A relaxed Saturday with the Zeiss Contarex Sonnar 135/2.8

Having used only the Sony FE 70-200/4 or the OM Zuiko 135/2.8 recently, I figured it’s about time to take out the Zeiss Contarex Sonnar 135/2.8 again for a spin. These shots are from a walk around the Rhine in Cologne on this nice first October weekend.

Mounted on the Sony A7R, the old Zeiss 135 certainly is not perfect wide open, with some color fringes. After all, it’s not an apochromatic design. But it cleans up so much already at f/4 and f/5.6. It’s just sharp and contrasty from corner to corner. You just have to love a lens like this for all it’s classic quality!

A click on any of the shots below opens a 2500 pixel wide view. Enjoy!

Birds on a wall.

Travelling south.

Travelling south, cropped. (About 8 MP from the original frame’s 36 remain. Also I changed white balance.)

Enjoying the autumn sun.

Of cranes and trees.

The Cologne Dome.

The Cologne Dome, cropped. (About 12 MP out of the original’s 36 MP.)

The wanderlust bus.