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Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar  Pentacon Six mount. 180mm F2.8 Review RSS Feed

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar Pentacon Six mount. 180mm F2.8

Sharpness 
 9.5
Aberrations 
 8.8
Bokeh 
 9.3
Handling 
 7.8
Value 
 9.8
Reviews Views Date of last review
4 48,754 Mon August 5, 2019
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $250.00 9.25
Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar  Pentacon Six mount. 180mm F2.8

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar  Pentacon Six mount. 180mm F2.8
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Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar  Pentacon Six mount. 180mm F2.8
supersize
Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar  Pentacon Six mount. 180mm F2.8
supersize
Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar  Pentacon Six mount. 180mm F2.8

Description:
Focal lenght - 180mm
Aperture - f/2.8 to f/32
Blade - 7
Focus distance - 1.7m to infinity
Filter diameter - 86mm
Weight - 1350g or 47,6oz
Lenght - 120mm or 4,7in
Optical build - 5 element in 3 group.
Mount - Pentacon Six sometimes M42 - but this version is a very rare.
Mount to PK - Adapter from Pentacon Six or Pentacon Six to M42.

Have a tripod mount !.

Legendary lens Sonnar "Olimpia" from medium camera Pentacon Six. This lens have a three version : silver, zebra and MC.

Ideal from portraits.

Second pict Sonnar 180mm and K-3.

If you're curious about "sonnar" lenses this web page is a comprehensive discussion (mostly in Italian but the diagrams are clear). However, as mflenses contributor Gerald comments in this thread, these days "sonnar" aplied to a recent lens is really just a branding rather than a technical descriptor.
Mount Type: Non-Pentax Mount
Price History:



Add Review of Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar  Pentacon Six mount. 180mm F2.8
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New Member

Registered: November, 2013
Posts: 14

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: August 5, 2019 Recommended | Price: $125.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: very sharp lens with ED-glass
Cons: heavy
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: k-x k-200, k-s1, k-5 fuji x-t100 + x-e1   

a jewel of lens construction

++ excellent sharpness

++ very fine bokeh

++ neutral color rendition

++/+ scarecely flare

++ no remarquable CAs (like ZEISS Sonnar 4/135)

++ with a self made focal reducer (an achromatic front element of a binocular 7x50 fitted into a macro tube) 0.7x an excellent 2.0/120 macro lens - extremely sharp and nearly no CA's because of fluorite glass (optical design of the a.m. combination 7/4)

9.5 points and very high recommendation !!! NB. Best apertures 5.6-11

high professional resolution about 85 LP/mm = 170 black and white lines per mm with Fujifilm 24 MP, due to one fluorite glass element therein. Best ZEISS quality.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: April, 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 2,874

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: June 16, 2017 Recommended | Price: $450.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Tripod mount, Zeiss colors/depth/bokeh, no colored fringing
Cons: Large/heavy, Not technically sharp
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 10    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: K1   

.
My lens is the Zebra version. I purchased my lens very cheap because it's aperture is stuck wide open. So, all of the below images were taken at f/2.8. I may cut some cardboard disks and insert them inside the lens to see how it performs stopped down a bit.

Sharpness is only "average" - you would not want to use this lens for "technical" images that require great sharpness. Big heavy lens, thank goodness for the tripod mount on it - most would not want to handhold it for very long.

But oh, the lovely artistic images it produces!

Compared to my Zeiss ZF 100/2 and Zeiss Milvus 85/1.4 lenses, the sharpness of this older Sonnar design can't compare to these newer designs. However, the bokeh/depth/colors I get out of this older CZJ Sonnar lens are just about as good as the bokeh/colors/depth I get out of these other expensive premium lenses.

[IMG]_IMG0919 by Dave Weber, on Flickr[/IMG]

_IMG0951 by Dave Weber, on Flickr

_IMG0949 by Dave Weber, on Flickr


P.S. I've really come to love the defective version of this lens that I wrote the above review on! In fact, I just spent 4 times ($440) what I purchased the defective one for ($110), to get my hands on one in mint condition. Can't wait to see how this second version performs stopped down a bit.
   
Forum Member

Registered: December, 2012
Location: Warsaw
Posts: 83

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: April 22, 2016 Recommended | Price: $175.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: Color, sharpness, bokeh, f/2.8, FF & 6x6 ready!!! Very usefull, rotatable tripod collar, lens shade added, superb build quality.
Cons: Size and weight must be considered but rather typical for f/2,8 tele.
Sharpness: 9    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 10    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: K5   

Carl Zeiss 180mm f/2,8 Sonnar lens with PENTAX mount - if it ever existed - I would expect it's price to go high over my abilities. This Pentacon Six lens I got almost new in my friend's shop for good price.

Fully usable wide open, SHARP after next 1/2 click, VERY SHARP from f/4 on.
Strongly lit, contrasty scenes at f/2.8 will be rendered with some "portrait softness", but after 1/2 - 1 click all is ok.

This classic Zeiss lens handles colours and especially skin tones in superb way. Combined with Pentax imaging software and 16MP sensor of the K5 - you get very good results.

CA is rather expected on classic non-ED tele glass. Post processing handles it with no problem, so I don't list it as a drawback.

Size and weight should be taken under the consideration, but any 180-200mm f/2.8 is big and heavy. I have no problem to use it hand-held and thanks to SR - 1/30 is not a problem.

The lens is actually quite compact (thick in diameter though) and a screw-in sunshade is included.

Good lens, great fun!

Carl Zeiss Sonnar 300mm f/4 in P6-mount is another story. See my next review.
   
Junior Member

Registered: January, 2016
Location: Warsaw
Posts: 32

3 users found this helpful
Review Date: January 8, 2016 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Sharp, colors, coating.
Cons: Is a big and heavy.
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 6    Value: 9    Camera Used: K-3   

I have two version MC and Zebra, in my opinion a MC is better than zebra. This a heavy weight lens and big lens. But sharp and have a nice colors.

K-3 and MC Sonnar at f/2.8
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