6x6 medium Zeiss lens adapted on SONY cameras

OPAL · Joined: 11 Dec 2012 Posts: 354

I am using on my SONY cameras adapted sucessfully, the 6x6 medium format lens CZJ SONNAR MC 2,8/180mm, with an 6 element 6x6 2x converter, on my 35mm FF and APS-C Sony cameras with 360mm and 540mm tele photo length!

The lens should be used always with an lens hood, because of the large front glass! Optical, the sweet spot of this lens will be used! No distortion, no optical fall off! The only disadvantage is the bulky size and weight! But, I am used to it, from me long time medium format camera times!

Alsatian2017 · Joined: 05 Mar 2018 Posts: 243

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273

I've been told ,same lens has been made for 35mm , is the optical group the same for all of em ,doesn't matter the format ?
My copy and 17671 I've been told was between the past units made , as they've changed the sn right at the end of production. My copy, it came modified for Kiev mount, so not sure what mount was it designed for , but I'm into adapting it to Sony.

eggplant · Joined: 27 May 2020 Posts: 517

So this would be a 360mm f5.6, and with APS-C crop 540mm (depth of field equivalent: f8.4). Interesting application- any sample pics? What's the fringing/spherical aberration like?

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

The Sonnar 2.8/180 was designed as a 35mm format lens for the Berlin Olympics in 1936 so it's not a medium format lens really, it just happens to have an image circle large enough for 6x6 and later, when 6x6 cameras with interchangeable lenses like the Pentacon 6 came along, CZJ produced versions of the Sonnar that would mount on them.

It's a widely copied lens design, Nikon made a copy, Schneider/ISCO made a copy, there are quite a few more.

RokkorDoctor · Expire: 2025-05-01

Adapting medium format lenses (esp. 6x6 and 6x7) for use on smaller formats also allows for use of a tilt & shift adapter. The shift option rapidly loses its usefulness for longer focal lengths, but the tilt feature becomes extra useful.

In theory MF lenses were designed for a larger format and could potentially be a little less sharp when used on smaller formats compared to the native lenses for that smaller format. But in practice, in the case of Bronica PS lenses used on 35mm frame I have found hem to be pretty much on par re. sharpness compared with native 35mm format lenses. The corner performance is often better (except when shifted to maximum effect). The trade-off is that the lenses are slower and heavier and need a longer hood to improve contrast, so they are quite a bit bulkier to carry around.

OPAL · Joined: 11 Dec 2012 Posts: 354

I have not compared them yet against reach other, my C/Y ZEISS Sonnar T* 2,8/180mm MM + C/Y ZEISS Mutar II coverter,
with my 6x6 medium format CZJ Sonnar MC 2,8/180mm + an 2x converter, on both my FF 24MP SONY and APS-C SONY cameras! But I guess, both have an very good optical quality, even with the 2x converters, with its focal length of 360mm and 540mm telephoto capacities! But in general, this is quiet heavy stuff to handle!

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

OPAL · Joined: 11 Dec 2012 Posts: 354

I am wondering that no one asked about the 2x converter, I am using on my CZJ Sonnar 2,8/180mm and CZJ Biometar 2,8/120mm medium format combo!

It is an fairly rare K-6/P-6 medium converter "Made in Ukraine" from the ARSAT company! The optical quality of this 6-element design is stunning good, and can also be easily removed from its metal housing, to be used as an normal extension tube! I call this clever!

Cheers, Friends

RokkorDoctor · Expire: 2025-05-01

OPAL · Joined: 11 Dec 2012 Posts: 354

RokkorDoctor · Expire: 2025-05-01

OPAL · Joined: 11 Dec 2012 Posts: 354

RokkorDoctor · Expire: 2025-05-01

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Those TCs aren't at all rare, especially in Europe.

OPAL · Joined: 11 Dec 2012 Posts: 354

RokkorDoctor · Expire: 2025-05-01

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

There's not much to go wrong with a TC, no moving parts. Soviet equipment, the stuff that was imported into the UK at least, is usually good, the problems with quality control are vastly overstated - there is more variation by far in Carl Zeiss Jena lenses in my experience, particularly later production.

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1273

I think, it is not easy to buy cheap and 100% flawless nowadays, many times there are issues that buyer just accept for paying less. An excellent copy and tested one , will cost more, sometimes few times more.
Flea market, won't offer tested material (most of the times) , just like ebay , or other sites .
Even on ebay, there are sellers with lots of + ratings, but doesn't mean they would tell all the truth about each item ,but is also true that a cla'd copy from a trustfully source , needs to be paid for.