Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Contax Sonnar 3.5/100....Something impressive
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've gone back to your old shot with the Tessar 50/3.5, and compared side by side with the Sonnar shot.

It is really interesting how BOTH are exceedingly sharp; yet the "personality" of each is so different. Shocked To me, this is a codification of what many say - that each lens has its own characteristics, yet both can be at the "top of their game".


PostPosted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Laurence wrote:
I've gone back to your old shot with the Tessar 50/3.5, and compared side by side with the Sonnar shot.
It is really interesting how BOTH are exceedingly sharp; yet the "personality" of each is so different. Shocked To me, this is a codification of what many say - that each lens has its own characteristics, yet both can be at the "top of their game".


Not only a Tessar is different from a Sonnar - my Tessar 3.5/50 is different from my Tessar 2.8/45 !
Identical optical scheme, but two different eras --> lenses with different look.
-


PostPosted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Wow.
My Planar 100 is not even nearly as sharp when unprocessed. I think I have a poor copy, although I bought it new.
Is your copy MM or AE?


I just double checked and the planar is an AE copy, no greem minimum aperture. I sure do love it though and the images are awesome if I do my part right.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 3:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
jamesdak wrote:

I just double checked and the planar is an AE copy, no greem minimum aperture. I sure do love it though and the images are awesome if I do my part right.


Mine is also AE.
I have read -and seen- contrasting reports on this lens.
There is some like you who can show impressive images.
Other people, like me but I am not the only one, who report it's not as sharp as it is supposed to be. We can reckon the other merits (bokeh, perfect corner performance wide open, etc.) but we can't see it as sharp as other Contax lenses.
I think I will send my copy to Zeiss for a checkup, just in case. The lens is worth it, and they have the best instruments and knowledge to test the lens - their own!
Now that you told me yours is an AE, I can exclude that the difference is due to a possible MM improvement.
I can also exclude a damage in use because I bought the lens new.
The lens was made in West Germany so I can also rule out the dreaded "japanese factor" (which is bull crap).
Really I have no idea, I hope that Zeiss can make it clear.
-


PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's really impressive!

I think that each of these Zeiss 100mm shots show that ...
1) these are excellent lenses
2) used by very good MF photographers and
3) there seems to be a nice constant quality control at Zeiss. (I mean this is also something that Zeiss and Leitz are known for, right?)

Anyway, I cannot remember that I have ever had such high sharpness with any of my lenses at my 350D. (OK, that is not a fair comparison but still...)
It seems that it resolves higher than the top-of-the-range 5D sensor can.

Perhaps this lens should have a warning at its barrel (just like the "smoking kills" at a box of cigarettes):
"Caution! This lens is so sharp it can harm your digital sensor!" Wink Laughing


PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You know, another one around this focal range that quite impressed me yesterday was the Leica R 90/2.8 I just recently picked up. I shot a couple quick shots of my wife and youngest in the snow and the sharpness in the RAW images was quite impressive. This is the first version of the lens and was focused at a distance of about 20 feet. Apertures ranged from 2.8 to 5.6. Not bad for a $150 lens!


PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:

"Caution! This lens is so sharp it can harm your digital sensor!" Wink Laughing


Laughing With a skull and the writing "Manual focus lenses kill" Wink


PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
jamesdak wrote:
You know, another one around this focal range that quite impressed me yesterday was the Leica R 90/2.8 I just recently picked up. I shot a couple quick shots of my wife and youngest in the snow and the sharpness in the RAW images was quite impressive. This is the first version of the lens and was focused at a distance of about 20 feet. Apertures ranged from 2.8 to 5.6. Not bad for a $150 lens!


Yes, it's a great small lens that is very sharp. I have the second version. I used it yesterday at the Carnevale:
http://forum.mflenses.com/carnevale-2008-previews-t4880,start,75.html#41441


PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
jamesdak wrote:
... Not bad for a $150 lens!


Wow! Where did you find this lens for that price? I also want one! Wink

The cheapest Elmarit I have ever encountered went for € 150,- and I think even this was a bargain...


PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I got lucky and got it with a Leica 135/2.8 (2nd version) for $300 for both. Even though I the focal length covered I could not pass on the deal. I can' t wait until spring arrives and I can really test out the color rendering of them.

I had also planned on my first Leica being the economical 50/2 until I saw this deal on Fred Miranda's site.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:

The cheapest Elmarit I have ever encountered went for € 150,- and I think even this was a bargain...


Some Elmarits are sold lower, if you wait for the good occasions. I have paid 200 EUR for my Elmarit 135 second version in a real shop. First versions should sell from 100 to 150 Euros.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
jamesdak wrote:
I got lucky and got it with a Leica 135/2.8 (2nd version) for $300 for both. ...


That was a great deal! Congratulations!
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Goto page Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2