Zeiss Sonnar 1.5/50 S mount

[mark_a11664881497]

<p>I wonder whether anyone here has used the above lens on a Nikon rangefinder, for which it was apparently designed, or on the Contax rangefinder. I understand that it has actually but inadvertently been machined for the Contax. Please let me have your opinions and please post any photos you may have taken with the lens. Thank you.</p>

[furcafe]

<p>I know @ least 1 person who has the lens. There are some threads, w/example photos, on the Rangefinder Forum (www.rangefinderforum.com). Contrary to what you might have read, the lens was *not* inadvertently machined for the Contax.</p>

[mark_a11664881497]

<p>Christopher,<br>

Thank you for your response to this thread. Will have a look at the rangefinderforum. There's an interesting article on the lens at <a href="http://www.zeisscamera.com/articles_zmsonnar.shtml">http://www.zeisscamera.com/articles_zmsonnar.shtml</a></p>

[Brian1664876441]

<p>The focal length of this lens is set for 51.6mm, the standard used on Leica and Nikon S-Mount. The Contax standard is slightly longer, about 52.4mm. A Nikon Mount lens will front-focus on a Contax.</p>

<p>BUT- the modern Sonnar is optimized for best performance at F4. The Focus Shift that occurs when opening up the lens to F1.5 moves the focus forward of what is indicated by the Nikon RF. It moves into better agreement with the RF of the Contax.</p>

<p>You can buy the lens, and shim it for better performance on a Contax. The residual focus error will be covered by the DOF.</p>

[mark_a11664881497]

<p>Thank you also, Brian. "Shim"??? Have ordered one of these lenses in the UK from Robert White (I believe they have one left) that I propose to use on a Contax CD. Incidentally, with the current exchange rate for sterling, their pricing seems very competetive.</p>

[Brian1664876441]

<p>Shim- a basic way to set the optics module of a lens in its mount. The original Sonnar's use then metal rings to set collimate the optics in the mount. The 1930's Contax lenses use shims as then as 0.03mm to get the focus correct.<br>

I do not have the modern Sonnar. Several years ago, I "shimmed" one of my Nikon S2's to work with the Contax lenses. I've also shimmed (collimated) a Sonnar lens to work with an unmodified Nikon.<br>

"Collimate" the optics should be the general term.</p>

[furcafe]

<p>Mark, I am familiar w/Mr. Scherer's article, but have to disagree w/his conclusion (though not on his findings w/the 1 Nikon S helical). The article was discussed in detail on the RFF here (including my comments as "furcafe"):<br>

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62494</p>

[Brian1664876441]

<p>The Nikon Helical may have the same thread "pitch" as the Contax, but it rotates 260degrees. The Contax rotates 270degrees to accommodate the slightly longer focal length. The total movement of the Contax is about 0.1mm more than the Nikon to focus from 3ft to infinity.</p>

[mark_a11664881497]

<p>Thank you all for your responses. I enjoyed reading the debates in RFF about which camera this lens was actually designed for. There seem to be some fairly strong opinions about the matter expressed by the two distinct camps. For my part I propose to stick the lens on my Contax, snap away and see where it takes me. Thanks once again.</p>

[Brian1664876441]

<p>Get the lens, report back on the results. I just bought a Contax II, and it is in for a CLA with Eddy S. I have and use a Contax IIIa, but prefer the 1x viewfinder of the Nikon S2. That is why I modified the Nikon to focus properly with Contax mount lenses. On the Carl Zeiss Opton Sonnar 50mm F1.5, I used the variable stand-off ring to make the lens focus properly on an Unmodified Nikon. It's easy to see the difference if you use the RF to focus the lens, and a focus screen mounted at the filmgate with a 15x loupe.</p>

[jon_manjiro1]

<p>> BUT- the modern Sonnar is optimized for best performance at F4.<br>

Brian, where did you get that figure from? RFF member Fred B. (fgb2) contacted Zeiss about this and they responded that the new S-mount Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 is optimised for f1.5 (see the link below).<br>

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=857610#post857610<br>

After shooting with my own S-mount Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 for about eight months, and also having owned and shot with an M-mount Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 optimised for f2.8, and then sending that lens to Cosina to be optimised for f1.5 and shooting with it afterwards, my conclusion about the optimisation of the new S-mount Sonnar 50/1.5 is the same.<br>

It's a brilliant lens. Higher contrast wide open, almost as sharp as the Millennium Nikkor-S 50/1.4, but with smoother bokeh.<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3074/3039438025_9810f11b8a_o.jpg" alt="Two Zeiss Sonnars" /><br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2475124021_3580c5bbc3_o.jpg" alt="SP 2005 + Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5" width="800" height="535" /></p>

 

[jon_manjiro1]

<p>Oops, in my previous post I meant to write "high contrast" but mistakenly wrote "higher contrast".</p>

<p>Also, here's a few photos taken with the S-mount Zeiss Zonnar 50/1.5 on a Nikon SP 2005.</p>

<p>@ f2 - focus is on the front right statue.<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2835123297_444610a547_o.jpg" alt="Jizo statues" /><br>

@ f2.8<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3183/2835959250_82168e1510_o.jpg" alt="Bronze statue" /></p>

<p>@f2.8<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/2835125711_d9ceda6df2_o.jpg" alt="Hasedera Temple, Kamakura" /></p>