Carl Zeiss Jena DDR SONNAR 5cm f 3.5

<p>Hi Experts</p>

<p>Does anyone has info on this lens? - Carl Zeiss Jena DDR SONNAR 5cm f 3.5. Picture is attached below after the question. I know this is apparently a RUSSIAN copy of SONNAR lens made of all brass but that's all I know. <br>

I would like to know if this is a good lens, year, or anything you guys might know - info will be appreciated.<br>

Thank you. </p>

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<p>Is Russian fake. Some other lens polished, engraving ground off, then re-engraved. No lens of that era would be in polished brass.<br>

It is some ordinary Russian Tessar clone. Not that they are bad lenses, but whoever did the faking may not have cared about the optical condition of the lens.</p>

<p>I agree with John. What does it fit?</p>

<p>CARL ZEISS JENA SONNAR for FED ZORKI Leica M39 Cameras<br>

The lens is made of brass.<br /><br />Focal lengh- 50mm<br />Relative aperture - f3.5<br />Focusing - 1m up to 20, infinite<br />Diaphragm scale -3.5; 4; 5.6; 8;11; 16<br />Diaphragm - Manual<br />Serial number - 2267705</p>

<p>Probably a Jupiter for LTM, M42, or Kiev-Contax mounts</p>

<p>here is one test capture taken with this lens</p><div></div>

<p>I had quite a few pieces of Carl Zeiss Jena and other GDR made camera stuff in my hands but I have never seen a "DDR" engraving on any of these pieces. <br>

Otherwise, due to the brass coating, there is little doubt that this is a Russian fake from a less competent manufacturer. </p>

 

DDR = Deutsche Demokratische Republik (former East Germany). So this lens was made after WWII. The focal length given in cm (5cm) not mm (50mm) would also help to place the age. When did lens designations change from cm to mm?

<p>from construction of the lens it does not seem at all to be any sort of fake. this tiny lens has real weight of 350 gms to 450 gms at least. Optics seen from naked eye are having a blue tint reflection that of a pretty decent quality luxury lens - but who knows.<br>

From the first tests taken with the pictures, it has decent performance for a slow lens ( at f3.5) & tack sharp at f8.0 - f11.0 <br>

There does not seem to be any conspicuous optical aberrations. Flare still needs to be tested, how well it performs on that. </p>

<p>industar 50? show a side view...</p>

<p>Late model Zeiss Jena lenses do say "DDR". I have an 80 mm Biometar and a 50 mm Flektogon, both in P-6 mounts, that are so designated. However, as far as I know postwar lensed are marked in MMs, not CMs and they're certainly not brass.</p>

<p>5 cm Sonnar would not be f;3,5, Triotar or Tessar could. No a real thing.</p>

<p>K.</p>

<p>Certainly looks like an Industar....shiny though! Some Industars are quite good, some not so much. I have one that is firmly in the latter category. If it works well, then you have a good shiny user.</p>

<p>Image looks OK</p>

 

<p>The Industar-50 is closest in specification and kind of looks like this one, but it is a Tessar-derived design, not a Sonnar. Sonnars, as far as I know, are typically f/2, not f/3.5; so there is something that doesn't quite add up.</p>