ZM Sonnar vs. Jupiter-3

[drjoke]

Question: if I am looking for used Sonnar lenses longer than 50mm, what are the makes and models to look for. I surely cannot afford the ZM 85mm.

 

[xayraa33]

the Nikkor 85mm and the J-9, if the J-9 can focus correctly will do.

 

[sleepyhead]

i have the feeling that old Zeiss 50mm sonnar ( the contax one ) has got a more swirly bokeh than the new one currently manufactured by Carl Zeiss. Do you guys feel the same ?

I recently had a similar thought when looking at a bunch of pictures on the Net taken with various lenses. The Contax version of the 50/1.5 even seems a little different to me bokeh-wise (more swirly as you say) than the Zeiss LTM version of the same lens (or the J-3).

The Canon 50/1.5 LTM Sonnar seems more similar to me to the Contax 50/1.5 than to the Zeiss LTM lenses and the J-3.

Can anyone else coroborate these observations based on EXACT lens design? I thought the Zeiss Contax 50/1.5 and the LTM version were EXACTLY the same optically. Is this true?

 

[Dingo]

I have done a CV Nokton vs J-3 test before, here it is :

http://www.pbase.com/dingolee/nokton_vs_jupiter3_testi

Hope this helps.

 

[thafred]

More bokeh from ZM Sonnar 50mm. I refuse to put anything else on my camera now.

These images are from my Flickr gallery

http://flickr.com/photos/drjoke/

What nice pictures, I can imagine that you refuse to put anything else on your Camera!!! which film did yuo use for the color pic´s?

 

[thafred]

nevermind, I checked your Flickr 😀
(great work btw!)

 

[Nando]

Thafred,

Thanks for the nice comment.

Dr Joke,
Those are really nice photographs.

 

[brachal]

Question: if I am looking for used Sonnar lenses longer than 50mm, what are the makes and models to look for. I surely cannot afford the ZM 85mm.

In addtion to the 85mm Jupiter-9, the 135mm Jupiter-11 is also a Sonnar design. A little slow, but I think it's a great lens.

 

[ruben]

Hi Akiva, Drjoke, and some of the other friends,

Kindly notice that if you don't show us images made both at the widest aperture and close subject of around 1 meter, preferently with some space for farther subjects - we cannot really know much about your lens. Althugh we can learn about your good taste.

For example, the first image published by thafred is the type of image required.

Yet in his good image, some enlargement of a small part of the in-focus area will make a nice addition.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[thafred]

Ruben, point well taken!

I´ll upload 100% crops (scanned at 3200dpi) later when I´m home!

cheers
fred

 

[Uwe_Nds]

Pluralis Maiestatis

Pluralis Maiestatis

Hi Akiva, Drjoke, and some of the other friends,

Kindly notice that if you don't show us images made both at the widest aperture and close subject of around 1 meter, preferently with some space for farther subjects - we cannot really know much about your lens. Althugh we can learn about your good taste.

For example, the first image published by thafred is the type of image required.

Yet in his good image, some enlargement of a small part of the in-focus area will make a nice addition.

Cheers,
Ruben

Your Highness,

May Your wish be their command... 😉

Best regards,
Uwe

 

[thafred]

here are the 100% details from the shots before:

this is shot on outdated fuji sensia 200:

the stopped down shot on APX100:

here I found another focus test, shot on generic 100ASA slidefilm:

It could be much sharper but notbad for this old piece of glass 😀
ZM Sonnar must be ultimately sharper so please post 100%crops and lets compare!
cheers
fred

 

[santino]

thafred, very nice stuff! am I allowed to post a pic taken with my 2/50 Zeiss Jena Sonnar? IMO it has great bokeh too. 🙂

 

[raid]

Here is an old test link for 15 50mm lenses at 4.0. It includes one pic by the J-3. Sorry, I have no ZM. My J-3 is also made by that company with the arrow through the ...

http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=670650

J-3 at 4.0with color film:

J-3 at 1.5 ( for testing bokeh and flare):

 

[kakinchan]

Wow thanks, that's a great deal - a rectangular push-in hood for less than 3 dollars. However for shipping overseas I need to pay 3 times more for it. I will try to find out if the shops here selling one of this thing.

Thank you Payasam!

Kakinchan, look on http://www.fedka.com for the rectangular push-on one. I bought mine elsewhere and use it with the J-3 and the Industar I-61 L/D.

 

[drjoke]

More pics with ZM Sonnar 50mm. Taken with Provia 400X

These are all linked from http://flickr.com/photos/drjoke/

 

[Nikon Bob]

I am reading this post with great interest. I recently got a CZJ 50/1.5 uncoated Sonnar. After using it I liked the look so much that I ordered a J-3 for my LTMs. I.m keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a good one. Here are some holiday photos taken with the CZJ Sonnar wide open and at F4 with an example of flare at 1.4. I was using a hood from Heavy Star.

Bob

The wide open examples and flare example are posted here http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47577

 

[Bingley]

I have been enjoying using a borrowed J-3 for a couple of months now. Here are some recent shots, most at around f.2.8 or f.4 (the bovine bokeh shot is wide open, though):

I'd love to land a Canon 50/1.5, but had to let the one recently advertised in classifieds go by. Next time! I'm finding I like the Sonnar look.

 

[Instantclassic]

Zeiss Sonnar 5cm 1.5@2.0 from 1970

 

[myM8yogi]

I've just updated my online gallery dedicated to J3.
http://www.ziforums.com/album.php?albumid=242

It is a 1953 KMZ I bought on the classifieds here from Eugene. It's still going strong - thanks Eugene!

Some recent examples on M9:

I sometimes wonder about getting the new ZM 50/1.5 sonnar for improved flare resistance and better ergonomics, but the minimum focus distance would not be as close (I have modified my J3) and my camera would look a lot more expensive.