Sonnar Dilemma

S

Stephanie Brim

Mental Experimental.
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I'll be picking up a Kiev from a nice gentleman soon and I've wanted to look at a faster 50 than the one that comes with the camera. I believe it is the Industar 61, or the 53/2.8 lens, and I prefer a little faster. The cheap way to go would be to get a Jupiter-8 and call it quits for a while with the J-12 and that 50, but something tells me that I'll want something even faster...and this is the root of the problem.

I've looked and, really, I could get a 50/1.5 Sonnar (post-war version, IIRC) for about the same price as the Jupiter-3 clone, especially since I'd really want the J-3 to be checked out to make sure that it worked as it should. A good J-3 is a very good lens indeed, but the legendary lens itself would be kinda neat to have.

Thoughts? I'm trying to be budget conscious here. I'll be sticking with the two lenses I'll have for it for a month or so.
 
Stephanie--
A Kiev almost certainly comes with a Jupiter-8 or Jupiter-8M, which is a 50mm f:2.0. It's a very good lens. If you want something a little faster, there is the Helios-103, a 53mm f:1.8. It's more recent and a little faster and also quite sharp. You may well be content with your 50mm and a Jupiter-12 for a while. Have you considered the fabulous Jupiter-9, 85mm f:2.0?

Of course, if you can pick up a real f:1.5 Sonnar for a song . . . go for it. But make sure it's the real thing. There are some "Sonnars" out there from dealers in Russia that look suspiciously like relabeled Jupiter-3s.
--Santafecino
 
I'm not so sure you can easily pick up a Zeiss (either Carl Zeiss Jena, Carl Zeiss, or Zeiss-Opton) 50/1.5 Sonnar for the same price as a Jupiter 3, but if you have a line on a special deal, by all means go for it! Normally, on eBay, etc., the W. German Zeiss-Opton or Carl Zeiss 50/1.5 Sonnars by themselves go for about $150-300 depending on condition; you can get them for less if they're paired w/a Contax body (after you deduct the cost of the body), but then you have the added expense of the body, which you may not want to deal with. In the sub-$150 range, I've lucked out w/some W. German Sonnars that had some minor separation, cleaning marks, etc., but that's a bit of a crapshoot. There are some post-WWII E. German Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm/1.5 Sonnars, too, & they're usually less expensive than the W. German version, but they seem to be hard to come by in the U.S. (the 5cm/2 version is much more common).
 
Well, there's always sending the J-3 to someone if it isn't quite right, but it would most likely cost me around $100 for the lens and then at least $50 more for the work, if not more. I could likely get a real Sonnar for that. Kinda a pickle, really.
 
Try the Helios 103. It's a very good lens and can be had for much less than a Zeiss lens.
 
Steph ... my Jupiter 3 cost me $75.00 and sort of came through this forum. It was offered to me by the friend of an RFF'er after he noticed I had bought a Contax II. It appears to have no problems ... but then again I'm no expert! I would use what ever you have and wait it out for a cheap J3. There has been some fine pics posted on RFF lately ... taken with this lens! :)
 
Must be the Helios 103 then. I wanted to try that lens anyway. I STILL want a Contax mount 50/1.5, though. Completely selfish reasons, too...I love the bokeh. :D
 
Brian

It would only take you about five minutes confess, stop watch in daughters hands, gooo...

Noel
 
Hi Stephanie,

I have a Contax-mount Opton Sonnar that you can have for shipping costs only, if you
can get Brian to collimate it for you.

Brian (focus mount comes off of this one, the one I mentioned to you once) ?

Roland.
 
I'd shoot the thing if I can get him to work on it for me. I'm heading to Lazerfest this summer (hopefully) and plan to do nothing but listen to good music (Tool will be there) and take photos. :)
 
Stephanie, I wouldn't think twice over an offer like that if I were you. Odds are it'll be just fine without speical collimation, since Contax and Kiev lenses made to same focusing standard.
 
I'll take it, but it seems like it'll need some fixing. I can deal with that. I'll email Brian later on if he doesn't see this and see what he says.
 
Stephanie Brim said:
I'll take it, but it seems like it'll need some fixing. I can deal with that. I'll email Brian later on if he doesn't see this and see what he says.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, I believe it just needs infinity collimation. It's a good lens,
heavy chrome but my only Contax mount lens and it would be nice to
know that it is used.

Roland.
 
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