Pancolar 80mm f1.8 Vs Zeiss 85mm f1.4(Contax mount), choose?

[KhanX]

Hi all of my friends,

I have a question about lens for portrait.

Pancolar 80mm f1.8 Vs Zeiss 85mm f1.4(Contax mount)

What lens should I choose?

I have Zeiss 85mm f1.4 MM but I'd like to find the different character so I consider Pancolar 80mm f1.8.

Your advice is appreciated.




Thank you.

[F16SUNSHINE]

The character is really very much the same in my view.
Better to choose from a different design philosophy for a different signature.
Takumar, Leica, Zuiko etc..............

[Attila]

As Andy say hard to find significant difference simple taste mater, take a Pancolar 80 and decide by your self. Both are superb lenses if you able to afford, keep both of them.

[koji]

Planar 85/1.4ZF @f1.4 5D

Planar 85/1.4ZF @f2.8 5D

Pancolar 80/1.8 @f1.8 5D

Pancolar 80/1.8 @f2.8 5D


I have no idea how the girls look different in those lenses.

[no-X]

I think Pancolar 80/1.8 is the best CZJ lens I have ever tried. But I have no experience with Planar, but they seems to be very close

[Attila]

[koji]

[poilu]

[MF-addicted]

3 days ago I got my Pancolar 1.8/80 with dented filterring, but optically o.k. for around 210 Euros from the bay.
I am overwhelmed by the quality and bokeh.
One of the best lenses I own.
Once more to blame KOJI for making me look after this lens when looking at his gallery.

[aoleg]

[Attila]

Khan will take Sonnar too as I know him

[F16SUNSHINE]

The Sonnar 1.5/50 from Zeiss is much different signature.
Also Cannon and Nikon copies of the lens. These are all LTM lenses. You can use them with your Pany G1 or M8.
The look of the Bokeh is very much Sonnar 50. I don't see the same in the Opton Sonnar2/85 Bokeh.

Two others to look for are the Simlar 1.5/50 and Leica Summarit 1.5/50.
Both have a very special look. The Simlar is a bit soft open, the Summarit much sharper. Both have equal sharpness stoped to f2.

The Bokeh is similar to the Radial Bokeh of the Helios 40/40-2

Orio has some resent samples with the Opton sonnar search for those.
Here is a sample with the Simlar (Leotax) and Summarit.
Nothing special but you get the idea.

Summarit 1.5/50 open


Simlar 1.5/50 open (yes I posted before ) Look how the OOF leaves swirl around the subject

[koji]

Not exactly same scene like Andy's, my Jupiter 3 does not behave
to show "swarling/radial" bokeh easily.






Except the first shot at F4, all others were at F1.5 (ie. wide open). I was expecting radial bokeh for this lens, but no avail, probably CZ's
Sonnar 1.5/50 ZM lens may behave the same way. This is a reason why I hesitate to buy this ZM lens.
The most people hate or dislike "radial" bokeh, but I want it once in a while. Cosina's new NOKTON 50/1.1 may have it.

[F16SUNSHINE]

[koji]

[Orio]

I have both the Planar 1.4/85 and Pancolar 1.8/80.
Of course they are similar lenses but there are some differences.
The Planar is a more modern lens with a stronger contrast and approach to subjects. The Pancolar is a more classic portrait lens that balances well sharpness and tone.
It really depends I think on your shooting style. Both lenses are the "crop of the cream", so to say, and you will not be wrong with any of them.
One consideration you might want to make is, the Pancolar 80 is a much rarer lens, and for this reason, it will hold a higher value in the used lens market. So in case you would decide to sell your lens in the future, the Pancolar is probably a better financial investment. I am speaking of the M42 version of course (the bayonet version will have lower value than the Contax).

[A G Photography]

[KhanX]

Thank you for the good details, my friends.

[KhanX]

[asterinex]

I have an opportunity to buy the pancolar and the Zeiss Planar both in mint condition. Both about the same price.
A big advantage of the Pancolar is that it is a lot smaller and lighter. The Planar seems like a heavy beast.

What bothers me most is that I read multiple times that the Aperture(blades) of the Pancolar are very vernable and get broken very fast.
Is this true ? Is this a reason to bypass the Pancolar ? I'm a bot worried about this.

[themoleman342]

[asterinex]

[themoleman342]

It's something to consider, yes. But it's a problem that can happen to pretty much any lens. I suspect the main cause of lenses getting oil on the blades is because the lens was allowed to get too hot in a camera bag or car which makes the grease separate. The lubrication used on German and Soviet lenses at the time don't seem to be very resistant to this. I've always been really careful with my lenses and heat and I've never had a single one get worse on me and my collection is primarily eastern european products.

"Often" is hard to define. There are a few people on forums that have had a problem but I suspect the majority of owners happily enjoy their pancolar without issue.

[Orio]

[Attila]

Silly to pass it.. once cleaned well it last for many years, my oldest one with me 5 yrs from now and works, as Orio say if happen not costly to fix it, I have bot lens Planar and Pancolar , I agree with Orio fully about them.