| Latest Review Posted | Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar MC 135mm F3.5
Own definition of points - using the above scaling: 5 = still good, 7-8 = good to very good, 9-10 = excellent
(10 = "100%" for technical aspects: such a immaculate thing does not exist)
About this as good as new copy: it was produced within the latest version at the end of 1980s in Saalfeld in the former GDR (therefore no "Aus Jena" export version) and
sold a short time later after the political changes from acquired inventories.
Traditionally one of the best 135mm lenses for the 36mm-film format, however, the most useful optical performance is available, when stopped down at least f/5.6 or higher.
The high color contrast and intense, as well as pure colors are typical of this lens, with color slide film quite welcome characteristics (in digital image processing, this tends
to play a minor role), but an edged diaphragm and significant color fringing at high contrast details lead to a less beautiful reproduction outside the focal plane.
Compared to S.-M.-C. Takumar 1: 2.5/135 (Model II):
Very stiff focusing grip with extremely uncomfortable, needle-sharp bare metal pyramids, painful for the fingers (in this regard, the former, painted models feel a little more
"comfortable"); on the other hand, mechanical slackness is hardly to be felt; the Takumar here feels at worlds better, but also at the expense of a wobbly front barrel.
Slightly inferior imaging performance in the lower apertures (and thus far less contrasty than the also tested ... |
