Pre-War 1938 Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 85 mm f/2.0 for Contax Rangefinder Camera.
Fitting is a duel bayonet Rangefinder (RF) mount with a 34.85mm Flange distance - this lens will fit and achieve focus to infinity mirrorless cameras but not DSLRs.
Fitting is a duel bayonet Rangefinder (RF) mount with a 34.85mm Flange distance - this lens will fit and achieve focus to infinity mirrorless cameras but not DSLRs.
The Lens details of a series of images taken by Steve Cushing on mirrorless camera.
Fitting is a duel bayonet Rangefinder (RF) mount with a 34.85mm Flange Distance - this lens will fit and achieve focus to infinity mirrorless cameras but not DSLRs.
Lens History
Carl Zeiss was born in Weimar on 11 September 1816. He built microscopes in Jena from 1846 onward.
The correct way to pronounce "Jenna" is to make it sound like "Yenna" in English.
Due to its optical characteristics the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar T 85 mm f/ 2 is very popular with photographers and collectors. There were four versions of this lens, two pre-war, one war and one post-war Jena. The sample images are taken with the second pre-war version from 1936, better built than a Leica, made of brass very heavy about 600g,
These lenses were designed as an interchangeable lens for 35mm rangefinder cameras. They became popular almost 90 years ago when Leitz introduced the Leica II and Zeiss introduced the Contax I. Both companies brought out full lines of lenses, and totally dominated the market for 35mm format cameras.
The Sonnar was designed by Ludwig Bertele. Ludwig Bertele worked first at Ernemann, and later Cal Zeiss from 1926. In my opinion, Bertele is nothing short of a genius. I think his lens designs were the leading technology of the time. This design also gives wonderful BOKEH (Click for more information)
However the philosophies of the two companies were very different.
Leitz designers believed that lenses should be highly corrected with small amounts of residual aberration whilst Zeiss designers placed more importance on producing a bright image with high contrast.
Zeiss started coating optics in 1936 to increase optical transmission. Coated and uncoated lenses were produced concurrently, this one is uncoated.
Sonnars render images differently due to their asymmetric design. The Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar T 85 mm f/ 2 is a legendary fast portrait lens with a single-layer coating for rangefinder Contax I – Contax II cameras produced at the Carl Zeiss Jena works in Dresden.
Lens In Use
Contax Rangefinder lenses use a double bayonet fitting. Converters for digital cameras can be very expensive. A cheaper solution is to make your own. Front sections of the Russian made Kiev Rangefinder can be purchased and after cutting of the excess brass can be fixed inside a cheap M39 adapter.
Fitting is a duel bayonet Rangefinder (RF) mount with a 34.85mm Flange Distance - this lens will fit and achieve focus to infinity mirrorless cameras but not DSLRs.
Lens History
Carl Zeiss was born in Weimar on 11 September 1816. He built microscopes in Jena from 1846 onward.
The correct way to pronounce "Jenna" is to make it sound like "Yenna" in English.
Due to its optical characteristics the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar T 85 mm f/ 2 is very popular with photographers and collectors. There were four versions of this lens, two pre-war, one war and one post-war Jena. The sample images are taken with the second pre-war version from 1936, better built than a Leica, made of brass very heavy about 600g,
These lenses were designed as an interchangeable lens for 35mm rangefinder cameras. They became popular almost 90 years ago when Leitz introduced the Leica II and Zeiss introduced the Contax I. Both companies brought out full lines of lenses, and totally dominated the market for 35mm format cameras.
The Sonnar was designed by Ludwig Bertele. Ludwig Bertele worked first at Ernemann, and later Cal Zeiss from 1926. In my opinion, Bertele is nothing short of a genius. I think his lens designs were the leading technology of the time. This design also gives wonderful BOKEH (Click for more information)
However the philosophies of the two companies were very different.
Leitz designers believed that lenses should be highly corrected with small amounts of residual aberration whilst Zeiss designers placed more importance on producing a bright image with high contrast.
Zeiss started coating optics in 1936 to increase optical transmission. Coated and uncoated lenses were produced concurrently, this one is uncoated.
Sonnars render images differently due to their asymmetric design. The Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar T 85 mm f/ 2 is a legendary fast portrait lens with a single-layer coating for rangefinder Contax I – Contax II cameras produced at the Carl Zeiss Jena works in Dresden.
Lens In Use
- When used wide-open, field-curvature and spherical aberration spreads the depth-of-field across the frame, giving a “3-D” look.
- Open up to F4 and the image is sharp across the field.
- Used wide-open, uncoated Sonnars have less contrast and muted colours compared to modern designs.
- Point of focus and limited depth of field gives rise to a unique Bokeh, full of comets and spheres.
- It has an iris consisting of a circular 15-blade aperture.
- Very bad handling of back light (side light is handled well with a hood), it does create some chromatic aberrations.
Contax Rangefinder lenses use a double bayonet fitting. Converters for digital cameras can be very expensive. A cheaper solution is to make your own. Front sections of the Russian made Kiev Rangefinder can be purchased and after cutting of the excess brass can be fixed inside a cheap M39 adapter.
Please note the flange focal distance (FFD) (also known as the flange-to-film distance and flange focal depth) is 34.85mm, therefore these lenses will only focus to infinity on a non DSLR. They work fine on a Mirrorless digital camera.
Summary
The aperture control is continuously adjustable, not discrete, therefore any intermediate values is possible (you can set the aperture in between the numbers). This peculiarity is valued for creating visual effects. The pictures taken with this lens are characteristically "airy" and voluminous. The lens generates nice bokeh and rounded circles. General flexibility and contrast are very good. This makes the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar T 85 mm f/ 2 almost perfect portrait lens.
in short it’s a world-class lens.
For images using this lens click HERE
For general information on lens design and lens elements go to the homepage HERE