FrankS' Old Lens.

[Brian Sweeney]

I bought FrankS 's old CZJ 5cm F1.5 Sonnar, posted in the RFF Classifieds. This one looks to be from 1935 or so, fairly early SN.

Converted it to LTM using a J-3 mount.

http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=162&pictureid=1542

I got to use it for a few shots.

Close-up and Wide-Open at F1.5, on the Canon P
http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=162&pictureid=1534

At F4:
http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=162&pictureid=1535

Not much Flare for an Uncoated lens! It had some haze in it, popped all the glass and cleaned out nicely. I'm convinced that the Glass used in the F1.5 lens is different from the F2 lens. The latter gets a lot of damage, like a Summar. The F1.5 lens cleans up nicely. I've worked on about 20 of them.

Another at F1.5.

http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=162&pictureid=1538

That tree just lost all of those beautiful Red Leaves.

Infinity test at F1.5:
http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=162&pictureid=1543

I did a lot of raking yesterday, after this was taken.

And the 1m wide-open, up-close focus test.
http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=162&pictureid=1536

This lens is boxed and going off for a trade of a "transition" lens that made its way to me twice. Looked like a practice lens for making J-3's. The original Triplet was bad, I replaced it with a German one. But, that will be a different thread...

[ItsReallyDarren]

Those Sonnars looks great. I'm also surprised by the lack of flare from an uncoated lens.

[Bingley]

Those are some of the nicest photos from an old sonnar lens I've seen.

[FrankS]

love those japanese maple leaves

you're the lens converter guru, brian

sorry for lack of caps, i'm recuperating from carpal release procedure

[raid]

This keeps on getting more interesting, Brian. I can see why you love older lenses.

[venchka]

Here I sit with two underutilized Sonnars....................

Time to rectify that.

[naruto]

That is really beautiful Brian. I am still waiting to develop the last roll.

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Wow! I want one!

[Trius]

The bokeh looks almost as good as a Zuiko 50/1.8!

:D

[raid]

The original Sonnar 5cm 1,5 is in many ways a "lens miracle", if you take into account its age and its speed and its flare resistance while being uncoated.

[wlewisiii]

I suppose that one has already found a new home. Gotta love those uncoated Sonnars, gotta find one for Brian to convert.

William

[raid]

One of the reasons why I got an Amedeo Contax lens to Leica camera adapter is to allow me to find Sonnar lenses more easily [in Contax mount].

Brian's adaptations are keepers.

[Brian Sweeney]

As mentioned, I traded this lens for an oddball Sonnar for use and for my collection. "THAT" particular Sonnar made it to me twice, from each of its RFF owners. "It needs me". Anyway- this Sonnar is going to someone that will put it to good use, which is what I like to see of all my "hacks".

[Brian Sweeney]

The bokeh looks almost as good as a Zuiko 50/1.8!

:D

Hmmm. How hard could it be to Hack an OM-1 50/1.8 Zuiko into LTM. Or are you talking the Olympus FTL 50/1.8....

[Trius]

LOL. Well, I made that smart crack partially because Chris had waxed so enthused over the bokeh of these shots ... But it probably wouldn't be THAT hard, just maybe a little silly. It's not a large lens by SLR standards, but larger than most LTM lenses. But such concerns have never stopped you! ;)

I know there is an OM -> M adapter available (or at least was in the past), but it ain't cheap. I've thought about that option if I acquire an M body, so that I could use my Zuiko 21/2. There's no way I could afford a fast M mount 21 unless it were my only lens. The OM/M adapter isn't cheap; when used with a 28 or 50/1.4 as well as the 21, it might make some sense. But there's the issue of it not being fully coupled to the rangefinder.

[Santafecino]

Beautiful work on the CZJ Sonnar, Brian. I still treasure my J-3.

[wlewisiii]

Anyway- this Sonnar is going to someone that will put it to good use, which is what I like to see of all my "hacks".

