New. C Sonnar T* 1,5/50 ZM

[hth]

I also have many 46mm filters too. It is what goes on Hexar AF, M-Hexanon 28 and 90, and Leica Summilux 35 and 50 ASPHs (not that I own the Leica lenses...).

It also fits some of the wider ZM lenses.

I will have to wait and see about this Sonnar, I was considering of a Planar before this.

It is also interesting to see that they release this lens just before the Heliar 50/2 goes on sale. I wonder what impact it might have to that? I am still wishing they would have released that Heliar lens separately, but I am not complaining, I have no money anyway... 🙂

/Håkan

46mm filters oddball? I have lots of 46mm filters, use them on my Contax G 🙂

 

[Captain]

"I think that's the difference between today's leica and Zeiss. Leica never stop to improve their design..........."

You think so? Zeiss uses traditional design for is 25 which surpasses the Leica 24 which uses aspheric elements and was a totally new lens from scratch. That seems pretty evolved to me. The 50mm Plannar is again an evolution of a previous design, so to the 21, 35, 85 and this new 50. Maybe the 15 qualifies as a start from scratch lens. Sorry that statement just doesnt wash at all.

46mm Oddball? Their 21 is 46mm, their 25 is 46mm and their 28 is 46mm now this new 50 is 46mm, rather than oddball I get the impression that its their stardard LOL. Dont forget Leica uses this size as well the last 28mm Elmarit and the last 135 Tele-Elmar used it as well, their may be thers to but those are the ones i can remember off the top of my head.

 

[Huck Finn]

hm....not liking that .9m min focus.

I'm also disappointed in this minimum focus distance. The 50 Nokton has always bothered me for the same reason. If you want f/1.5, it's partly because you want it for low light & indoors you don't always have a choice about your distance from a subject.

It's interesting that the old 50 Sonnars as well as the Russian, Nikon, & Canon copies all had a minimum focus distance of 1 meter except for the Nikon which focused down to 16 inches (0.4 m)! However, it was only RF coupled to 1 meter & decoupled after that. That's okay for a wide angle lens, but kind of tough at 50/1.4 to guesstimate the focus by distance.

 

[awilder]

The new 50/2 Heliar sounds interesting because of it's collapsable design like the early Summicrons and for it's long focus throw like in the old days for improved focus accuracy in place of focusing speed. Will it be tack sharp or a bit dull like the CV 50.2.5? Time will tell. I'm betting that the new 50/1.5 will become a cult favorite, just a hunch.

 

[back alley]

'I'm betting that the new 50/1.5 will become a cult favorite, just a hunch.'

that's what i'm thinking.
i may have to sell the m3 for this lens.

just when i thought i was done!

joe

 

[Avotius]

I guess I should have said "46mm filters are oddball on this part of the world"as in china I am still having trouble finding a 52mm filter for my old 50 1.8 fd

 

[ERV]

Isn't there an adapter from contax rf mount to leica m/screw mounts?

One of the most satisfying purchases I made earlier this year was a Contax to M adapter. I bought the Hong Kong verison from a seller in Lisbon and it's great.
I was considering a Bessa R2c for my contax lenses and am glad I didn't do it..

(just what I need, another camera..at least the package was smaller so I could sneak it by the package inspectors at home..my wife has trained my girls to tell her when daddy gets a big box..)

Here's something with my m6 and zeiss opton sonnar 50 1.5 using the adapter.

 

[Socke]

My (somewhat older) Jupiter-8 in Kiev mount has the same diaphragm shape (a newer sample that I have, in LTM, does not however). Bokeh on that lens is very nice...

Hm, my '71 J-8m in Kiev/Contax mount has the star shaped diaphragm and the '64 J-8 in M39 hasn't. But now I know where I've seen that shape befor!

 

[dexdog]

Hm, my '71 J-8m in Kiev/Contax mount has the star shaped diaphragm and the '64 J-8 in M39 hasn't. But now I know where I've seen that shape befor!

All of my pre-war and post-war 50/1.5 Sonnars for the Contax RF have the star-shaped diaphragm. As others have stated, OOF areas are very pleasing. I don't remember if the 50f2 Sonnars have it, though.

 

[Socke]

The other Sonnars I have are a 135/2.8 in C/Y mount , a 90/2.8 in G mount and a 28-56 fixed Vario-Sonnar on the Contax TVS. Haven't checked the last one but the other two have a usual diaphragm.

I'm still undecided if I want a ZI, a R-D1 or another Canon dSLR. Or even the Bessa R2M kit. But I won't buy any new cameras before carnaval 2007.
I won't survive it!

 

[dexdog]

I'm still undecided if I want a ZI, a R-D1 or another Canon dSLR. Or even the Bessa R2M kit. But I won't buy any new cameras before carnaval 2007.
I won't survive it!

Volker, you are a brave man to admit this on RFF- two of the three are digital, and one is a digital SLR. Some folks might be tempted to toss a few rotten veggies your way. You won't receive any from me though because I am a heretic- I like digitals and SLRs.

 

[jano]

One of the most satisfying purchases I made earlier this year was a Contax to M adapter. I bought the Hong Kong verison from a seller in Lisbon and it's great.

