Sonnar 50/1.5 for Contax question

It seems that there is some of the infamous late postwar Carl Zeiss rainbow cement separation in this one, on the "Sonnar 1:1,5 f = 50 mm" edge.
 
I paid $75 for my CZO 50/1.5 with perfect glass, and a barrel in similar shape. Mine has some brassing on the front edge. Amedeo adapters are $220 shipped. Looks like that one has an original cap and shade, which may be of value to collectors.
 
I should add that, more than a year later, the adapter CZ 50/1.5 remains my absolute favorite lens, for any camera system, and it has been for quite some time.
 
mabelsound said:
I should add that, more than a year later, the adapted CZ 50/1.5 remains my absolute favorite lens, for any camera system, and it has been for quite some time.
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Ditto. The one lens I'll never sell, I think I've said that a few times in various threads. :)
 
The 50/1.5's Carl Zeiss and Carl Zeiss Optons are going up in price, probably tahnks to the M9, u43, and Amedeo. $150~200 is reasonable for the lens, many Ebay sellers are shooting for $300+.

My last one ran $50, it was a parts lens with no front element. I had a spare, works great. It will be my project lens for an LTM or M-Mount conversion. Have not given up.
 
The 50 1.5 CZJ adapter to LTM is used by me more than any other lens, and I have many to choose from. It is always surprising me how good such an old is. It is a bargain buy, in my opinion.

I have today a CZ Opton on an M6 using an Amedeo adapter.
 
The uncoated Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5 is my favorite, like Raid's- converted to LTM. Coincidence? Separated at Birth?
 
raid said:
I have today a CZ Opton on an M6 using an Amedeo adapter.
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Raid - there is no "CZ Opton".

Carl Zeiss Jena
Carl Zeiss Jena T
Zeiss Opton (for a few early postwar uncoated Tessar lenses mounted on Zeiss Ikon folding MF cameras - doesn't regard the Contax series)
Zeiss Opton T
Carl Zeiss

And that's it.
 
Hello,

my Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 50/1,5 is a pre-1945, "red-T " one.

Its serial no. is 2520013, on the front ring; on the rear ring, the no. is 520013.

I need to say that it's one of the best 50mm. lenses I've ever used, if not the best. I also use the Jupiter 3 (same design and maximum aperture, but arriving to f:22, instead of CZJ's F:16), both with Contax and 39x1 mount, the first, serial no. 6008917, the second, no. 5803651 (from a 1958 Leningrad camera outfit). The Jupiter 3, as already said in other threads, is capable of nearly excellent performances.

Best wishes,

Elmar Lang
 
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That Sonnar 'T' of yours is one of the early ones, and i have seen uncoated Sonnars with a later Serial number- 254xxxx. Soon after your batch, the Sonnar "T" went to F22 like the J-3.

Here are some shots with my SN267xxxx lens, converted to Leica mount using a J-3 focus mount. This lens goes to F22, and seems to by 1939 vintage according to some SN guides.
 
Actually, my Sonnar 50/1,5 closes a step more than f:16, although the step is not market on the ring. Maybe, it's an transitional piece, from the older minimum aperture, to the new one. The mount is bright chrome-finished brass.

Just a question: why, in the collectors' community, serial nos. are quoted with the initial numbers followed by "x"s? Personally, giving the complete serial no. of a lens can be highly informative.

Best wishes,

Elmar Lang
 
Because I am not looking at the lens and cannot remember all of the digits. I remember just enough to tell mine apart. 175, 201, 267, 272, 285, 286, 305. I can't remember the Opton ones. They changed the scheme.
 
Hi guys,
What do you think about the new Zeiss Sonnar for S-mount?
Is the performance much better than the zeiss opton? Because the price definitely is much higher.

Or should i stick to looking for the opton?
Thanks.
 
Xherion said:
Hi guys,
What do you think about the new Zeiss Sonnar for S-mount?
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This is a limited-production mount variation, basically the same lens as the recent C-Sonnar ZM for Leica mount, and produced in Japan.
 
Xherion said:
Hi guys,
What do you think about the new Zeiss Sonnar for S-mount?
Is the performance much better than the zeiss opton? Because the price definitely is much higher.

Or should i stick to looking for the opton?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
What Doug wrote, plus it's made for the Nikon rangefinder mount and won't focus accurately enough at close distance and wide-open when mounted on a Contax camera.

Okay I know about what some "experts" have said OTOH... :rolleyes:
 
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