List of Sonnar Lenses

Put me down as another convert thanks to the 1938 Sweeney/Zeiss 50/1.5 I now can't seem to force off any camera I'm using. (Where the hell did I put that M adapter?)

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Such lenses in skilled hands made photography what it is. Having a Zeiss Jena LTM lens made me realize that less is more and that I don't really need new lenses. I like the vintage lenses instead. My wife likes the images from the old lenses.
 
Such lenses in skilled hands made photography what it is. Having a Zeiss Jena LTM lens made me realize that less is more and that I don't really need new lenses. I like the vintage lenses instead. My wife likes the images from the old lenses.

Funny. I had the same feeling. I was weighing which lenses I could/should sell to both get back my cash and get a good lens into the hands of someone who will use it more. But at heart I am a collector/acquirer (not really collecting to collect, just finding one day, "My God, where did all this stuff come from??!!??) But now perhaps is the time.

Keepers: Canon 100/3.5, Jupiter9 85/2.0, Zeiss 50/1.5, Jupiter8 50/2.0, Canon 50/1.8, Industar 61 L/D, Canon 35/2.0, Skopar 35/2.5, Canon 28/3.5

Sellers: Canon 50/1.4, CV Ultron 35/1.7, Serenar 35/2.8

I may do that. Still leaves me with plenty, problem is I like all these lenses... each is somewhat different. I am so weak.
 
Hi Hacker,

There is a 6cm LTM lens for sale for US 895 here: http://www.brooklyncam.com/inventory/leica.shtml, not mint though.

There is a black, non-coupled 85/2 LTM Sonnar for EUR 790 here:

https://www.leicashop.com/vintage/leica-lenses-for-leica-screw-c-1000_1010.html

Igorcamera had some post WWII aluminum RF-coupled copies for around US 600 or so.

I have never seen the original LTM/coupled chrome and brass one listed anywhere, the one that is shown on cameraquest.com.

The Quinon 50/2 is a Sonnar.

Also, please open the list to Ernostars. The 40/2.8 is an Ernostar. Then maybe you could add the 90/2.8 M-Hexanon and maybe the converted Contax G 90/2.8. And, BTW, the ZM 85/2 (even though called "Sonnar") is a double Gauss design.

I am wondering about the various Komura lenses (85mm and 105), and also about the longer Fujinon lenses.

Best,

Roland.

There will be one CZJ Sonnar 6cm 1.5 LTM lens for sale here when the Fotografica pages are finished:

http://www.pigment-print.com/Fotografica/Fotografica.html

Ernst Dinkla
 
I've been repairing five "unusual" 5cm F1.5 Sonnar's in LTM. I believe that one is all-German parts, one is German parts for assembly practice, two are Russian copies using parts from the original machining, and one is a converted longer focal length lens, maybe a 6cm F1.5 made into a 5cm focal length.

http://www.ziforums.com/showthread.php?t=224

I'll be adding more photo's of the internals of the lenses, and then testing with film and posting the results.
 
Here are some converted Sonnars.

pre-war uncoated, 5cm F2
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wartime, coated 5cm f2
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Latter lens, wide-open on the Canon P:

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I think that Leon hit a batch of spare parts.

I've been converting J-3 modules to Nikon and Contax mount. Also gave one or two away for friends that had bad glass in their lenses. Now- J-8's, I've been experimenting.
 
Funny. I had the same feeling. I was weighing which lenses I could/should sell to both get back my cash and get a good lens into the hands of someone who will use it more. But at heart I am a collector/acquirer (not really collecting to collect, just finding one day, "My God, where did all this stuff come from??!!??) But now perhaps is the time.

Keepers: Canon 100/3.5, Jupiter9 85/2.0, Zeiss 50/1.5, Jupiter8 50/2.0, Canon 50/1.8, Industar 61 L/D, Canon 35/2.0, Skopar 35/2.5, Canon 28/3.5

Sellers: Canon 50/1.4, CV Ultron 35/1.7, Serenar 35/2.8

I may do that. Still leaves me with plenty, problem is I like all these lenses... each is somewhat different. I am so weak.

That Sweeney/Zeiss produces some lovely shots w/ color film (dreamy portraits), but I like the punch of the Canon 50/1.5. Either way, though, there is something about sonnar lenses that produces wonderful results w/ color film.

