Sonnar 85/2 Price

[anselwannab]

It seems the Zeiss lenses are usually less expensive than their Leica counterparts, but the 85/2 Sonnar seems to be the exception. I don't see it on Gandy's site, but it is on B&H for abut $2700, a few hundred more than the 90/2 from Leica.

I really like the fast, short telephoto for portraits and depth of field management and I was hopng the Zeiss was going to be more in line with their other lenses.

Why is this lens so much more?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Mike Kovacs]

Its one of the two "Made in Germany" ZM lenses.

 

[raid]

I will have to live with only having an old Zeiss Sonnar 85mm/14 in Rolleiflex mount. I paid $250 for it many years ago, and now its aperture mechanism is broken and it can only be used wide open. Still, it is a great lens.

 

[jaap]

It's mechanicly a compilcated lens while it has floating elements witch is quit unique in rf world with the exception of the also new leica 75mm f2.0 wich has also floating elements

 

[anselwannab]

Raid Amin,

I assume you mean 1.4 not 14 😉

I had an 85/1.8 in FD mount for my Canon F1, and I don't think I ever took a picture with an aperture over 2.8.

Mark

 

[ZeissFan]

Mark, it's made in Germany BECAUSE it has floating elements.

According to the Zeiss Ikon FAQ, production of this lens had to be moved to Germany because Cosina was unable to provide assembly for a lens with this complex design. That also goes for the 15mm Distagon -- uses floating elements and is made in Germany.

And because it's made in Germany, the price of both the Sonnar and the Distagon are significantly higher than their counterparts made by Cosina.

I'm really looking for an affordable Contax to M-mount adapter to use some of my Contax lenses. I see one on eBay for $1,999.99, which of course isn't affordable.

 

[Huck Finn]

It seems the Zeiss lenses are usually less expensive than their Leica counterparts, but the 85/2 Sonnar seems to be the exception. I don't see it on Gandy's site, but it is on B&H for abut $2700, a few hundred more than the 90/2 from Leica.

I really like the fast, short telephoto for portraits and depth of field management and I was hopng the Zeiss was going to be more in line with their other lenses.

Why is this lens so much more?

Thanks,
Mark

Mark, it will not be available until December - probably late December. So, I would check Gandy's site around then to see if he has better prices. You might also check Tony Rose at www.popflash.com. He' another grey market dealer in California who is carrying the Zeiss line at the same prices as Gandy & he seems to be getting his inventory a little before Gandy.

If you're interested in Zeiss designs for a short tele & can give up one stop, the M-Hexanon 90/2.8 is based on an Ernostar/Sonnar design & is exceptionally compact for a 90 mm lens. It can be found new at www.photostop.net. There is also the Rollei 80/2.8 Planar, which is a Zeiss design, licensed to Rollei. it's unusual to find a Planar in this focal length. I have spoken to one user who lives near me who says it is flat out the best optic in a short tele he has ever used, including Leica. His opinion is shared by "Mehrdad," who posts on the CVUG list.

Huck

 

[leafy]

There is also the Rollei 80/2.8 Planar, which is a Zeiss design, licensed to Rollei. it's unusual to find a Planar in this focal length. I have spoken to one user who lives near me who says it is flat out the best optic in a short tele he has ever used, including Leica. His opinion is shared by "Mehrdad," who posts on the CVUG list.
Huck

It is not really too unusual if you count the Contax/Zeiss SLR lenses. 50, 85, 100, 135 all have Planar in them. Now if we can get a CY mount to M adapter.

 

[ZeissFan]

I guess the unusual part is the focal length of 80mm rather than 85mm. If you recall, Rollei was supposed to produce three lenses that recognized the "glory days."

The f/2.8 40mm Sonnar from the Rollei 35S.

The f/1.7 50mm Planar from its Rolleiflex SL35 (and many variants).

The f/2.8 80mm Planar from the 2.8C-F Rolleiflex.

I don't think the 50mm Planar ever made it to the market. Pity, because I would have liked to have tried one. Even so, the 80mm Planar sems to be an interesting lens ... possibly a bargain at roughly $1,350 for a Zeiss lens (made under license by Rollei).

The Rollei 40mm is a very well made lens. I would expect the Planar to be of similar quality.

 

[Mazurka]

It is not really too unusual if you count the Contax/Zeiss SLR lenses. 50, 85, 100, 135 all have Planar in them. Now if we can get a CY mount to M adapter.

Well no one ever said the Rolleiflex 2.8 models were uncommon. 😛

Here's the adapter: http://cameraquest.com/adaptslrRFM.htm

 

[ZeissFan]

Oops. I meant to say that an 80mm Planar for 35mm photography was a bit unusual. I think the Carl Zeiss "portrait" lens for 35mm usually has been 85mm.

 

[Mazurka]

The f/1.7 50mm Planar from its Rolleiflex SL35 (and many variants).

That's an f/1.8 lens (at least on the front ring) and the construction is quite different from the Contax version.

 

[ZeissFan]

ok, whatever. probably was an f/1.8 planar.