Zeiss ZM 50 Sonnar T pics please

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Willd

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I have read so much about the 'classic' look of the 50mm Sonnar that I am very tempted to get one. I've also read plenty about the focus shift. What I would really love to see, as opposed to read, is some of your shots taken with such a lens.

Do you love it, is the focus shift a problem for you, are you tempted by a Summilux?

Thanks
 
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Lots of pictures taken with the lens, and some taken of it: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps firstlook sonnar 50.html

The focus shift drives some people up the wall, while it doesn't worry others at all. The former dismiss the latter as sloppy and uncritical; the latter dismiss the former as lazy, and too stupid to lean backwards a couple of inches when photographing very close up and at f/2 to f/4 -- which is the only time it matters. Take a look at the examples of focus shift in the link given and you'll see why I say that.

Think of it as a lens where, as you stop down, almost all the depth of field builds up behind the focused point, and you'll not go far wrong.

Would I swap it for a 50 Summilux? Well, yes, if I could then sell the Summilux and get another Sonnar...

Cheers,

R.
 
Willd said:
Do you love it, is the focus shift a problem for you, are you tempted by a Summilux?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes, no, yes.

I am tempted by a Summilux because I hope it would be about the same as the Sonnar, minus the Zeiss (high to me) contrast. Though nowadays prices are keeping me from actually getting one...

Sonnar + Portra 160 NC + attempt at taming contrast.


20101203_13_M2+SNR by Martin N. Hinze, on Flickr


20101203_10_M2+SNR by Martin N. Hinze, on Flickr


20101111B_02_M2+SNR by Martin N. Hinze, on Flickr
 
Martin, Marek, and Roger - whew, very hard acts to follow, so I'll refrain 🙂

Roger, I hope I don't have it wrong, but I bow slightly toward the subject at or near minimum focus distance when shooting at f1.5 to f2. (Lens is optimized for f2.8.)

It's heresy, I know, but the C-Sonnar is better for my shooting than the pre-ASPH summilux. Maybe I'm just rationalizing since the pre-ASPH is well above USD2000 there days. The ASPH 50 isn't tempting at its price, however wonderful it is.

I really like mine, on film and digital M's. Never really troubled by the focus shift. Beautiful background rendering wide open and to f2.8 and with a bit softer contrast, sharpens well across the frame by f5.6 with stronger contrast (better in this regard than the pre-ASPH to my eye and MTFs), light and right-sized in the hand. There is a dimensionality to the way the lens images. Some say 3-D, but to me it's just the way it provides a contour to the subject against its background. Lovely to my eye.
 
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MCTuomey said:
Roger, I hope I don't have it wrong, but I bow slightly toward the subject at or near minimum focus distance when shooting at f1.5 to f2. (Lens is optimized for f2.8.)
Click to expand...

No, you're dead right -- mine's optimized for f/1.5. As I understand it, this is the default calibration after 2007, but there's an awful lot of internet fluff about this. Given that it takes only a couple of shots to see which yours is optimized for, it's not as big a problem as most people seem to think. Focus on something a metre away; shoot at f/1.5 and f/2.8; and see which is sharper...

Cheers,

R.
 
Shab, it takes a trip to Zeiss service. I don't know from experience but my understanding is that Zeiss won't charge for making the change.
 
Willd said:
Do you love it, is the focus shift a problem for you, are you tempted by a Summilux?
Click to expand...

Yes, no, sue me on what grounds?

I've also done a writeup of the 50/1.5 (it's here) although I learned everything that matters about this lens from the report that Roger provided earlier.

A few quickly-chosen samples from the C-Sonnar, the first two wide open, and the last at f/8 or so:

i-WD5Rnr7-L.jpg


i-D76Kc89-L.jpg


i-wrxBZwG-L.jpg
 
Interesting news below. Having read about the focus shift issues of the C Sonnar 50mm, which haven't troubled me with mine so far in the few weeks since I bought the lens new, I queried Zeiss about the optimization aperture. I was under the impression from what I had read here and elsewhere that the newer C Sonnars were optimized for no focus shift at f1.5. That is apparently wrong. Here is what I got back this a.m:

"Thank you for your inquiry to Carl Zeiss.

