Sonnar 50mm f1.5 focus shift noticeable on film?

[sinjun]

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12 hours ago, wlaidlaw said:

Yes but older Contax mount Sonnars focus the other way infinity to near focus compared with Leica lenses. The Amedeo Muscelli adapters for Contax RF to Leica M, copy the focus direction of Contax RF cameras. I have my father's Contax IIA Colour Dial Camera with the 50/1.5 Opton Sonnar, which he bought on a business trip to Germany in I think 1954 or 55. He could never get used to the "wrong way round" focus either, being like me a dyed in the wool Leica RF user, so the camera is basically unused. When I  had a CLA done a few years ago on the Contax, the repairer said it was just like it had come out of the Stuttgart factory yesterday. 

Wilson

Sorry, I understood you to be saying the modern ZM Sonnar also has this characteristic. If not, what is it that you find 'too left field' about it?

[wlaidlaw]

I found the ZM Sonnar too soft in the corners wide open. It is even softer than my 1954 Opton Sonnar in this respect and the field curvature is also a problem, which exacerbates the corner softness. I actually part exchanged it for the 50mm/f2 ZM Planar, which is much more of an everyday lens and with its very high resolution, made an excellent technical lens, for when I was doing archival museum photography. The modern ZM Sonnar has in my eyes a more vintage rendition than my actual vintage Sonnar or its contemporaneous Sonnar inspired design, LTM Canon Serenar 5cm/f1,8 cousin.

Wilson

[jaapv]

I think the Serenar is the lens to be preferred, with a more even rendering into the corners, more than adequate sharpness an a smooth tonal range. However, mainly for B&W. It tends to turn colours into pastel tints.

[wlaidlaw]

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

I think the Serenar is the lens to be preferred, with a more even rendering into the corners, more than adequate sharpness an a smooth tonal range. However, mainly for B&W. It tends to turn colours into pastel tints.

I would agree and what makes me even happier is how little I paid for an immaculate example from a sale in Japan. My Serenar is a country mile better than my 1953 Summitar and does not give colour positive film a harsh blue tint, like the Summitar does. 

I am lucky enough to have a Japanese friend of many years standing, who looks out for things at estate auctions and will bid for me, then post it off, declared at a suitable low value. He is currently on the look out for a Hasselblad or Fuji XPAN with a 45mm lens for me. 

Wilson

 

[jaapv]

Yes, these lenses are amazingly cheap. I bought a mint rubber-ring one for 100 Euro, including the original hood in its leather case and a matching 35/2.8 one (better than the Summaron) for 50...

[adan]

6 hours ago, jaapv said:

I think the Serenar is the lens to be preferred, with a more even rendering into the corners, more than adequate sharpness an a smooth tonal range. However, mainly for B&W. It tends to turn colours into pastel tints.

Oh, I don't know. I got some really saturated colors from mine. Not perhaps up to an APO-ASPH - but on the whole as, or more, punchy and saturated than most Leica lenses 1950-1990.

Ultimately, I made a command decision that I want 0.7m focusing on a 50, though. And found a used ZM Planar like Wilson.

Canon LTM 50 f/1.8 (all-chrome version) on M10.

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Edited December 13, 2019 by adan

[wlaidlaw]

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8 hours ago, jaapv said:

Yes, these lenses are amazingly cheap. I bought a mint rubber-ring one for 100 Euro, including the original hood in its leather case and a matching 35/2.8 one (better than the Summaron) for 50...

My near mint LTM 35 Summaron is also f2.8 and a remarkably good lens. However, it was a very long way from cheap from Peter Coeln in Vienna. 

Wilson

[jaapv]

6 hours ago, adan said:

Oh, I don't know. I got some really saturated colors from mine. Not perhaps up to an APO-ASPH - but on the whole as, or more, punchy and saturated than most Leica lenses 1950-1990.

Ultimately, I made a command decision that I want 0.7m focusing on a 50, though. And found a used ZM Planar like Wilson.

Canon LTM 50 f/1.8 (all-chrome version) on M10.

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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