[rollei_list] Re: Hello again, and a lens question

  • From: Laurence Segil <ljsegil@xxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:27:56 -0600

I would suggest that the 85mm f//2 Zeiss Sonnar for the Contax II/IIIa
cameras is a beautiful optic as well.  Perhaps it doesn't have quite as much
of classic portrait "glow" that the 50/1.5 can give, but it can still
produce very flattering portraits that can compare favorably with most any
classic lens.  I find its sharpness to be outstanding and the OOF rendering
to be every bit as appealing as the outstanding Bokeh for which the 50/1.5
Sonnar is so appropriately admired.  I need to shoot with the 85/2 more
frequently, as I have not given it the attention it deserves; the 50/1.5
tends to hog perhaps more than its rightful share of my film when the Contax
comes out.  It is a hard lens to remove from a camera, but I think the
chance to better explore the capabilities of the 85/2 is adequate
justification to the the 50mm a rest.
Larry

On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 1:21 AM, Frank Dernie
<Frank.Dernie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

> Eric,
> I am in agreement with you completely.
> Frank
>
> On 12 Dec, 2009, at 02:52, Eric Goldstein wrote:
>
> > Doug -
> >
> > I don't think it matters. That's why I said I think the unncoated
> > Sonnar 50/1.5 is a great lens with great character... I am generally
> > not a technical shooters that looks for very high contrast and minute
> > detail... I am much more oriented toward atmosphere and composition
> > and interest... I like the look of classic lenses...
> >
> > But the lens designers in the 20s and 30's had their work cut out for
> > them in trying to make a fast 50 with good contrast... the Sonnar is
> > based on the triplet and has numerous complex cemented surfaces to
> > minimize the number of air-to-glass interfaces. The f/2 version seems
> > to be substantially better corrected, which would make sense as it is
> > almost a stop slower...
> >
> >
> > Eric Goldstein
> >
> > --
> >
> > On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 9:17 PM, Douglas Nygren <dnygr@xxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >> Eric,
> >> Given that we burn the corners in, does it really matter that the lens
> isn't
> >> sharp in the corners. All this corner sharpness is great hype from the
> lens
> >> companies, but in the darkroom we show them who is boss and burn the
> >> corners. I couldn't care less about  the corners. However, your point
> that
> >> wide open the lens isn't sharp strikes a nerve. What's happening where
> >> things are important seems more vital than all unneeded concern about
> the
> >> corners.
> >>
> >> Doug
> >>
> >>
> >> On Dec 11, 2009, at 8:59 PM, Eric Goldstein wrote:
> >>
> >>> The uncoated Sonnar 50/1/5 is a great lens with great character, but
> >>> it is far from sharp wide open and away from the center.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Eric Goldstein
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 8:49 PM, CarlosMFreaza <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> 2009/12/11 Stephen Attaway >
> >>>> To quote from Ivor Matanle: "The portrait of Mr Robert Cox was taken
> in
> >>>> 1974
> >>>>>
> >>>>> to mark his fifty years of service to his company ... with a 50mm
> f1.5
> >>>>> uncoated Zeiss Sonnar, and shows perfectly the curious characteristic
> of
> >>>>> defined yet slightly unsharp detail that makes the optical quality of
> >>>>> classic lenses so attractive."
> >>>>
> >>>> I tend to disagree with Ivor Matanle, the uncoated Zeiss Sonnar 1.5/50
> >>>> was designed to be a very sharp lens, in general lens designers look
> >>>> for lenses to produce an image as close to the real image as possible,
> >>>> it means aberrations free, sharp and the best  micro-contrast, except
> >>>> lenses for special purposes. It's true some old lenses produce
> >>>> pleasant images thanks to some no well corrected aberrations (I think
> >>>> about portraits specially), but they couldn't be the standard to
> >>>> obtain a good image.
> >>>>
> >>>> This is a sample about a snapshot "portrait" taken with the uncoated
> >>>> Contax II Sonnar 1.5/50 _wide open_ f1.5 and 1/1250 sec shutter speed
> >>>> , I think the in focus areas show very good detail for a 71 years old
> >>>> uncoated lens despite a scanner not so good for 35mm :
> >>>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/itarfoto/3199809044/
> >>>>
> >>>> Carlos
> >>>> ---
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