Sonnar Formula Lenses: "Normal Lenses" 40mm to 60mm, 4cm to 6cm, Any Make

[Sonnar Brian]

Post your images with Sonnar Formula Lneses, "Normal Range" focal length. Images from one lens, images comparing lenses.

Zeiss, Nikon, Canon, KMZ, ZOMZ, Valdai, 7artisans, Tanack, Fuji, and I'll add here as they pop up.

Starting this off with the first one I converted to Leica Thread Mount,

This is with my 1935 Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5.

All wide-open.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Canon 50mm F1.5, on film. First shot at F2. Others, wide-open.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

1959 ZOMZ Jupiter-3, wide-open on the Bessa R2.

I gave this lens to Tom A. He did not have a J-3.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The 1934 CZJ 5cm F2 Sonnar, first F2 Sonnar that I converted to Leica mount. On film, Canon P.

All wide-open.

 

[lukx]

1959 ZOMZ Jupiter-3, wide-open on the Bessa R2.

I gave this lens to Tom A. He did not have a J-3.

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I always like your old film images, Brian. I understand that an un-edited digital file will tell you more about a lens and its character than a scanned film photograph. The scanner, software and settings will always add some level of interpretation. But the aesthetic of film is unmatched to my eye. It's also what all these lenses were build for.

I think that most Sonnar leases are at their prettiest stopped down one stop. It leaves some of the character, but more nuanced, less raw. And the Bokeh smoothes out nicely this way.

Lastly, I like the idea of these two new threads for Sonnar lenses. I surely will contribute, I shoot about 60% of my images on some sort of Sonnar.

 

[wes loder]

4cm f2 Sonnar and Tenax II, Ektachrome 100.

 

[dexdog]

CZJ Sonnar 5cm/f1.5, 166 series from 1935, on a Contax II. Pancake Rocks near Punakaiki, NZ. Kodak 200 print film

 

[wlewisiii]

From a drive in the countryside the other day. Nikkor 50/2, I believe the first and last were at f/2, the second a f/2.8 and the third at f/4.








I'm quite fond of that last location, I'm going to keep working on it with different lenses and times of year I think. I'm looking forward to autumn and deep winter...

(edit: they seem much brighter in ART on my desktop than they do uploaded here. Interesting...)

 

[dexdog]

CZJ Sonnar 5cm/1.5, 166 series from 1935 on a Contax II. Fox Glacier, NZ. Kodak 200 print film

 

[filmtwit]

 

[Bingley]

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 5cm f1.5, ser. no. 272*** (1943):

Cypress by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

Listening by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

Bluffs in winter by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

 

[Bingley]

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 5cm f1.5, ser. no. 272*** (1943), taken with a Leica M-E 240:

Ceci n'est pas une voiture... by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr


Still life in workshop by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

 

[Bingley]

And some color film photos taken with the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 5cm f1.5, ser. no. 272**** (1943):

In the light by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr


Isolated by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

Stairs by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

 

[Bingley]

Brian, Thank you for starting this thread!! I don’t often shoot my Sonnar lenses wide open; I usually stop down one or two stops. But I believe the still life in workshop photo above was shot wide open with the CZJ Sonnar.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Nikon S2, shimmed and calibrated to use Contax mount lenses.

Zeiss Opton 50mm F1.5, wide-open.

 

[splitimageview]

50/2 Nikkor collapsible (1948):

Scanned slide from 1951 colors uncorrected/corrected

 

[brusby]

Nikkor H.C. 5cm f2 from my first time using this lovely lens. Stopped down a bit.
_OSR4332 by Brusby, on Flickr


_OSR4035 by Brusby, on Flickr

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Nikkor-HC 5cm F2, late "Black Ring", red filter, Leica M Monochrom.

F2 and F4 pair.


At F2, closer in.


At F4.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.4, on the Leica M8.

F1.4 and F4.



A Apir at F1.4 and F4,

 

[brusby]

Nikkor-HC 5cm F2, late "Black Ring", red filter, Leica M Monochrom.

F2 and F4 pair.
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At F2, closer in.
View attachment 4823521

At F4.
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For these kinds of scenes I definitely prefer the f2 lens over the f1.5. Thanks for the comparison.