Out of factory all the C- Sonnar lenses are optimized for best compromise
of the unavoidable focusshift at f 2,8. This seems the best adjustment for
most of the applications. If you like to have the switch to the widest open
optimization you have to send the lens to your dealer or our distribution
partner in the land of purchase and they will forward the lens to the
service in Oberkochen. Within the warranty time this service is for free.

Hoping to be of service to you we kindly ask you to contact us again should
you need further assistance.

Sincerely,
Andreas Bogenschuetz"
 
MCTuomey said:
Shab, it takes a trip to Zeiss service. I don't know from experience but my understanding is that Zeiss won't charge for making the change.
Click to expand...

Zeiss WILL charge for the change if the lens is out of warranty. At least they (Zeiss Oberkochen, Germany) charged for my C Sonnar.
 
ChipMcD said:
Interesting news below. Having read about the focus shift issues of the C Sonnar 50mm, which haven't troubled me with mine so far in the few weeks since I bought the lens new, I queried Zeiss about the optimization aperture. I was under the impression from what I had read here and elsewhere that the newer C Sonnars were optimized for no focus shift at f1.5. That is apparently wrong. Here is what I got back this a.m:

"Thank you for your inquiry to Carl Zeiss.

Out of factory all the C- Sonnar lenses are optimized for best compromise
of the unavoidable focusshift at f 2,8. This seems the best adjustment for
most of the applications. If you like to have the switch to the widest open
optimization you have to send the lens to your dealer or our distribution
partner in the land of purchase and they will forward the lens to the
service in Oberkochen. Within the warranty time this service is for free.

Hoping to be of service to you we kindly ask you to contact us again should
you need further assistance.

Sincerely,
Andreas Bogenschuetz"
Click to expand...

Ah.... I have been labouring under a delusion, having misunderstood what I thought I heard at Oberkochen.

Thanks,

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Ah.... I have been labouring under a delusion, having misunderstood what I thought I heard at Oberkochen.

Thanks,

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...

Roger, who knows what is what. It may have varied over time, but I assume that what I got was the current received wisdom. Just remember, "We've always been at war with Eastasia."
 
The Mystery Deepens

The Mystery Deepens

See my message quoted below regarding Sonnar C 50mm optimization. I called the Carl Zeiss U.S. Marketing and Sales Director today to see about getting my new Sonnar optimized for f1.5 after receiving the message from Carl Zeiss in Germany. He tells me that from March 2007 on, the Sonnar 50mm has been optimized for f1.5, which is consistent with what I've read here and on other boards, but which is inconsistent with the message from Carl Zeiss Germany. At this point, more sources than not have the lens optimized at f1.5. So I guess that will be my working assumption.

The U.S. rep did, however, say that the f1.5 calibration is done on a bench for 27.6mm from the sensor/film plane, and that the M8, M8.2 and M9 generally do not conform to that spec, although the film Ms do. He said that Zeiss can calibrate the lens for M9s at no service charge within the warranty period, but that once that fix is done, the lens may not work well wide open with a film M. I guess that stands to reason, if the film plane of film Ms and the sensor plane of digital Ms are not the same distance from the lens. Sheesh!

I think I'm going to try the thing out at f1.5 with my M9 and M3, see if there is a problem that my poor eyes can see, then decide what to do. With luck, I will not be able to discern a problem, in which case, it doesn't exist!

ChipMcD said:
Interesting news below. Having read about the focus shift issues of the C Sonnar 50mm, which haven't troubled me with mine so far in the few weeks since I bought the lens new, I queried Zeiss about the optimization aperture. I was under the impression from what I had read here and elsewhere that the newer C Sonnars were optimized for no focus shift at f1.5. That is apparently wrong. Here is what I got back this a.m:

"Thank you for your inquiry to Carl Zeiss.

Out of factory all the C- Sonnar lenses are optimized for best compromise
of the unavoidable focusshift at f 2,8. This seems the best adjustment for
most of the applications. If you like to have the switch to the widest open
optimization you have to send the lens to your dealer or our distribution
partner in the land of purchase and they will forward the lens to the
service in Oberkochen. Within the warranty time this service is for free.

Hoping to be of service to you we kindly ask you to contact us again should
you need further assistance.

Sincerely,
Andreas Bogenschuetz"
Click to expand...
 
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