Recieved a 50 1.5C Sonnar ZM today, samples

[Gabriel M.A.]

Sounds to me, Steve, that you want accuracy more than you want the look of the images.

I have the Summilux pre-asph and I love it. A lot. But the background blur will be different than what you're getting with this Sonnar. The Sonnar has a very, I don't know, it's like a "machined metal, to a buttery silk" look. The Summilux is buttery. I can't say the same for the ASPH version (I don't own one).

I say get the black one, try it again. Who knows, your results may be better that time around?

 

[SteveRD1]

Yea, Im thinking of getting the black

Yea, Im thinking of getting the black

Probably gonna try again. BH has a used summilux Pre ASPH at $1400 but I think I'll stick with the ZM as it is a quality lens, and MUCH cheaper than a Lux ASPH which I really can not afford. Maybe it will be better or if not, maybe i can work around it/get used to it. The lens does have a certain charm to it.

Thanks for the comments/suggestions

 

[back alley]

there is always the zm 50/2 planar.

it's plenty sharp and only 615 + 85 for the hood.

joe

 

[SteveRD1]

Planar

Planar

I really want at least the 1.5 or a 1.4, so the planar is out.

 

[back alley]

right!

doh...

 

[SteveRD1]

Couple more shots before it goes back

Couple more shots before it goes back

SHot another roll today of fuji superia..1st shot is from the 50ZM sonar, 2nd the Noctilux which I have to ship off tomorrow to the buyer 🙁

 

[SteveRD1]

Oh yea

Oh yea

forgot to mention, the shots above - the ZM was at 1.5, Noct was F1.4

couple more from the ZM

1st one at 1.5 of my dog scrubby

2nd at F2 of my dog Winnie

 

[jja]

Focus shift be damned! These Sonar photos have a lot of character. You are also lucky that you have owned a Noctilux.

 

[msadat]

what was your distance fro these two shots. i started to work with the sonnar trying to understand it. i was really impressed by the color and wormth and your pictures also show the same. @ 1.5 and close focus very unprdicatable results. but it seems it is not a close range use lens under 2.0

forgot to mention, the shots above - the ZM was at 1.5, Noct was F1.4

couple more from the ZM

1st one at 1.5 of my dog scrubby

2nd at F2 of my dog Winnie

 

[Trius]

forgot to mention, the shots above - the ZM was at 1.5, Noct was F1.4

couple more from the ZM

1st one at 1.5 of my dog scrubby

2nd at F2 of my dog Winnie

Holy crap, Steve ... both are wonderful, but the Scrubby shot is da bomb. I gotta have the Sonnar.

 

[furcafe]

The Cosina Voigtlander 50/1.5 Nokton is big (52mm filter thread), but is not heavy @ all.

The Nokton is quite big and heavy too, so I guess there are not too many fast 1.4 options which are light.

 

[xayraa33]

can someone please explain to me what is " focus shift " in regard to a 50mm f1.5 Sonnar design?

 

[back alley]

can someone please explain to me what is " focus shift " in regard to a 50mm f1.5 Sonnar design?

if i have this right...it's where the point of focus changes with a change in f stop.

so, at 2.8, if i focus on your eyes the point of focus stays on your eyes.
but if i focus on your eyes at 1.5 the actual point of focus is just ahead of your eyes. this would be front focus as is claimed with the 50/1.5 zm lens.

 

[xayraa33]

if i have this right...it's where the point of focus changes with a change in f stop.

so, at 2.8, if i focus on your eyes the point of focus stays on your eyes.
but if i focus on your eyes at 1.5 the actual point of focus is just ahead of your eyes. this would be front focus as is claimed with the 50/1.5 zm lens.

hmmm... it sounds like the Jupiter 3 in LTM phenomena.
at close focus, at f1.5 , the lens is not focused where the camera's rangefinder says it is.

 

[back alley]

apparently it's a sonnar thing.

 

[xayraa33]

will we have to get the ZM 50/1.5 Sweeneyfied to correct this problem?🙂

 

[back alley]

i believe there is no real hope for us.
it is a matter of compromises.

 

[xayraa33]

i believe there is no real hope for us.
it is a matter of compromises.

I agree with you Joe,
it is nothing but compromises.

 

[willie_901]

Steve,

This second batch of Sonnar photos looks pretty good. Did you adjust your focusing technique, i.e. front focus? What do you think about these photos? Is the Sonnar going back?

 

[MikeL]

Thanks for the images Steve. The OOF areas do seem to be less smooth than the pre-asph summilux as Gabriel mentioned. Not bad, just different! If you get a chance Steve you should try the pre-asph summllux since you like speed and take a lot of portraits of your family (I think?). After using both it and the noctilux I would never go back to the noctilux.