robert_mahon Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 I have an old Sonnar 1:1,5 5cm lens which I have been trying to find out some things about and havent been able to come up with much on this particular model. I would like to know if anyone had any ideas on it as I do not know too much about rangefinder equipment. This one has a seperate Cook & Perkins, London base and I don't know anything about that either. I have some photos of the lens I can link you to: http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/556771671RwxSfQ Any information will be helpful. Thans alot, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h._p. Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 I'm no expert but I did find enough in Ivor Matanle's "Collecting and Using Classic Cameras" to suggest that this is a Post-War East German lens with an alloy mount which he describes as "frequently encountered" and "based on the pre-war Contax lens range". He also describes the lenses as "optically excellent" but warns that "the mounts wear badly, and it may be found that the results are not up to standard because of the focussing and alignment problems caused by the wear". I wonder if the Cook and Perkins adaptor has a Leica screw at the other end, to enable the Sonnar to be used on a Leica. This was not uncommon in the 'fifties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon_dragon Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 The "Jena" indicates (I think) the East Germans post war but with prewar lens designs. Definitely Contax rangefinder mount. If the Cook and Perkins is the Leica adapter, it's worth potentially a lot of money because they're pretty rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_mahon Posted January 2, 2007 Author Share Posted January 2, 2007 The adapter does screw-mount to a leica. thanks a ton for the help. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miha_steinb_cher Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 Robert, It's a contax rangefinder mount lense with a leica screwmount adapter. What is the lens serial number? If the serial number is 2XXXXXX (as it looks to me in the 2nd picture), it's probably a pre-WW2 or WW2 lens. It also doesn't look coated to me, another indication of its pre 1945 origin. What is the barrel made from? Chrome-plated brass or aluminium? Best regards, Miha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph_wei Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 Carl Zeiss Jena was also the official marking found on all lenses prior to World War II (the Zeiss lens factory was in the town of Jena, Germany; after the war, this factory was captured by the Soviets and put back into service making East German lenses). If your lens is uncoated (or has very primative coatings - Zeiss WAS experimenting with lens coating prior to the war with the Sonnar 5cm f/1.5) , then it ought to be a prewar model. The Cook & Perkins adapter is a rare find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furcafe Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 From your pix, I would say you have a pre-WWII or early post-WWII (c. 1936-46) Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar for the Contax RF. If it's marked w/a red "T," then it is the more uncommon coated version. As David & Joseph posted, the Cook & Perkins adapter by itself is a rare & valuable find (probably worth @ least $500 on eBay, if you care about such things). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_mahon Posted January 2, 2007 Author Share Posted January 2, 2007 The serial number is 2135833 and the barrel is aluminum. I don't believe it is coated but im not sure. you all have been very helpful, thanks alot. It certainly seems the cameras I have been using this lense with are not worthy of it as I have been trying it with some of my old soviet FED2 leica copies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_mahon Posted January 2, 2007 Author Share Posted January 2, 2007 My mistake: the barrel is chrome plated brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furcafe Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 If it was coated @ the factory, it should be marked w/a red "T" along the lens bezel (right after "5cm"). From the serial #, I think it was made c.1937 (I own #2135226), which is about a year before Zeiss began their coating. However, when coating technology became more widesperad, many people had 3rd-party optical companies coat their favorite uncoated lenses in the '40s & '50s, so it could still be coated, just not by Zeiss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vics Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I have a later model of this lens (c. 1956) and I find it the best 50mm I've ever had. Boy! Would I love to try mine on my Leica M3, but I can't find an adaptor! You could shoot that lens on a Contax II, III, IIa or IIIa (like mine), or a Leica or a (modern) Cosina Voigtlander body made for that mount. Enjoy that lens!VS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johan_niels_kuiper Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Hello all, I really would like to know how you manage to find out what productioin year a serial number relates to? Only today I have acquired no. 26106xx, which has a Leica M39 mount. I expect it to arrive in a week or so. Most curious as to when it was made! Cheers, Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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