OT: Interesting that you're keeping the 35 Skopar and selling the 35 Ultron and the Canon 35/2.8. It sounds like you're leaning to a higher contrast look in 35, Jim. I went the other way recently and sold off the Skopar, "replacing" it w/ the M-Rokkor 40/2, and have kept (for now) the Ultron and Canon 35/2.8. It is entirely possible that I don't know what I'm doing, though...
 
I think that Leon hit a batch of spare parts.

I've been converting J-3 modules to Nikon and Contax mount. Also gave one or two away for friends that had bad glass in their lenses. Now- J-8's, I've been experimenting.

probably something like that. my "recently" is only few days, after I really started look into this more :)
 
Sonnars with Punch?

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1941 CZJ Sonnar "T" 5cm F1.5 original LTM, wide-open on the Canon P. This lens took 6 hours to rebuild and get right.
 
Sonnars with Punch?

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1941 CZJ Sonnar "T" 5cm F1.5 original LTM, wide-open on the Canon P. This lens took 6 hours to rebuild and get right.

LOL!! More like blast than punch! :D This shot definitely has a period look to it. Are these re-enacters? Pretty impressive. What film?
 
These shots are taken at the Marine Museum at Quantico. These are Mannequins, made from the wartime photo's of several of the museum volunteers in their younger days. The first shot of the Korean Wartime Marine using the circular slide rule is in a refrigerated room, to give a sense of realism. The film is Kodacolor 400. Shots are handheld at 1/15th for the Korean scene, and 1/30th for the Pearl Harbor gunner. Wide-Open at F1.5. I also brought out the Simlar 5cm F1.5 on another Canon P. But it is NOT a Sonnar formula lens. It is a Planar formula lens with the second group split into a triplet, to allow elements of lesser strength to be used.

The 5cm f2 Sonnar's are in J-8 mounts. I've used several versions, from a tabbed lens from 1955 through to the Black one from 1986. Shims, aperture ring, thread-size, and even set screws are compatible.

One more with the 1941 Sonnar, Wide-Open and 1/15th on the Canon P. Hand-Held.

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Somewhere out there I hope to find an authentic 100% original pre 1943 #272xxxx lens to go on my 1945 "non stamp" IIIC K ~ a rare lens made just right for such a rare camera.

I want both versions of the T lenses, the f1.5 & f2.0, I`d like to put the f2.0 on my 43' IIIC K Grey....

Anyone have any leads please drop me a line at my email

winkermeister@aol.com

*thanks to William I`m looking at one now, but I`m not 100% sure yet*

These two lenses are pretty much the end of the line for my searching for classic gear I need to shoot my PinUps with......... I just picked up a Canon f1.2/50 after a long time looking for just the right lens, now that`s sitting on my M6 full-time. ~ after these it`s no more gear for a while, just looking at future Grey paint IIIC bodies as I find them?

I have two more 45/46 "non stamp" IIIC K chrome bodies coming together soon, so one of them could use a "wartime" Sonnar on them :)

Tom

PS: Funny but, as I`ve discussed with many friend`s here at RFF, I try to pick each of my vintage lenses for certain duties, and as the "Sonnar" look rings true in alot of my work, I have almost all of the famous Sonnar clones, and places for them in my work, the Canon f1.5/50 for both color and blk n wht work, the Nikkor`s both versions of the f1.4/50 and a "Japan" f2/50 for blk n wht styles and I plan on the "wartime" Sonnar`s for the color work as well.....through Brian has told me I should have a "uncoated" pre-war f1.5/50 for my work also ~ I know Januaryman purchased one like that from him a short while ago, so that`s also more then likely another lens to be added to my agenda as well :D
 
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Let's not forget the J-3, most reasonably priced Fast Sonnar of all...

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1955 KMZ J-3, Wide-Open, Kodacolor 800, slow-speed 1/15th.

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1959 J-3, wide-open on the R2, 1/30th, Kodacolor 400.
 
Steinheil used the Quinon name for many fast (f1.8-f2) normal (~50mm) lenses for 35mm cameras. The ones for SLRs, including Exacta- and 42mm screw-mount lenses, are planar-type (i.e., double-Gauss). The Quinon 50mm f2 in Leica screw mount, however, is a Sonnar.

Cheers,

David

Is the Quinon coated?

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