Opine on the CZJ postwar Sonnar 50/2, please!

[pstake]

There is much ballyhoo about the 1.5 version of this lens but not a lot about the f2 version. I get the impression that the F2 is the poor man's f1.5.

So it's appropriate that I should have the F2!

So far, I very much like the way it renders.

Anyone else have images and / opinions to share about this lens?

These are from my first roll. Tri-x @ 1600, stand dev'd in Rodinal ... all low-light / indoor.


I've joined the ranks Camera-files who post pictures of their cats!

 

[Xmas]

Hi

Ballyhoo = web gossip...
The post war CZ and Jena /2 Sonnars would have used higher refractive index glass the pre war /2, the late CZ even higher.
So the post WWII should be better off axis than the pre WWII
But you would need tripod adapter in solid block of concrete and slow mono film in auctance dev to detect much difference between the /1.5 and /2, other then at /2 (and 1.5), difficult to get the slow mono film nowdays.

The single coating in a six air to surface glass lens with a hood gives a colo(u)r pastel water colo(u)r or lower contrast mono rendering that lots of people want, so the /2 or /1.5 lenses in LTM are climbing in $/£, (as are the /1.5s).

Ive only got a Nikon HC /2 (LTM). a CZ /2 and several Kiev /2s and they are all nice lenses, don't worry about Bayllyhoo, a nice village for photos though.

Noel

 

[pstake]

Thanks Xmas. As far as sharpness wide open, this photo shows the capability of this lens. This photo also shows what an entertaining dinner partner I can be.

Anyway, the 50/2 is plenty sharp for me and it has that certain (insert French expression for "I don't know what.")

If I ever get the f1.5, I'll get my tripod and some CMS 20 film and do some testing; but so far I see no reason to get the 1.5.

I agree with you about ballyhoo! Ballyhoo seems the great creator of demand. There's probably a lesson in there for us!

Would love to see some of your images from the CZ 50 F2 if you care to share? Is yours the CZJ or the later version?

 

[Xmas]

Would love to see some of your images from the CZ 50 F2 if you care to share? Is yours the CZJ or the later version?

It is a late post 1960 lens, the kit lens on one of the last Contax IIIa, it says ' Carl Zeiss ' on the neme plate I don't have any slides to hand at this address to scan, but it would show the grain on Kodachrome 25 centre of frame similar to much later Leica or Nikon glass, and had nicer colo(u)rs from the single coating (SC).

Cosinia have made two of their modern Voghtlander lenses (the 40mm and 35mm /1.4s in multi coatied (MC) and SC,) they initially made a small run of the 40mm in SC for the Jap mono market, but they flew off the shelves to the Americias and Europe, they ended up making almost the same numbers SC and MC in both types. The SC lenses do flare more...

Most of the time I use fast mono so any lens character is subdued.

Noel