Superb! 1950’s Carl Zeiss 2.0/50mm Coated Contax Sonnar Lens

 Fits Contax II, III, IIa & IIIa

 Camera NOT included

The 50mm Zeiss Sonnar developed for the Contax rangefinder cameras is well known lens and is recognized as a master piece of design. When it was introduced it was the best 50mm lens available. Even today the 50mm Sonnar is still well respected. But greatness is not simply defined by high resolution. What artists and photographers still love about the lens is the lovely rendition in the fore and back ground. It’s something the Japanese refer to as bokeh. Simply said this lens has a very lovely bokeh. Open up the lens or narrow the depth of field by getting closer and the focus rolls on and off very smoothly… Soft out of focus foreground moves lovingly into sharp focus on your subject matter and then off again into gently blurred background. If you’ve worked with a Sonnar, you know what I mean.

This particular lens was produced in the mid 1950’s by Carl Zeiss Oberkochen for the Contax IIa & IIIa cameras, it features an improved lens coating that is harder and more scratch resistant than the early “T” coating used that was used during WWII. It will of course fit and work beautifully on the earlier Contax I, II & III cameras.  

This lens is in lovely condition. There are no scratches, just some very light cleaning marks (but you’ll need a magnifier to see them). There is no crystallization, separation, fungus or other problems and it’s capable of producing lovely photos with modern color and B&W films.

All in all an exceptionally lovely lens, ready and waiting to be used by your classic Contax.

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