Sonnar Comparison

[Dez]

It seems there are quite a few different versions of the postwar 50mm f1.5 Sonnar in LTM. As well as the modern lens from Zeiss/Cosina, there are offerings from Zeiss Jena, Canon, Nikon, the Russians, and probably others. Was there ever a factory-made brass-mounted LTM Sonnar from West German Zeiss?

They vary greatly in price, but I wonder if the same is true of their performance. Is a Jena Zeiss really worth four times the price of the Jupiter 3 clone, especially when both use rather cheap-looking aluminum mounts? The Canon 1.5 looks like it could be run over by a truck without damage, but typically costs much less than the Jena version.

Has anyone done a head-to-head comparison of the construction and performance of the various Sonnars? I am assuming that the new Zeiss/Cosina lens, with its modern coating technology will perform better, but how much better?

Cheers,
Dez

 

[goamules]

Yes, I have. Three Sonnar types compared at wide open (F1.4 or F1.5) and stopped down once (F2.0). They are:
Canon 50mm 1.5 - early 1950s
Jupiter-3 50mm 1.5 - 1963
Nikkor 50mm 1.4 - about 1955

http://www.flickr.com/photos/garrettsphotos/sets/72157632751282133/
Here's the thread and commentary: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129340

I like all three for different reasons. Really, the J-3 is the best buy. The story on the street is "you have to get a good one" and "they have to be shimmed for Leica specs..." I've not found either to be the case, and I've had a bunch. But I'm sure some need adjustment. The J-3 has the warmest colors and can be very sharp wide open. Their mounts are a little cheap, and no aperture clicks.

The Canon and Nikkors are great. The Canon has cooler colors and slightly harsher bokeh. The nikkor is soft wide open, then sharp by almost F2. It therefore makes a great soft focus portrait lens.

I guess the Nikkor is my favorite. Flexible, old fashioned look, built extremely well. It also will focus quite close up, compared to the others.

I have not shot the Zeiss original though.

 

[furcafe]

No. The ones that were made before & during WWII (in what later became "East German") were at the behest of the government/military. Otherwise, Zeiss had no reason to help Leitz.

Was there ever a factory-made brass-mounted LTM Sonnar from West German Zeiss?