned out well, even though cosmetic condition is pretty ugly. Good luck finding a junker LTM mount, not easy to find (at least on eBay).

 

[wlewisiii]

Cool beans. I had fun with that Tessar earlier today so it's especially fun to see this now. If I didn't have that really nice Nikkor 50/1.4 already ... 😉

Great work as always.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

This lens was made around the time of the Original Frankenstein Movie...

An early V2 Sonnar 5cm F1.5, was probably used for an eyepiece in a Lab, or for some other scientific experiment. No mount, no aperture ring, no post for the aperture mechanism which was set for wide-open use.



Pictures next to one of my other v2 lenses- the later barrel, converted to LTM.

SO:
1) Screw from the Mount of an Industar-26 works as a Post for the aperture mechanism.
2) A Split Ring from the parts Bin.



The Post from the later Sonnar was too big, would not screw it.

3) A name ring from a Jupiter-8 ground down to just the rear portion (OUCH!) with the set screws- used as a retaining ring for the split ring.
4) A ground-down ring from a lens of the correct thickness for an Aperure, held over the split ring using Jon Goodman double-sided take;




5) The mount is made by cutting the front section off a later Contax mount, which I have left-over from LTM Conversions. You must cut/grind all the way to the Tab.
6) Shims are the same as 5cm F1.5 Sonnars and Jupiter-3's.
Set Screw in place- done.

Worth it? YES! The cost of this version of Sonnar is through the roof, around $1500. This gives me the same optics, it works, and ...

IT's ALIVE! It's ALIVE!!!

 

[Benjamin Marks]

It's brain came from Abby-someone.. Abi-normal?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

abbe refractometer....

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Well worth Repairing and bringing to usable status!

 

[Muggins]

I must try my
1935 f2 wide open to see what it's like. You are a bad influence, Brian!

 

[Wolkengrau]

Very beautiful results ! I did not know it could be possible to match Jupiter and Sonnar lens glasses to obtain such an elegant and proper photo. It is fascinating, many thanks for sharing 🙂

 

[boojum]

Looking at the results I would say that "The Monster" is quite poetic. It has the lovely muted colors of the classic older lenses and this can be used well to enhance some images, those which are flattered by muted images. As has been demonstrated. Like a Phoenix, this lens rises triumphant from the ashes of its immolation. That's no mean trick.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

It Crawled out of the Parts Bin after being used in LASER EXPERIMENTS- the Sequel.

The RFF member that sold me the above lens, had a second one. Asked if I would try a repeat of the - DIABOLICAL EXPERIMENT -
I had used up the parts that I did for the first one, so had to HACK and HACK and HACK some more...

Link Screw- Industar-26 screw that holds the mount in.

Aperture Ring: Jupiter-3 early ZOMZ, with the threaded chrome ring that screws into the underlying aperture ring. Cut down. The chrome ring is a perfect fit for the Sonnar, but the underlying ring has a larger diameter. I built it up with copper tape.

Split ring to grab the Aperture link screw: Some thicker Shimming metal that can be cut, a narrow strip folded in half. Held in place with Jon Goodman double-sided tape.

Mount- cut down from a later 1936 5cm F1.5 Sonnar. Shimmed to the original calibration point, the Aperture index of the barrel lines up with infinity.

Flat Spring between the aperture ring and the mount, made from the retaining ring for an aperture of a lens.

It works! Focus using Liveview, as I used an adapter made for a Nikon lens. Cheaper than having replacement parts made, but to be used with care.

 

[boojum]

With me you are preaching to the choir on Sonnars. I cannot judge the accuracy of the lens you have here. But I can see that it makes a good image. And when I drag out a camera I want a good image. That is the camera's job. Mine is content. So reduction of error in the capture is a big part of the deal, a part out of my hands. And it is always fun and an interesting read to learn what you have done with your Frankenstein tricks, most often resulting with another really good Sonnar salvaged from the parts bin. Stay healthy. ;o)