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Carl Zeiss Jena -Tessar   (Preset) 50mm F2.8 Review RSS Feed

Carl Zeiss Jena -Tessar (Preset) 50mm F2.8

Sharpness 
 9.3
Aberrations 
 8.3
Bokeh 
 8.8
Handling 
 7.3
Value 
 8.8
Reviews Views Date of last review
6 24,031 Wed March 8, 2023
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $26.25 8.33
Carl Zeiss Jena -Tessar   (Preset) 50mm F2.8

Carl Zeiss Jena -Tessar   (Preset) 50mm F2.8
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Carl Zeiss Jena -Tessar   (Preset) 50mm F2.8
supersize
Carl Zeiss Jena -Tessar   (Preset) 50mm F2.8
supersize

Description:
M42 mount
8 blade iris
49 mm filter
Preset - f/2.8 to f/16
MFD = 0.5 m
No Auto/Man clutch
Mount Type: M42 Screwmount
Price History:



Add Review of Carl Zeiss Jena -Tessar   (Preset) 50mm F2.8
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Sort Reviews by: Date | Author | Rating | Recommendation | Likes (Descending) Showing Reviews 1-6 of 6
New Member

Registered: November, 2013
Posts: 14
Review Date: March 22, 2016 Recommended | Price: $20.00 | Rating: 10 

 
Pros: very sharp "eagle eye" by zeiss
Cons: very few CA's in the edges
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 9    Bokeh: 8    Handling: 9    Value: 10    Camera Used: k-5 k-x kS1 k200d fuji x-e1 and x-t100 fuji x-e1 x-t100   

comparted with Domiplan 2,8/50 (3/3) with heavy CAs in the edges : another world (4/3 elements)

so called "Cooksches Triplet" with achromatic rear element

my first item for EXA, but with adapter suitable to x-e1 = excellent sharpness, x t-100 = extreme sharpness

my second item for Pentax k-x k-5 k200d k-s1 with M42 screw mount = very good sharpness

O/+ wide open with f 2.8 fair to good sharpness and some few CAs, especially in the corners and in bokeh area

++ with aperture f5,6-11 very sharp (eagles eye ) in the center and in the corners

+/++ good to very good contrast

++ excellent neutral color rendition

+ nice bokeh

++ close ups: excellent center and corner sharpness with f 8-11

with an additional achromatic macro lens in front of this lens: phantastic results (no difference to expensive high tech lenses)

9.5 points and very highly recommended (because there is no weakness in the corners as usually, stopped down a few) - one of my best standard lenses, tested by ephotozine with result 3.500 x 5.250 lines = 18,4 MP at f5.6-11 (only to reach with APC-C Fuji x-t100 (100-1000 iso) or K-1 (full frame at 100-400 iso)

kind regards - yours very faithfully joe
   
Site Supporter

Registered: October, 2017
Location: Lancaster
Posts: 3,821

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: November 7, 2019 Recommended | Price: $20.00 | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: Sharpness
Cons: Non as such

I bought this lens off a Portuguese seller on eBay. It was one of my first M42 lenses and is a stunner to look at. My copy requires a flanged adapter, otherwise it stays wide open and it took me a while to realise this at which point I realised its true potential. As the preset ring is spring loaded there are times when you could do with a third hand. It is slightly soft wide open and my copy doesn't suffer massively from abberations or fringing although they are present but this is a vintage £30 lens so we have to be realistic. I love this lens and now I have done the review I can't wait to get it out again

Carl Zeiss Jenna Tessar 50mm by Peter Kay, on Flickr
   
New Member

Registered: February, 2017
Location: amsterdam
Posts: 17

2 users found this helpful
Review Date: September 27, 2018 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 9 

 
Pros: super sharp, colortrue and nice contrast
Cons: the rings are a bit tiny to dial. Very soft on 2,8
Sharpness: 10    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 8    Value: 10    Camera Used: Pentax K-1   

