CZJ Bokeh, Baby...

[Brian]

Most "modern" super-speed lenses tend to have harsh Bokeh, mostly caused by over-correction of spherical aberration. Donuts in the out-of-focus areas.

The 1930's Sonnars have become my favorite lenses as of late. Sharp, nice rendering, and Smooth Bokeh.

1938 Uncoated 5cm F1.5 Sonnar, wide-open:
http://www.ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=16&pictureid=110

Stopped down a little:

http://www.ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=16&pictureid=113

http://www.ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=16&pictureid=112

Bokeh is subjective, good or bad is a matter of taste. But I prefer the look given by these lenses.

After all, it's all about the Bokeh- Baby...

Uncoated 5cm f2 Sonnar, wide-open:

http://www.ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=20&pictureid=149

so- let's see some CZJ Bokeh shots here.

Bring out the Tessars, Sonnars, Biogons, etc.

[digitalintrigue]

Very nice, Brian. :) Forgive my ignorance but are Sonnar 1.5s available in Leica thread mount?

EDIT: I found your flickr set. :) Nice work on the lens mods.

[Brian]

I use an LTM J-3 focus mount for the pre-war 5cm f1.5 Contax mount lenses, and a J-8 focus mount for the 5cm F2 Contax lenses. This is not hard to do, and I will be posting a thread on it.

[Amin Sabet]

Your Sonnars have a really beautiful look Brian. Thanks for sharing these examples. I'll be keeping an eye out for a 5cm f/1.5 lens to convert!

[raid]

I have added an album with photos taken with a 5cm 1.5 that Brian converted to an LTM lens recently. It is a very sharp lens. After over 70 years of being made, I see it as a great lens.

[Brian]

Reinforcements have arrived.

So- who will be brave enough to put up some Sonnar Bokeh shots.... Raid....

[raid]

Brian,
I need to find some first. I may have some stored on my PC.

[jmkelly]

I put up an album (http://www.ziforums.com/album.php?albumid=85) comparing the same (boring) scene shot with five Sonnars @f1.5. Lots of bokeh. OR you might check out the slideshow here (http://public.fotki.com/jkellyca/sonnar-variants/comparison-shots/090116/?cmd=fs_slideshow).

[Ranana_Envery]

Interesting technique, was also amusing reading all the sooky little photog whingers bitching about wether its "bokeh" or "vingnette".... wankers.

[Brian]

A lot of people do not care about Bokeh, understand Bokeh, or care to understand Bokeh. It is an optical by-product of the design of a lens. Ignoring it will not make it go away, understanding it can add to a photograph.

[outfitter]

I never considered using the Sonnar 1.5 wide-open until looking at your posts. At minimum distances my lenses are nowhere near as sharp as yours (or to phrase it properly, nowhere sharp) BUT if used properly (i.e. not overdone) everything that is wrong with the lens (and the Bokeh baby) makes a great portrait lens. These were taken under our now perpetual Spring cloudy skies; the first two with a pre-war CJZ Sonnar 1.5 that had been aftermarket coated in the early 1950s (I had the front element replaced with a WWII coated CZJ element); the second a late CZ West German with a botched separation repair leaving a puddle of re-amalgamated lens cement in the center with no apparent ill effects.

CZJ lens:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h169/outfitter/img075_oldsm.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h169/outfitter/img076oldsm.jpg

CZ lens:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h169/outfitter/img077_new_sm.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h169/outfitter/img074_newsm.jpg