Spring 2019. One of my friends (he runs an antique shop in Ghent, Belgium) sends me a picture of a Leica IIIc with a screw mounted Sonnar with the message, “Is this something for you? I’ bought some furniture today and the guy wants to sell me his dad’s camera too. Put a price on it and call me back. I’m leaving here within 10 minutes.”
Once in a while I get the chance to borrow a bit of kit that’s intrigued me for a long time but that I’ve never found myself able to justify purchasing. With it being based on the Sonnar lens formula, the MS-Optics 50mm f/1.1 is one such bit of kit.
MS-Optics lenses are, to say the least, eccentric. This 50mm f/1.1 is no exception to that rule, in fact, it’s a perfect example of the rule. This lens makes no attempt to be optically perfect, it’s build quality feels handmade, its quirky to use, it’s tiny and it’s very fast. It’s also based – as I have already said – on a Sonnar formula. Which is why Sam its (now previous) owner thought I should try it. You can read some of my previous experiences with Sonnar lenses here – to say they are a favourite, would be an understatement!
This Leica thread mount modified Skyllaney Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 single coated Sonnar lens is third I’ve reviewed from the hands of Chris Andreyo from Skyllaney this year. It’s the most expensive, and certainly the most desirable by most people’s standards I’m sure. Like every single Sonnar I’ve tried, it has also shown me something new, as well as helping define what I like from this formula of lens.
Tell me something that is heavy, hard, old and almost unbreakable. Is it a stone? No, it’s a prewar Contax. I say “almost unbreakable”, as these poor specimens have seen better days. The general state of both these camera is deplorable, they are missing parts and nothing moves.
Another Skyllaney lens to recently pass through my hands was this wonderful restored Jupiter-3. My past experiences with Jupiter-3 lenses – at least apart from the Lomography one (which was very nice) – is that they can be a bit hit and miss. This Skyllaney one was definitely a hit – that is at least if you like what the Jupiter-3 does.