I took a quick look on fleabay, wow $250+ for an adapter..! But I suppose that's kind of the price for an old lens *shrug*.

 

[Socke]

Volker, you are a brave man to admit this on RFF- two of the three are digital, and one is a digital SLR. Some folks might be tempted to toss a few rotten veggies your way. You won't receive any from me though because I am a heretic- I like digitals and SLRs.

I dare to say that here, most of the older members are still photographers in the first place, gearheads in the second place and rangefinderfans in the third place.


On Pnets Leica forum I wouldn't even dare to mention Zeiss Ikon without my fireproof underwear.

 

[Peter Klein]

I think I know why some Sonnar-formula lenses were made with a star-shaped diaphragm. At wide apertures, the Sonnar has a tendency to make out of focus light points into circles with bright edges, and lines into double lines (ni-sen bokeh).

I suspect that the star-shaped diaphragm softens these double lines and outer edges of OOF circles. It doesn't help you wide-open, but stop down even a little, and things are better.

Hey, Volker (or anyone else), do you have a pair of Sonnars or Jupiters, one with the star diaphragm and one without it? As a public service, shoot a comparison wide open and one stop down with both lenses, and show us. A close shot in a dim pub, with small light bulbs out of focus in the background will generate the appropriate highlights.

I'd volunteer, but I only have one J-8, and it has the traditional iris.

--Peter

 

[furcafe]

Really, I have a lot of Sonnars, & it's my impression (since I don't have the lenses in front of me @ the moment to confirm) that only the post-WWII W. German (Zeiss-Opton & Carl Zeiss) 50/1.5 Sonnars have the star/asterisk-shaped smaller apertures & that this was part of the "new" 1951 Oberkochen formulation (perhaps for the reasons Peter Klein mentions). I can't remember the shape of my 50/2 Zeiss-Opton's aperture opening below f/2. My pre-WWII, WWII, & post-WWII Jena Sonnars, whether f/2 or f/1.5, all have aperture blades that make a circular opening throughout the aperture range. I have 1 1955 Jupiter-8, but can't recall whether it has a circular or star-shaped aperture opening below f/2.

All of my pre-war and post-war 50/1.5 Sonnars for the Contax RF have the star-shaped diaphragm. As others have stated, OOF areas are very pleasing. I don't remember if the 50f2 Sonnars have it, though.

 

[furcafe]

I have all the relevant lenses, & if I can remember to bring both types w/me, I'll try to do the test using my R-D1.

Hey, Volker (or anyone else), do you have a pair of Sonnars or Jupiters, one with the star diaphragm and one without it? As a public service, shoot a comparison wide open and one stop down with both lenses, and show us. A close shot in a dim pub, with small light bulbs out of focus in the background will generate the appropriate highlights.

I'd volunteer, but I only have one J-8, and it has the traditional iris.

--Peter

 

[ghost]

oh, great. i just set up flickr groups for the zeiss ikon lenses and didn't include aperture in the labels and stuff. what to do...

ok, that was easy. damn, i have to get this lens! i hope it has good bokeh...

http://www.flickr.com/groups/zeissikon50mm-c/

 

[Harry Lime]

You think so? Zeiss uses traditional design for is 25 which surpasses the Leica 24 which uses aspheric elements and was a totally new lens from scratch. That seems pretty evolved to me.

I wouldn't say surpass. Match perhaps. At least that is what I gather from several reviews I've read.

And while we're on the subject pretty much all optical formulas are rather old. Even a new design like that of the 1.4/50 Summilux-ASPH is a variation on a formula that is probably over 100 years old.

 

[Socke]

Hey, Volker (or anyone else), do you have a pair of Sonnars or Jupiters, one with the star diaphragm and one without it? As a public service, shoot a comparison wide open and one stop down with both lenses, and show us. A close shot in a dim pub, with small light bulbs out of focus in the background will generate the appropriate highlights.

I'll do, but it takes some time, I have C-41 in the Kiev with the starshaped J-8M and I can rewind it and use the second half in the Zorki with the traditional diaphragm. Sunday at the brazilian pub they'll have a band and it should be just bright enough for ISO400 and f2, f2.8 and f4.

 

[dexdog]

Really, I have a lot of Sonnars, & it's my impression (since I don't have the lenses in front of me @ the moment to confirm) that only the post-WWII W. German (Zeiss-Opton & Carl Zeiss) 50/1.5 Sonnars have the star/asterisk-shaped smaller apertures & that this was part of the "new" 1951 Oberkochen formulation (perhaps for the reasons Peter Klein mentions). I can't remember the shape of my 50/2 Zeiss-Opton's aperture opening below f/2. My pre-WWII, WWII, & post-WWII Jena Sonnars, whether f/2 or f/1.5, all have aperture blades that make a circular opening throughout the aperture range. I have 1 1955 Jupiter-8, but can't recall whether it has a circular or star-shaped aperture opening below f/2.

Furcafe, you are right, as usual. I just looked at all my post-war and pre-war Sonnars, and only the post-war 50/1.5 and the Zeiss-Opton 85/2 exhibit the star shape (although it is less well- expressed in the 85/2 due to the large number of iris blades). My pre-war 50s and 85/2 do not exhibit the star shape.