I agree that is always best, far better than a dusty shelf or drawer. Remember me if you do find an extra uncoated Sonnar, though. :angel: I'm no speed freak, a 50/2 would be just fine ... ;)

William

[ray*j*gun]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2516/3973908717_3e09b3cac6_b.jpgBrian, this is a shot from the Sonnar J3 that I just bought from you. Truely a beautiful image maker.

[Brian Sweeney]

That must be "#9". It came out quite well. #10 went half way around the world to India. I really enjoy doing these lens conversions and seeing them get used.

About half of the displaced J-3 modules make there way back to Contax Mount. The other half have such bad glass, that they get used for parts. I use 1955 KMZ "Back-Hack" on a Contax II. I'll be comparing with a post-war CZJ 5cm F1.5 Sonnar.

William- 5cm f2 collapsible Sonnars are easy to convert using J-8 focus mounts. Look for the parts. The one issue- getting an uncoated 5cm f2 Sonnar with clean glass. The glass is soft. I have much better luck with the F1.5 lenses.

[wlewisiii]

More seriously, I do keep my eyes open. If I gather up the bits, you'll be the first to know.

William

[Brian Sweeney]

I've taken apart a couple of Post-War East German 5cm F1.5 Sonnars in Contax mount, and just acquired one with SN 305xxxx. The rear triplet is held in the optical fixture with a retaining ring, and is not in a separate fixture like the pre-war lenses and wartime lenses. My latest SN wartime lens is 285xxxx. Unscrew the retaining ring of the main optical fixture and the "bare" glass comes out. It is more like the post-1963 (or so) J-3's. I also cleaned a couple of custom mounted post-war Sonnars, also in LTM. These looked like specialty work, and were stamped with the companies name.

I would like to see a thread showing pictures of and with your lens.

[hans voralberg]

Brian how much would a good J-3 performance differ from a CZJ Sonnar like this? I can't afford a genuine LTM right now, and I use Leica so Contax mount + adapter is just as expensive!

[john neal]

I have to admit to catching the conversion bug from Brian. I have a 1935 f2 that I have converted to LTM with a 1950's J8 body. Results so far look really good, and the colour rendition from an uncoated lens is superb. I was lucky in that the glass is in good condition, although there was a deal of muck in front of the rear element, and some oil on the blades, it cleaned out nicely with a flush of Ronsonol. I'm just running my first B&W film through this one, and hope for results at least as good as the colour ones.

I also found an original wartime f 1.5 that is only 3 off one of Brian's best examples - again a great performer in colour, but not tried yet with B&W.

I'm now considering a Helios 103 to LTM conversion, but I seem to have bought the wrong focus mount, as there is not enough "meat" in the mount to accept the optic unit, even if I reduce the diameter of the optic casing by 2mm, it will still be too big :( The diameter of the rear element is actually larger than the hole through the focus mount, which is unfortunate. I guess the mount will go in a drawer until I find another lens unit that needs the same sort of conversion (CZ Opton, perhaps, but I think the rear element is even larger).

This conversion lark is really catching, and I just love tinkering with them to get the focus just so. Thanks Brian, you have given me a new angle on GAS ;)

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74569&d=1257253477

Own conversion of f2 Sonnar, M4 and Fuji 400. Handheld f2 at 1/30

[Brian Sweeney]

My post-war East German lens is 3051328! Just a few hundred before yours, and in Contax mount. I worked on a lens just like yours not long ago, cleaned optics. Very heavy, very well made. I just put new optics in a 5cm f2 LTM lens that looks very similar.

[Brian Sweeney]

John- VERY NICE!

Lens that is three off from mine! If you ever take the helical apart, check the internal serial numbers on its parts. Should be three pieces all with matching numbers, deifferent numbers and format than the SN of the optics. Nikon also did this with early lenses, had a Sn for the optics and a SN for the focus mount.

[buzzardkid]

I saw that 1947 true Sonnar, a lovely lens, congrats on that purchase! Would love to see some portrait shots with that!?!