I’ve recently had the pleasure of testing the legendary Zunow 5cm f/1.9 lens—both on its original home, the Orion Miranda T, and adapted for modern use on the Sony A7S II. This rare vintage lens has proven to be a gem with plenty of character, offering a unique experience for both film and digital photographers.
The Lens: Zunow 5cm f/1.9
The Zunow 5cm f/1.9 is a fast prime lens designed in the late 1950s by Zunow Optical Industry Co., Ltd., one of the pioneering Japanese optics manufacturers. This particular version was produced for the Miranda bayonet mount, developed in cooperation with the then-new Miranda camera company (originally Orion). The lens features a 7-element design, often compared to other high-end fast 50mm lenses of the era.
Despite being relatively unknown to the general public, Zunow lenses are highly valued among collectors and enthusiasts. Their prices on the used market reflect both their scarcity and the respect they command—especially in good condition.
Several lenses from other brands—like Ofunar, Arco, and Soligor—are optically similar, sometimes even produced under license or with shared design roots. However, Zunow stands out in terms of craftsmanship and optical signature.
On the Orion Miranda T
Using the Zunow on its original camera, the Orion Miranda T, was a pure vintage photography experience. The Miranda T is fully mechanical and lacks an internal light meter. To compensate, I used the Lightmeter app on my iPhone, which worked well enough with some patience.
Focusing and exposure on this setup is a more deliberate process. The lens has two aperture rings—one to pre-select the desired f-stop, and the second to close it just before releasing the shutter. This design allows you to focus with the aperture wide open for maximum brightness and shallow depth of field, then stop down quickly before capturing the image. It’s a clever, though slightly fiddly system.
For this test, I loaded the Miranda with black-and-white film and used a light yellow filter on the lens to boost contrast. The results were lovely: strong midtones, smooth rendering, and a classic film look that’s difficult to replicate digitally.
On the Sony A7S II
Mounting the Zunow on the Sony A7S II required a Miranda-to-Sony E-mount adapter from Fotodiox, which performed surprisingly well. It supports both Miranda bayonet and thread mount lenses, though it’s really only usable with older manual lenses where the aperture can be manually stopped down.
Using the Zunow on a modern mirrorless camera is, unsurprisingly, a very different experience. There’s no autofocus, but focus peaking on the Sony body helps a great deal. I found the best results came from focusing wide open (f/1.9) and then stopping down slightly for the actual shot.
Though TTL metering on the Sony works reasonably well, it’s not always precise with these vintage optics, so a bit of trial and error is needed. I also experimented with live view focusing, but unfortunately, the zoom-in function didn’t work properly with this lens-adapter combination, so peaking was my main focusing tool.
Image Quality & Character
Let’s be honest—this lens is not going to outresolve a modern Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4. Sharpness wide open is soft by today’s standards, and flare resistance is limited, especially when shooting against the light. Modern lenses have better coatings and more sophisticated optical correction.
But that’s not why you shoot with the Zunow. The contrast is pleasing, the color rendering is warm and nostalgic, and there’s a subtle glow that makes portraits and still-life shots feel timeless. The bokeh is smooth and creamy, and there’s a depth to the image that digital glass sometimes lacks.
A Cult Favorite
Though Zunow lenses were never mass-produced in the same numbers as Canon or Nikon glass, they earned a cult following. While I couldn’t confirm any world-famous photographers who consistently used the Miranda T with the Zunow, the camera did have some presence among serious amateurs and early adopters in the late 1950s and early ’60s—especially in Europe and Japan.
Today, the Zunow name is mostly remembered by collectors, but it deserves a place among the truly interesting vintage lens makers of the 20th century.
Conclusion
If you have a chance to try the Zunow 5cm f/1.9, don’t hesitate—whether you’re into film or digital. It takes a bit of effort, but with practice, it becomes a joy to use. And while it might not outperform modern lenses in a technical sense, it more than makes up for it with unique rendering and a classic tactile experience.
Below are some photos of the lens mounted on both cameras, along with sample images from each setup. Feel free to share your thoughts or your own Zunow experiences in the comments!
