Rollei 40mm M mount

[loneranger]

Hi, anyone know much about the rollei 40mm LTM lens that was released with the rollei RF a few years back. I always thought it was very elegant and compact but with a price around $500, it seemed like too much of a risk. I read somewhere that it was a similar design to the rollei 80mm lens on the TLR's. Anyways, anybody own one or know how good it is?

 

[Xmas]

I thought it was CV by another name normally pretty good?

Noel

 

[ferider]

It's a 40/2.8 Sonnar, designed by Rollei (Zeiss influence, much like in the 35S - very good lens), manufactured by CV.

Its only enemies are the other 40mm lenses out there - there is no bad one (most are faster, too) !

Here is one for sale: 290094428390

Best,

Roland.

 

[furcafe]

I think the Rollei 40/2.8 Sonnar is based on the lens on the Rollei 35 & 35SE cameras, not the Rolleiflex Planar. You're probably thinking about the 80/2.8 Planars in LTM/M mount that was produced (in much smaller quanitities) @ about the same time as the 40mm Sonnar (both were for the Rollei 35 RF); those were indeed supposed to be based on the Rolleiflex Planar.

I read somewhere that it was a similar design to the rollei 80mm lens on the TLR's. Anyways, anybody own one or know how good it is?

 

[richard_l]

It is the Sonnar lens which was used on the Rollei 35 S and 35 SE. It is not a CV lens. It is made in the Rollei factory in Germany. I think the lens barrel comes from CV. It is LTM but comes with an M adapter.

Richard

 

[Huck Finn]

Hi, anyone know much about the rollei 40mm LTM lens that was released with the rollei RF a few years back. I always thought it was very elegant and compact but with a price around $500, it seemed like too much of a risk.

This is a wonderful lens. It has the characteristic Sonnar look. A little soft especially toward the edges at f/2.8 rather than the bitingly sharp look of a Summicron, but stopped down, it's very sharp in its own right. Tonality is excellent & color rendition can be stunning, & it will not flare. I bought it with the Rollei 35 RF, which I sold after buying the ZI. I have a 50 & a 35, so I keep telling myself that I should sell it. But then it finds itself back on the camera & I get pictures that I love, so I keep it.

I bought the 35/135 adapter, so now it brings up the 35 mm frames & I find that it works very well with them. That's one of the advantages with this lens over other 40's. You don't have to file down parts to get it to work with the frame lines of your choice. Since it's LTM, just change the adapter.

All of the facts reported here are correct. Zeiss Sonnar design, same as the one used by Rollei on the Rollei 35. Barrel made by Cosina, but the lens itself is built in Germany by Rollei. Schott glass ground at the Rollei factory, assembly in the Rollei factory to Rollei tolerances, centering of the glass done there. It is very well built - surprisingly heavy for such a small lens. The barrel is very similar to the one used on the CV 50/2.8, 25/4, & 21/4.5. These are the best built CV lenses. It has a nice Leica-style focus tab.

Is $500 to expensive? That's up to you. I think of it as the cheapest lens in the currently available Zeiss line-up. In this sense, it occupies the same position relative to the rest of the Zeiss lens line as the 50/2.8 Elmarit does in the Leica lens line-up - but it's much cheaper than the Elmarit. If you need f/2 or faster, this is obviously not the lens for you. But as a walking around lens, it is tough to beat because it is compact enough for you to throw you camera in a jacket pocket, because it offers that compromise focal length between 35 & 50, & because it yields such pleasing results. And f/2.8 is fast enough to shoot most anything you want when walking around or shooting candids.

 

[rosco@highstream.net]

I bought the brollie with a 40mm 2.8, lrns was very well made. bot when ilooked at it with a light it was badly flawed I ended up sending two of them back and bought a vc 40mm 1.4 .happy now.