SiggiGun Posted January 27, 2021 Share #21 Â Posted January 27, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) Focusing only with LV brings good and Sonar typical results 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 27, 2021 Posted January 27, 2021 Hi SiggiGun, Take a look here How to obtain focus at 1.5 with Zeiss 50mm f1.5 sonnar. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
stephengv Posted February 3, 2021 Share #22  Posted February 3, 2021 Shot with the Sonnar at 1.5:  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/317238-how-to-obtain-focus-at-15-with-zeiss-50mm-f15-sonnar/?do=findComment&comment=4132618'>More sharing options...
JimmyCheng Posted October 29, 2024 Share #23 Â Posted October 29, 2024 sorry about reviving an old post. I just bought a brand new Zeiss 50mm c sonnar today. I tested on plastic bottles and my wife (not that they are equal), and found surprisingly the eyes are always sharp at f1.5/f2/f2.8, so are the text on the bottle. Am I safe to assume there's no (or very little) focus shift? Test camera was M11 and I used rangefinder patch to focus (NOT LIVEVIEW! I know some may assume that). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted October 29, 2024 Share #24 Â Posted October 29, 2024 My Sonnar 50/1.5 copy purchased in 2014 is calibrated at f/1.5. If your lens is like mine, you should see the focus shift at f/4 or f/5.6 mainly. Earlier copies are calibrated at f/2.8 and some of them at f/2 i was told but i have no experience with them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedaes Posted October 29, 2024 Share #25 Â Posted October 29, 2024 23 minutes ago, JimmyCheng said: Am I safe to assume If the parts you want are sharp - why worry? If you want to stress test it, may need to stop down to f4 and f5.6 without moving focus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted October 29, 2024 Share #26 Â Posted October 29, 2024 Use it normally and decide if the pictures meet your expectations. I used a lens notorious for focus shift for years and loved it. Then I read about focus shift with it and started testing carefully - and got paranoid. If your results are good, don't overthink. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted October 29, 2024 Share #27 Â Posted October 29, 2024 Advertisement (gone after registration) 33 minutes ago, JimmyCheng said: and found surprisingly the eyes are always sharp at f1.5/f2/f2.8, so are the text on the bottle. Yes good point. Focus shift is overhyped. I own many lenses reputed for focus shift and I just use those to take pictures and forget about "focus shift". so ... Use the lens normally at your favorite apertures, then decide if focus shift ennoys you or not. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted October 29, 2024 Share #28 Â Posted October 29, 2024 Remember that the smaller the aperture, the greater the depth of field. Also, focus errors are most noticeable in close portraits, less so with landscapes and streetscapes. So focus shift is mainly an issue for shooting people close to with moderate to wide apertures. Form my experience with this lens (admittedly I owned it about 10 years ago) It's generally unnoticeable at f/8, and you might get away with it at f/5.6. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee S Posted October 29, 2024 Share #29  Posted October 29, 2024 (edited) Jimmy, Firstly enjoy your video content well done! Flavio Bosi did.a very comprehensive test of this lens along with the 50mm F1.5 Nokton II. His conclusion is the Sonnar focus shifts into the next solar system from F1.5 to F5.6. (At F5.6 the acceptable plane of focus was still 2cm behind the target despite increase of depth of field). Sonnar Review. https://www.47-degree.com/focus-shift/zeiss-c-sonnar-50mm-1-5-zm-review#Focus_shift:_how_bad_is_it?  His comparison between the 50mm Nokton & Sonnar is also good. https://www.47-degree.com/focus-shift/nokton-50mm-1-5-ii-sonnar-50mm-1-5-comparison Have fun with the new lens, it it works for you that’s all that matters! Lee   Edited October 29, 2024 by Lee S Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyCheng Posted October 30, 2024 Share #30  Posted October 30, 2024 3 hours ago, Lee S said: Jimmy, Firstly enjoy your video content well done! Flavio Bosi did.a very comprehensive test of this lens along with the 50mm F1.5 Nokton II. His conclusion is the Sonnar focus shifts into the next solar system from F1.5 to F5.6. (At F5.6 the acceptable plane of focus was still 2cm behind the target despite increase of depth of field). Sonnar Review. https://www.47-degree.com/focus-shift/zeiss-c-sonnar-50mm-1-5-zm-review#Focus_shift:_how_bad_is_it?  