Zeiss ZM 85mm f/2 Sonnar for M mount

[Freakscene]

The chromatic aberrations is its Achille’s heel. It lacks the corrections of the 90 APO ASPH and suffers because of it. The images above on the more modest 4/85 are indeed lovely but B&W conversions on a crop sensor. Bought a R 90 AA over ten years ago when the R was discontinued. A Raid-like investment, I guess. Plan to use it on the M10P with an adapter and Visoflex. It’s brilliant on film.

There are always trade offs. Unfortunately Zeiss made residual CA the weakest point in the design around the time when 500% peepers really started getting interested in it. It is lateral rather than axial CA, so you can fix it in software in colour images - it has a greater and less manageable negative effect if you use a Monochrom than an M10. The Leica 90 AA has much worse focus shift, and more field curvature, vignetting and change in resolution to the edges of the field.

The ZM 85mm f2 was reputed to have been discontinued because its mechanical design infringed a Leica patent associated with the floating element.

I still prefer a 75mm that focuses to 0.7m to a longer 85 or 90mm lens that focuses to 1m.

The data sheet remains available at: https://www.zeiss.com/content/dam/c...enses/en/datasheet-zeiss-zm-sonnar-285-en.pdf

https://youtu.be/SK_qi0f0z28

Marty

 

[Out to Lunch]

The images above on the more modest 4/85 are indeed lovely but B&W conversions on a crop sensor.

The black&white image was taken with the Zeiss-Ikon ZM. Cropped sensor?

 

[james.liam]

The black&white image was taken with the Zeis-Ikon ZM. Cropped sensor?

Says Fuji XH1 on the second image and my eye missed the Ikon tag on the upper image.

The Leica 90 AA has much worse focus shift, and more field curvature, vignetting and change in resolution to the edges of the field.

Marty

Indeed. Personally found film, LV/EVF the best ways to use it.

 

[Out to Lunch]

On top of the black&white image, I mentioned: "I am happy with my mundane Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85, both with film and digital". I guess you missed that too.

Cheers, OtL

 

[james.liam]

On top of the black&white image, I mentioned: "I am happy with my mundane Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85, both with film and digital". I guess you missed that too.

Cheers, OtL

That part I got. It was the label on the first image I missed.

 

[awilder]

The 85/2 Sonnar's optical design and MTF chart is quite similar to the 85/1.8 AFD Nikkor so I suspect performance and drawing would be similar at a fraction of the price.