UN-coated LTM 50s?

[dexdog]

I recall reading that Zeiss started coating lenses as soon as they got back to production after WW II. Rob

Some Zeiss lenses were coated as early as 1937 or 1938, although the process was not used on all lens production until after WW2. I have a coated 50/2 collapsible Sonnar from 1940 and a coated 35/2 Biogon from 1941.

Anyway, great majority of collapsible Sonnars will be uncoated🙂

 

[raid]

Or an early uncoated CZJ 50/1.5 Sonnar - though get one new enough to stop down to f16 😉 - and a bad J3 instead. The whole idea of the Sonnar/Ernostar design was to make a fast lens before coatings were availabe and in doing so CZJ created one of the truely great lens designs.

Personally, I'll stick to my uncoated Tessar on my Contax 🙂

William

The J-3 is hard to get for less than $60, but the J-8 is very cheap. The ZJ50 2.0 is as good as the 50 1.5 in my opinion.

 

[peterm1]

The uncoated Summar and Summitar are both classics that render beautifully. I have also used the uncoated tessar lens (with a Cotax body) and it also produces nice shots......from memory the Elmar is a Tessar variant.

Didn't this guy use non coated lenses?

http://www.jamesravilious.com/

Yes I just found it in the bio section of the site

.."Though never posed, James's pictures are composed with the eye of an artist, and they capture subtle qualities of light - the result of years of experiment with pre-war Leica cameras and uncoated lenses"

The thing I like about uncoated lenses is the serene way they render light and shade. Check out this example from the above web site.

http://www.jamesravilious.com/gallerypic.asp?gallery_id=35

 

[rbiemer]

The lens surgery idea is appealing but maybe a bit out of my budget--certainly any Zeiss factory LTM lenses are!--I am going to keep any eye out for the appropriate lenses on the chance that I can find an optically good uncoated Sonnar.
Xenons and Summitars look like they would serve but a bit pricey (for me) for a decent one.
While I can hope to find a bargain for the lenses above, I think the Elmar or Summar are going to be the least complicated way for me.
Thanks for all the help!
Rob