Any one has experience on CZJ Flektogon 20mm/F4 Exakta mount lens

CZJ Flektogon 20/4 is an ultra wide angle lens for Exakta Varex. Selling for under $300, while a Leica Elmart R19 ver II is fetching

about $4000, even version I is about $1300. So Flektogon 20/4 is a lot cheaper.

 

What about its performance, center/corner sharpess, distortion level, etc

• The Flektogon is a rival to the Angenieux for the "first" 35mm retrofocus. No one really knows which was the first retrofocus wide angle for 35mm SLRs. YOu might want to look at the Angenieux as well, though it's usually pricey in its own right.
  

Historical bits aside, I have used it in a Praktina mount and it is excellent. Somewhere in the archives here on P.net I did a report on it with examples.

 

It's available, I think, in most of the East German SLR mounts (Exakta, Praktica, Praktina, etc._)

It is also available in M42 screw mount. I have one and use it both on M42 cameras as well as (with adapters) on Canon FDs and Minoltas.

This lens is legendary for having almost no distortion. I have the M42 version and I love it.

My Flektogon 20/4 is in transit, cannot wait to mount it on Exa and try it out.

Had one in the late 1990s for my Exakta. It was a strong performer, but I never really was very good shooting with it...the screen on my Exakta didn't help much, and I ended up selling both for a little more than I paid for them.

Flektogon 20mm F4 on Ihagee Exakta Exa SLR

Unfortunately the same CZJ Flektogon 20/4 does not work on my Exakta Varex IIa, mounted on that camera

the aperture always open at max.

 

It works only on my Exa

The Flektagon 4/20 on one of my Exakta Varex IIa, but not on other Exakta camera,( the one with straight label plate) quite odd.

Edited January 9, 2018 by MTC Photography

I used Leitz Elmarit R-19/2.8 extensively on my Canon EOS MARK ii CAMERA, there is corner fall off with this lens at wide open

 

Flektogon 20/4 has no vignette problem

It is also available in M42 screw mount

 

Of couse, Praktica (and its ancestor the Contax S) ARE the original M42 lens mount. The others adopted it as the first "standard" SLR mount.

I find that strange that it fits the Exa but no the Exakta?!? That the aperture is opens when it is mounted points to something amiss with the mount. I've been able to adjust this I think on some Exakta lenses. IIRC there is a variable distance adjustment on the shutter release button ..ie that's the thing that closes down the aperture. See if that can't be adjusted somehow ... but hey.. one working 35mm Exakta mount lens is still great.. so happy shooting with the Exa... please post results. I keep the 35mm on my Exa btw. The Exakta has the Pancolar usually!!

Like a lot of East German stuff, the mechanical construction sometimes lets them down. My sample of 20mm f/4 Jena Flektagon has a tilted image plane, and so has softer corners one side than the other. It's a fairly old "zebra stripe" finish version.

 

Centrally, the image quality is very good, but overall contrast is on the low side.

 

I have a 25mm and a 50mm Pentacon 6 version as well. Unfortunately the 25mm Flektagon has a worn iris mechanism that catches on stopping down. Otherwise its performance is OK, but doesn't match a "modern" 24mm design like an Ai-S f/2.8 Nikkor.

 

Good enough for B&W film, would be my assessment. Because although the correction of colour aberrations is very good, the contrast of these lenses takes the saturation out of colour shots.

Here is a sample picture taken with the lens in 1971 . Please see the next frame. Sorry, some problem with the uploading. But you can see the images. Regards SP Edited January 14, 2018 by subbarayan_prasanna

Hope this helps!