Carl Zeiss LTM Finally! ~ I bought a "wartime" 1943 CZJ Sonnar T f1.5/50 in LTM

[Sonnar Brian]

The 1939 5cm F1.5 Sonnar "T", converted to LTM, wide-open on the M9. This one is marked to F11 only, but has F16 not marked. Heavier material like the earlier uncoated lenses, hidden set screws like on the alloy lenses.

Optimized for F1.5 close up, focus shift at F2.8 is perfect for true infinity.

 

[xoDox]

Promise 😀 to post a few images made with collapsible CZJ Sonnar 50/2 LTM

Finally, managed to make a link with a flickr account!

Here they are a few CZJ Sonnar 50/2 collapsible LTM images made in March 2011. There were plenty of snow in Moscow last winter!
The lens number is # 28536** Perhaps someone could tell me what year is it. I really appreciate that.

The lens self-portraits will come later if anyone cares.

Shot wide open, focussed on a bizzare ornament behind the lamp. B&W conversion was done in PSP.

Well, here was a bit of vertical stitching made in PSP.

No serious PSP work with this and the next one.

Sorry, to draw your attention from the auctions at the evil site 😀

 

[dexdog]

Finally, managed to make a link with a flickr account!

Here they are a few CZJ Sonnar 50/2 collapsible LTM images made in March 2011. There were plenty of snow in Moscow last winter!
The lens number is # 28536** Perhaps someone could tell me what year is it. I really appreciate that.

Your lens was one of a batch of 5000 completed December 12, 1945. Thiele's book notes that part of this batch was in Leica mount.

Also, very nice pictures- I will have to visit Russia in the winter at some point.

 

[johannielscom]

Meanwhile, the Jupiter-9 85/2.0 from 1951 arrived too, but there's too little light now to shoot a new shot. The lens passport was included and it shows that it left the factory at May 31st 1951 and was collimated to 83.7mm (which would be the proper correction to make it work on a Leica). I suspect the lens was either made for some high ranking Russian or for export. Anyhow, it's hardly used, if at all. The optical block shows a stamped it Zeiss serial number, 840054. This dates it from a batch of Contax 85/2.0 Sonnar lenses from December 17th, 1945.

I'll try and upload a new picture with all lenses present tomorrow.

Should I ever run into that illustrious CZJ 50/2.0 Sonnar then I will definitely buy it but since there is a full focal length range covered now I will not shell out for one.

EDIT: wanna know what's what in the above picture? I included notes on the original Flickr shot to explain!

 

[xoDox]

Your lens was one of a batch of 5000 completed December 12, 1945. Thiele's book notes that part of this batch was in Leica mount.

Also, very nice pictures- I will have to visit Russia in the winter at some point.

Thanks for info. It seems Thiele's book is quite useful in many ways.

For those how interested in the subject in the pix. It's an old Andronikov monastery actually dated to XIV century. The monastery is located in the Moscow downtown, although outside of major tourists pathways. All pics were done with Leica M8.2

Should try the lens in the summer as well! Perhaps the sunny rendering
will be quite different 😉

 

[dexdog]

CZJ family portrait in LTM

CZJ family portrait in LTM

Patriarchs/matriarchs, children, cousins once removed, etc.

CZJ 8.5cm/2
three CZJ 5cm/1.5
1949 ZK 5cm/1.5
1951 J-3 5cm/1.5, with CZJ glass
two CZJ 5cm/2 collapsible
1984 J-8
two CZJ 3.5cm/2.8 Biogons
1950 J-12, CZJ glass and internal barrel parts

I wish that the Biogons and J-12 fit on the NEX-5, however, all work great on a Canon P, so still quite usable.

 

[johannielscom]

somebody got lucky

somebody got lucky

my fellow Sonnarists,

Have a look here. Make sure you sit down before clicking.

Somebody got lucky with an ultra-rare lens for a sub-bargain price!

 

[raid]

Johan,
My Dutch is "rusty"; how much is shipping cost to the USA?

 

[raid]

It is not sold yet.
Maybe you could translate for us?

 

[dexdog]

Raid, I saw it first! 😉 Serial number in Thiele's book says this is one of a batch of 500 lenses completed November, 1945, in Contax mount. I note that this particular lens has the big screw on the focus ring used as the aperture limiting device, similar to the WW2 era Sonnars.

