carl zeiss jena sonnar 180/2.8

I've been offered this lens in mint condition for 230$ for m42.

What can you say about it?

Hi Michael,

it depends... There are some different versions on the market. The latest multicoated series might be the best. To my knowledge, this lens was originally designed for medium format ( Praktisix et al ) . I have used one very old, non-MC-version with both my Kiev 60 and an OM2 with pleasing results. If your sample is only M42, it might be a slightly different design, but I am not sure..

Rainer

The 180mm Sonnar is one of the great lenses of all time - famous for its bokeh - and still holds its own especially when used wide open for portraits. The original version was designed for Leni Reifenstahl to film the pole vaulters at the 1936 German Olympics. MC is of little importance in a telephoto lens but be warned it is large and heavy. I don't recall whether there is a m42 dedicated version but the one for the Pentacon (P6 version) takes all sorts of readily available adapters (including M42) and might be a better bet.

From roughly 1966 onwards, VEB Pentacon supplied the 180mm Sonnar as a kit with a Priktisix/Pentacon 6 mount and a FAD adaptor for Praktica/Pentax cameras. I had one for a while and the results were very good indeed, on both 120 and 35mm. I believe that there was also an optional adaptor for the Exacta range. I've heard it suggested that later versions were subject to quality control problems though I've never come across any proof of that. Certainly, the earlier 'semi-matt' design looks nicer to my eyes but that's hardly relevant.<div></div>

Carl Zeiss Sonnar 180/2.8 ia a legend.

 

Nikon duplicated this design, and apparently improved on it, in the Nikkor 180/2.8 lens, that also became a legend in Nikon community of users.

If you shoot a lot of photos at 150-200mm, it could be a good buy, if not, it wont. It's a somewhat odd focal length and most suitable for nature, sports and maybe headshots. Don't expect your experiences to match any one elses as the performance of any lens varies greatly from sample to sample. This has been proven in innumerable lens tests.

There are 3 main postwar versions of CZJ Sonnar 2,8/180mm (a prewar one can't be in M42 mount unless modified, highly unlikely in your case).

 

The early one is a single coated preset lens with 77mm filter threat and a decent tripod collar&foot. It has interchangeable camera mounts (P6, Exakta, Praktina, M42)

 

The second version is also a single coated one, but with an automatic aperture and a much worse tripod collar. It's a P6 lens, but was often sold with an adaptor for 35mm film cameras. Majority of them are in so called zebra design. It has a depth of field preview lever and takes 86mm or 95mm filters. There's namely a step-up ring supplied with the lens, the hood is 95mm one.

 

The third and last version is the multicoated one. It's all black and slightly lighter than the previous one. The tripod collar is slightly better and depth of field preview lever is replaced by a/m switch (aperture, not focusing :-) ). It takes same filters and hood as the previous one. Made in P6 mount, but was often sold with a matching all black adaptor for M42 cameras.

 

I love the lens! It's sharp lens with beautiful bokeh. The contrast is on the low side, idealy for portraits. Its noticeable weight is both a liability and an asset, as it allows for quite long shutter speeds.

 

230$ is IMHO a quite elevated price.

 

Best regards,

 

Miha

I have the MC P6 mount lens, which came with M42 and Praktica Bayonet adaptors. It's a very decent lens on both formats - as is the 300mm f4.

I also have the Contax-mount 180mm f2.8 Sonnar, which is not very much better than the Jena lens IMVHO.

My sample of that lens was not very good. It was a late, MC version, but it still flaired badly in even the slightest backlit situation. It was also big and heavy and had a poor minimum focus. On the other hand, a 35mm F2.4 Zeiss MC Flektogon is one of the best lenses I have ever used (including Leica and Nikon's best). That lens doesn't flare even when the sun is in the picture, and focuses to a few inches in front of the front element. The color, contrast , and detail is exceptional, all the way out to the edges.

David M wrote: Don't expect your experiences to match any one elses as the performance of any lens varies greatly from sample to sample. This has been proven in innumerable lens tests.

 

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Would anyone happen to be able to provide a pointer to any of those tests?