A friend gave me an old Praktica German camera from the 60ies. it was rubbish, he said, but would make a good prop. I decided to check out the attached lens. It was so dirty, I worked on it for quite some time to clear the glass. With my 8 dollar Pentax K to M42 ring I attached it to my K-1. I was absolutely stunned when I shot with it. We shoot for our clients all over the globe and I took a huge risk to only bring a set of analog lenses with me for a 4 week gig. The shots with the Tessar 2,8/50 turned out stunning, pretty sharp and in great color. But with that analog feeling. You should dial it up to 8 and stay away from the 2.8. It gets really soft on 2,8.
So, if you want to make your clients happy with your photography, consider an analog lens for your next project. I own a bunch and love my Carl Zeiss Jena 2,8/50. btw, I never told my friend I use his lens. He's a photographer as well (married to Nikon). Some secrets are best kept from those you love ;-)





   
New Member

Registered: November, 2018
Location: Southern California
Posts: 12

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: April 1, 2021 Recommended | Price: $15.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: rendering and bokeh
Cons: a bit clunky old style lens
Sharpness: 9    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 6    Value: 9   

I picked this lens up along with a Pentax 35mm f3.5 Takumar for $30. The Tessar has stiff focusing (likely old grease), but does work. I tested it recently on a Fujica STL 705W, and the manual operation was a bit clunky; though that was to be expected. I like some of the results, and especially the bokeh. It is an inexpensive, but really nice lens, and I am somewhat intrigued with Tessars, as they were the standard for decades and produced some amazing images. The only thing that killed them was really the desire for faster lenses. Here are a few images captured on ADOX CHS 100 II B&W film (developed in Rodinal 1:25). First two are bokeh examples. The first was at f2.8, and the second was f5.6 or f8. The third one is just a representative photo. This was hand held at likely 1/60th of a second.





   
New Member

Registered: February, 2019
Posts: 15
Review Date: March 8, 2023 Recommended | Price: $50.00 | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: Fancy looking 50mm
Cons: Looks don't take better photos
Sharpness: 8    Aberrations: 8    Bokeh: 9    Handling: 6    Value: 6    Camera Used: Film and full frame Digital   

I have no clue how other people are picking this lens up for $20 to $30, to be sure. In 2023 these were going for $50 to $100 a pop on the old secondhand market.

It's silver and some people get carried away with shiny lenses. This forces up the prices, and that's a downside of this old lens being bought and sold in the secondhand market. Linked to this, the actual performance of this lens is exactly the same as age-comparable Black Tessar 50mm lenses. However, the black versions cost much less. I suppose that having a couple of extra aperture blades will make a little difference to a bokeh shots, though.

Sharpness is not excellent up to F5.6 but it is better than many other non-Tessar lenses of the same years of manufacture. So they were comparably excellent in their day, but so many lens makers from the 1970's and 80's onwards were making far better and far sharper 50mm lens designs at F4 to F1.2. Where the Tessar design excels - and always will do - is at F5.6 to F11, and this silver lens is excellent there if (and it is a big IF) you have a clean and unmarked optical version. Some of these silver aluminium lenses are terribly abused both optically and with much barrel marking and denting and filth.

Chances are that such an old Zeiss will have lumpy or dry focusing, which can be easily cleaned up and re-lubed and the soft aluminium body will be marked. The pre-set rings are good fun if they work well and the auto cocking and pin-release are magical. However, unless you are needing silent aperture operation there is nothing here that gives better imaging than using a black body Tessar.
   
Pentaxian

Registered: April, 2011
Location: Lost in translation ...
Posts: 18,076
Review Date: May 3, 2013 Recommended | Price: None indicated | Rating: 7 

 
Pros: Build, Close focus
Cons: No Auto/Man clutch

Bonjour,

Found this CZJ at the bottom of a bin at the thrift store and purchased it for 2€. The glass is OK, but the lens exterior is heavily marked, filter ring damaged, some markings on aperture preset ring illegible and the focus ring was seizing and very stiff near infinity. Pulled the lens apart (only one screw to remove on back base mount), cleaned and re-lubed ... focus ring now rotates normally. Super-glued the pin to have a full-time working aperture ...

I have only tested indoors and with marginal results ... also I have to pull the lens apart (again) because it will not focus at infinity. Giving it a "7" across the board rating until I can try to regain infinity and test outdoors ...

Here's what it looks like on the K-5 using a Pentax M42 adapter ... J



EDIT: Here's some quick snaps in the garden ... no PP.
Also, pulled apart for a second time and still do not have infinity.

f 2.8


f 8
Add Review of Carl Zeiss Jena -Tessar   (Preset) 50mm F2.8



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