Ninety Years of Sonnars- From the Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F2 to the The 5cm F2 Bertele Sonnar

Custom/low-volume manufacturing done by shops that specialize in lenses for the scientific market is expensive. I have one lens that was $40K Forty Years ago. The Pentax UAT 85/4.5 was $1400 almost Fifty years ago. Look them up on Ebay now- expensive. I toyed with the idea of sending mine to Chris to have converted to M-Mount. Would be great on the M Monochrom.
 
Sonnar Brian said:
Custom/low-volume manufacturing done by shops that specialize in lenses for the scientific market is expensive. I have one lens that was $40K Forty Years ago. The Pentax UAT 85/4.5 was $1400 almost Fifty years ago. Look them up on Ebay now- expensive. I toyed with the idea of sending mine to Chris to have converted to M-Mount. Would be great on the M Monochrom.
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Here you are, one ready to ship: SUPER RARE!! 【 TOP MINT 】 Pentax Ultra Achromatic Takumar 85mm f/4.5 Lens JAPAN | eBay
 
Sonnar Brian said:
Custom/low-volume manufacturing done by shops that specialize in lenses for the scientific market is expensive. I have one lens that was $40K Forty Years ago. The Pentax UAT 85/4.5 was $1400 almost Fifty years ago. Look them up on Ebay now- expensive. I toyed with the idea of sending mine to Chris to have converted to M-Mount. Would be great on the M Monochrom.
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As for the Skyllaney Bertele selling price, I am glad that is not my decision. The more they sell the more money they make, but how many can they produce of their superb quality in reasonable time? If they cut corners - highly unlikely - their reputation suffers and their reputation now is very good. And then overhead and amortization, salaries and so on.

We will have to wait and see.
 
They are not bringing this lens out to make money. This lens is more dedication to the art of engineering. The practical solution out the door, and the elegant solution that pushes personal limits is in. I understand that- both when I was the Supervisory Engineer and keeping engineers happy, and now as "Senior Engineer" working projects because I like them.
 
Someone before mentioned the Sonnar 50 that was the model for the Bertele...I was the one who bought it! The mount is beautifully engineered and masterfully executed. Perfect lens for a Monochrom.

I think this image was at ƒ/2,8, M9M, minimal post:L1001798.jpg
 
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This is my good friend of 50+ years, Tony, down in Santa Barbara. Whenever I am in SoCal I visit with this fine fellow. As you can see he is literate. ;o) Leica M-9, CZJ 5cm f/1.5 from the sn 272nnnn series. A nice piece of glass.

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Here's another post with the sweet 5cm CZJ f/1.5. Early morning, heading south on Nevada 93 to Las Vegas and then to LA for needed car repairs. This is the sun just coming up over the hills. Yeah, I guess you figured that out. LMAO Yes, my trusty M-9. Probably f/8.

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Last summer I forund a TenaxII with its original Sonnar in the peculiar Tenax mount . I could not resist buying it plus finding a suitable lensshade and run a C41film through it. I have not scanned the negatives to examine details , but the tiny prints looked OK for a 1939vintage camera.

p.
 
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All grown up now. 1939 CZJ 5cm F1.5 Sonnar "T", converted to Leica mount.
Wide-Open on the Leica M240. I have the camera Zeroed to agree with my M9.
On our front porch, Fall Colors of the yard as a Backstop.
 
Just an example of the Bertele. I shoot a lot down at the West Mooring Basin as it is close and there is often something colorful and occasionally interesting there, whole or in part. Here is "in part", two shot on the venerable M-9. I like how this lens handles color and texture/shape. And on the X2D with the larger and sharper sensor the Bertele shows how sharp it really is. Below that third picture, taken on the X2D, is the link to Flickr image if you want to check the full sized image and sharpness of the Skyllaney Bertele. One sweet lens. NB, in the X2D image you can see stars in the sky. This is one sweet lens, and very sharp.

Brian knows his lenses and is correct the Sonnars consistently return good images. And I have Sonnar 50's I paid less that US$100 for, Jupiter 8's, which are great lenses, too. The point is that with careful shopping a good Sonnar is available at a reasonable cost. QC on the J8's is bad so get a KMZ, an early one from the 50's and from a seller with a really good rating if you go eBay. An offering to the lens gods may help the transaction. ;o) Cheers

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I am posting this, again, because it shows just how good an FSU Sonnar can be. I have two KMZ Jupiter 8's. One is a '51 and one is a '57. I think the '57 is the better lens and trot out this example, again. Just look at the color and three-dimensionality of the image. It is not a great image as a photo but it does show what a good KMZ Jupiter 8 Sonnar can do. I am biased, yes. And I really like the photo. I have to shoot some more with it. It always hands me good color and definition.

What is it of? Shrimpers who have unloaded at Bornstein's in the Astoria West Mooring Basin. The meat is processed and also the shells. IIRC the shells have a medical application when processed. To help burns heal I believe.

 
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