gabrioladude
Member
not that I was interested in buying it but I am curious
today on Ebay a Contax RF lens sold for $330 US
there were 23 bids on this item which seems unusally high (but the high level of interest would account for the high price)
the lens was a Zeiss Tessar 50mm f3.5
I have seen nice 50mm f1.5 Sonnars go for about $150
what is so special about this lens
obviously it must be rare
is there such an active "Contax collector" community out there?
today on Ebay a Contax RF lens sold for $330 US
there were 23 bids on this item which seems unusally high (but the high level of interest would account for the high price)
the lens was a Zeiss Tessar 50mm f3.5
I have seen nice 50mm f1.5 Sonnars go for about $150
what is so special about this lens
obviously it must be rare
is there such an active "Contax collector" community out there?
Depends on which it was. The Zeiss Opton Rigid Tessar is rare, and desirable.
The older collapsible Tessars usually sell for $150 or so. My 2.8 tessar was $85.
The older collapsible Tessars usually sell for $150 or so. My 2.8 tessar was $85.
gabrioladude
Member
it appears to be the rigid one
I understand rare, but why desirable
are the optics that much better?
I should have added the link in my original post
here it is
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Zeiss-Tessar-50m...286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:13|39:1|240:1318
I understand rare, but why desirable
are the optics that much better?
I should have added the link in my original post
here it is
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Zeiss-Tessar-50m...286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:13|39:1|240:1318
That is a late-run, post-war lens. The optics are coated and it uses newer formula glass in it.
My 5cm F2.8 collapsible is an early one, early Contax I vintage with the Black ring on it. It is reputed to be the worst lens in the Zeiss line-up. Supposedly it was recomputed and improved early on, ~1935 or so. It gives quite good results.
My 5cm F2.8 collapsible is an early one, early Contax I vintage with the Black ring on it. It is reputed to be the worst lens in the Zeiss line-up. Supposedly it was recomputed and improved early on, ~1935 or so. It gives quite good results.
telemetre
Established
I vaguely remember a Zeiss brochure advertising the Tessar as very high resolution lens suitable for reproduction work and such. Also I guess it should somewhat be less flare prone, due to having less elements than the sonnars.
micromontenegro
Well-known
There's some word (hype?) running around in the internets about that lens that pushes its value up.