His comparison between the 50mm Nokton & Sonnar is also good. https://www.47-degree.com/focus-shift/nokton-50mm-1-5-ii-sonnar-50mm-1-5-comparison Have fun with the new lens, it it works for you that’s all that matters! Lee   Hi Lee, I'm glad you enjoyed my content! Yes I am aware of this review, hence even more surprised by what I found. It was some preliminary testing done at my hotel room so nothing scientific. I'll try to do a more comprehensive review of the lens once I got back home. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyCheng Posted October 30, 2024 Share #31 Â Posted October 30, 2024 9 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said: Remember that the smaller the aperture, the greater the depth of field. Also, focus errors are most noticeable in close portraits, less so with landscapes and streetscapes. So focus shift is mainly an issue for shooting people close to with moderate to wide apertures. Form my experience with this lens (admittedly I owned it about 10 years ago) It's generally unnoticeable at f/8, and you might get away with it at f/5.6. I was testing in in a hotel room (so very close distance), and to my surprise I don't see much, if any from f1.5 - f2.8 (which should be very noticeable from what I've read). I'm still puzzled as for why. I'll do a more comprehensive review later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted October 30, 2024 Share #32  Posted October 30, 2024 M11, ZM 50/1.5, crop Target at about 10m (bush) No focus shift at f/1.5: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! M11, ZM 50/1.5, crop Same target at about 10m Focus shift at f/5.6:  1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! M11, ZM 50/1.5, crop Same target at about 10m Focus shift at f/5.6:  ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/317238-how-to-obtain-focus-at-15-with-zeiss-50mm-f15-sonnar/?do=findComment&comment=5679409'>More sharing options...
haikos Posted November 9, 2024 Share #33  Posted November 9, 2024 @lct intersting comparison. I still don't know if mine is calibrated for ƒ2 or ƒ2.8 (bought new in Jan. 2020) I doubt it's at ƒ1.5 since I often have OOF photos with it unless I focus-then-lean-in a few inches. The ƒ1.5 OOF photos often look fine until I zoom in in Lightroom. For the ones that are in-focus however, I see what the magic is about. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted November 10, 2024 Share #34  Posted November 10, 2024 The dog looks in focus in this pic of yours. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/317238-how-to-obtain-focus-at-15-with-zeiss-50mm-f15-sonnar/?do=findComment&comment=5691900'>More sharing options...
haikos Posted November 10, 2024 Share #35 Â Posted November 10, 2024 @lct I don't post the oof ones 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted November 10, 2024 Share #36 Â Posted November 10, 2024 Focus shift is less obvious at 2m than 10m on my M11.An easy way to avoid it is to use an EVF, below at f/2, FF and crop. https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Leica-M11-ZM-5015/i-9zkF5LB/0/MQpVHRrSLbgSrW3R6hKsKDpjnx3dPHVxRxjBqTB6T/X4/M1106499_sipss-X4.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Leica-M11-ZM-5015/i-vh6LFL8/0/MZgrKxznbN8gqTLM7Qt8r4KP2mrjz2RK9pFmCTTNd/X4/M1106499_crop-X4.jpg 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raizans Posted November 10, 2024 Share #37  Posted November 10, 2024 Roger Hicks' advice still holds true: focus at the nearest point you want to have in focus, assuming that the DOF will basically all be behind that plane; you will not have 1/3 of the DOF in front and 2/3 of the DOF behind the focus plane like usual. https://web.archive.org/web/20080119132856/http:/www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps firstlook sonnar 50.html The focus shift issue is rather academic. Who does portraits near minimum focus with the lens stopped down to f/5.6? Most people will be at f/1.5, or if you're like me, you prefer stopping down to f/2.8. I think only the first batch was calibrated for f/2.8 (woe is me), and subsequent batches were calibrated for f/1.5. I haven't heard about any being calibrated for f/2, that's a new one for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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