Contax RF lens oddity

[dexdog]

CZJ 13.5cm/4 lens in Contax RF mount, serial number 2711733, which corresponds to a production date of January 28, 1943 according to Hartmut Thiele's book of CZJ lenses. This particular lens is unusual because the aperture adjustment ring and the section of the lens barrel behind it are a dark gray matte finish, while the rest of the lens is typical heavy chrome CZJ materials. The dark gray finish is not paint, but appears to be parkerized finish (i.e., phosphate etched). I bought this lens from eBay last year because I had never seen one like it. Has anyone else seen a lens like this before?

Yeah, there is abundant barrel distortion in the attached photo, but I am working without benefit of a macro lens.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I've sen some odd wartime stuff, including 13.5cm F4 Sonnars in this color in a "makeshift" LTM mount. Easily could have been a optics module mounted back into a regular focus mount, perhaps.

 

[KoNickon]

Handsome lens! Wartime exigencies made for some interesting variants in materials, it seems.

 

[dexdog]

Handsome lens! Wartime exigencies made for some interesting variants in materials, it seems.

Seeing "hybrid" lenses like this ones makes me wonder whether complete lenses with this dark gray finish were ever made. Maybe some information will turn up.

 

[darkkavenger]

Very interesting 135/4. Although this finish is weird, the f-stop lettering looks very much like those found on regular 135/4 lenses. I just received a 135/4 this morning, a CZJ from 1937 according to its serial number, and it looks very much like yours, excluded that interesting barrel variation of course. Good luck in your findings!