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 > >>>> --- > >>>> Rollei List > >>>> > >>>> - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >>>> > >>>> - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' > >>>> in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > >>>> > >>>> - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with > >>>> 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into > www.freelists.org > >>>> > >>>> - Online, searchable archives are available at > >>>> //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list > >>>> > >>>> > >>> --- > >>> Rollei List > >>> > >>> - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >>> > >>> - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' > >>> in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > >>> > >>> - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with > >>> 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into > www.freelists.org > >>> > >>> - Online, searchable archives are available at > >>> //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list > >>> > >>> > >> > >> --- > >> Rollei List > >> > >> - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >> > >> - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in > the > >> subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > >> > >> - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' > in the > >> subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > >> > >> - Online, searchable archives are available at > >> //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list > >> > >> > > --- > > Rollei List > > > > - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > > - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' > > in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > > > - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with > > 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > > > - Online, searchable archives are available at > > //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list > > > > --- > Rollei List > > - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' > in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with > 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org > > - Online, searchable archives are available at > //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list >