Still 6 days to go in the listing. Seller is in Vermont, shipping is $8.20

 

[raid]

Raid, I saw it first! 😉 Serial number in Thiele's book says this is one of a batch of 500 lenses completed November, 1945, in Contax mount. I note that this particular lens has the big screw on the focus ring used as the aperture limiting device, similar to the WW2 era Sonnars.

Still 6 days to go in the listing. Seller is in Vermont, shipping is $8.20

Mark,
I am last! My budget is $50 ..... what do you think, is it enough? [joke]

 

[dexdog]

Mark,
I am last! My budget is $50 ..... what do you think, is it enough? [joke]

Raid, not sure how high I would bid, given that the lens elements are said to have scratches. Should be fun to watch, at least.

 

[raid]

I have such a lens in Contax mount. That lens has very clean glass. I have an Amedeo adapter, so using it on a Leica is no big deal anyways.
What is so special about the lens on ebay? Is it a special production specimen?

 

[dexdog]

The lens is interesting because is a Zeiss lens in LTM mount made around WW2. Otherwise similar to the Contax mount version that you have.

 

[raid]

I now see it, Mark. If the optics are messed up, then I will not bid on it.

 

[Flat Twin]

Hello Chaps,

I finally found myself a 1943 CZJ 5cm f1.5 Sonnar. Thanks to Leica Tom for his help in identifying the lens and for his advice!

I am amazed at how light weight the lens is after my Leitz 5cm f1.5 Summarit, I guess thats alluminium for you over brass!

I have a question for the experts here! What size is the filter thread and can anybody help me out and suggest where I look for a uv skylight type filter, (I suppose the obvious place is flebay) I would like something that is in keeping with the lens... Did CZJ make them at the time and are they possible to find?!

Also, I don't have a lens cap and again don't know the size! Are the originals easy to come by (I doubt it!) or is a Russian J-3 type cap the best bet?!

Any advice is welcomed! I'll post some pics when I can!

Regards,

Simon

 

[johannielscom]

Hi Simon,

filter size is 40.5mm and lens cap is the 42mm push on type.
Era correct caps are metallic gray painted aluminium caps only stamped 'ZEISS' on the front, but those are collectors stuff and easily pass GBP 50. Logo caps saying 'Carl Zeiss Jena' on the front are in fact Contax caps and also fit, but even these are expensive since they often are the same stamped aluminium. See my post above for a black and silver sample.

Of course any plastic push-on cap will do, most at much less cost too!

Congrats on the CZJ 50/1.5! Can we see shots? I'm curious as to the serial number, mine is a 1943 too!

 

[xoDox]

Have a look here. Make sure you sit down before clicking.

I got mine 135 f/4 locally a couple of months ago for a bit more than $100. It's pretty sticky to operate, but has perfect optics. Perhaps, I will do degreasing myself -- there are plenty of DIY info. The serial is #27125** so it was made around 1941, right?. The lens has a rather strange Zeiss front cap that screws-in. Usually, it comes with a slip-in type. I believe a fair market price for Sonnar 135mm LTM in excellent condition should be around $150 and up for all sorts of extras.

 

[raid]

Can you post a photo of the lens here?

 

[johannielscom]

I got mine 135 f/4 locally a couple of months ago for a bit more than $100. It's pretty sticky to operate, but has perfect optics. Perhaps, I will do degreasing myself -- there are plenty of DIY info. The serial is #27125** so it was made around 1941, right?. The lens has a rather strange Zeiss front cap that screws-in. Usually, it comes with a slip-in type. I believe a fair market price for Sonnar 135mm LTM in excellent condition should be around $150 and up for all sorts of extras.

Hi,

I think you are underestimating the value of the wartime CZJ 135/4.0 Sonnar LTM.

If it has a design like mine (right in the below photo, serial 27121xx) it is definitely a wartime lens and according to Marc James Small who is an authority on the wartime production of lenses, only some 200 of these were made by Zeiss.

Leicakit-1 by buzzardkid, on Flickr

The wartime 135/4.0 has a wider middle section, with a larger knurled ring that is divided into two by a groove, making it look like two knurled rings.
Also, the rotating part of the barrel to set the distance with extends far towards the mount and the DOF scale is short.

If it is a design like the lens in the eBay auction (see below), it has the same barrel as the later Jupiter-11 and should have a 284xxxx or higher serial number, and was made post-war, in 1945. Still a very collectible lens, but less valuable.

The jupiter-11 design has a single knurled ring and the focusing part of the barrel is shorter, so that the DOF scale is taller.


Can we see a picture of yours? I'd like to see another one like mine, it would be a first in the year that I own mine!