Tell me about this Zeiss "Olympia" Sonnar (180mm) I found....

Don't chop it up! Way to nice lens for that. You got something very nice for a very low price. That is somthing that only rarely happens.

Better look for an adaptor to get it to some lensmount you can use. Something to M42 will certainly exist. I do have one for my Sonnar 300/4 to P6 and M42. So it almost certainly will be possible to adapt to M42 and maybe P6. From there alomst anything is possible.

If it is optically the same as the P6 180/2.8 then you have a very nice lens for portraits at hand. If with the adaption you have right now you can focus closer than it normally does that is a plus as otherwise you need quite a lot of distance.
 
The "original" Olympia Sonnar was for the Contax II and used with a reflex housing. The lens was in chrome and brass and was probably very heavy - and that was before it was attached to the housing and the camera.

I believe that it was developed for the 1936 Olympics (hence, the Olympia name).

The "Olympia" name has been used on other Zeiss lenses, including the 135 f/2.8 Sonnar for the Contarex.

Regardless of whether it's East or West, an "Olympia" Sonnar is an excellent lens.
 
to the OP: if you twist that ribbed back ring counter-clockwise, it might release the Exakta mount.

eBay item 141236197142 appears to be the same lens, with an Arri mount. There's also one with a Leitz 39mm LTM mount on sale on eBay.

I'm thinking these lenses might have interchangeable mounts like the Pentacon-6 lenses and M42 lenses have.

Nice find, it definitely outperforms my much-loved Nikkor 2.0/135mm on a D700!
 
You have an early Pre-Set 180 "Olympia" Sonnar.
Model after the famous 180 Olympia Sonnar that Lena Riefenstahl used for her epic 1935 film " Triumph of the Will". As described else where in this thread it was made specific for the Contax to be used with the flektoscop.

What you have is the later postwar version using the same formula but lighter material in its manufacture. I have one of the earlier version made out f brass parts.. In any incarnation,, this 180mm along with the 300mm are shape. Although dated its design and glass performance it has never cease to amaze later generational users.

The rear end should be able to be unscrew and there were various mounts made for it.
I had and still have some of the mention rear end adapters:
P-6 mount, Nikon F, Canon FD, Exakta and M42. These were quite common rear end adapter that allow the use of these fine, but dated lenses to be used on various 35mm platform.

I have several of them with custom Hasselblad 2000 series & even the older 1000 series mount. Again although a dated optical design, it held its own against the newer Hasselblad 180mmF4.0 CF. Several years ago, I was part of a group of Photo Enthusiasts from the Kiev Report Forum who tested the older Zeiss optics against the Newer Zeiss and the Russian/Ukrainian optics.

For those that would care t read it it, it is the link.
Thanks to Rick Denney and members whom showed up for this test...
http://www.rickdenney.com/mother_lens_test.htm
 
Well, dated is obviously a relative term! From what I see from that photo, it would blow away most any "modern" lens. Call me old fashioned, but I will take an outdated Sonnar, Summicron or Heliar over most anything else any day. They're flat better.

Looks like a superb lens in any respect. Hope you can get another mount so as to get it to focus to infinity. I found a little info on it here

http://captjack.exaktaphile.com/Zeiss page.htm
 
Your Olympia lens looks very different from my Jena lens.

Got a photo? Is it an older one?

to the OP: if you twist that ribbed back ring counter-clockwise, it might release the Exakta mount.

I'm thinking these lenses might have interchangeable mounts like the Pentacon-6 lenses and M42 lenses have.

The whole rear section screws off. See the photo below. But, the ribbed part you mention does have screws in it that I can't get out. I need to take it to a friend who has some specialized tools for small screws. You may still be correct.

DSC_3091s.jpg


I assumed this whole rear section is what was "replaceable" but maybe it was just the ribbed ring. That would be easier.

The rear end should be able to be unscrew and there were various mounts made for it.
I had and still have some of the mention rear end adapters:
P-6 mount, Nikon F, Canon FD, Exakta and M42. These were quite common rear end adapter that allow the use of these fine, but dated lenses to be used on various 35mm platform.

I have several of them with custom Hasselblad 2000 series & even the older 1000 series mount. Again although a dated optical design, it held its own against the newer Hasselblad 180mmF4.0 CF. Several years ago, I was part of a group of Photo Enthusiasts from the Kiev Report Forum who tested the older Zeiss optics against the Newer Zeiss and the Russian/Ukrainian optics.

For those that would care t read it it, it is the link.
Thanks to Rick Denney and members whom showed up for this test...
http://www.rickdenney.com/mother_lens_test.htm

Do you have a rear section for Nikon F that you'd part with?? :)
Very glad to have the newer model made with lighter materials!! Again compared to my Nikkor 18cm f/2.5, this lens was half the size/weight I was expecting when I bought it.

Thanks again for all the great info and informative links/discussion.
 
Hi, Johan,

Please send me the tracking number for the three FILCAs I bought from you back in March or a refund via paypal. I have not received them. I haven't been able to contact you through your site despite sending five or six emails.

Thanks,
Dez
 
I think that your rear mount goes for the 35mm Exakta bayonet mount. The entire rear mount as shown in your photos are all removable by twisting it off. Similar mounts were made for the P-6 mount, M-42 mount (I use it on my Yashica-COntax SLR), and the Exakta 35mm mount. A bit later in years, Pentacon introduce it with the Nikon, Canon FD, & Leica mount. The last three are rare and seldomly turn up. I bought several that had custom made Hasselblad 2000/200 series mount.

Sorry, I plan to keep my Nikon rear mount for interchangeability between my cameras...



The whole rear section screws off. See the photo below. But, the ribbed part you mention does have screws in it that I can't get out. I need to take it to a friend who has some specialized tools for small screws. You may still be correct.

DSC_3091s.jpg


I assumed this whole rear section is what was "replaceable" but maybe it was just the ribbed ring. That would be easier.



Do you have a rear section for Nikon F that you'd part with?? :)
Very glad to have the newer model made with lighter materials!! Again compared to my Nikkor 18cm f/2.5, this lens was half the size/weight I was expecting when I bought it.

Thanks again for all the great info and informative links/discussion.[/quote]
 
Johan,

More weeks have gone by, with no promised email, and I have not seen the FILCAs I bought from you in March. Please send either the FILCAs or a refund via paypal.

There seems little point in contacting you on your site, as I have done that five or six times and received no response.

Dez
 
Seems like neither the time or place Dez. If I was a passerby, I'd assume you were talking to the OP (me), which is unfortunate.
 
REF:
http://www.photographyobsession.co.uk/gallery3/photo-equip/carl-zeiss-jena/CZJ-180mm/


The first Sonnar 2.8/180mm 'Olympia Sonnar" introduced for Berlin Olympic Games in 1936 was a range finder lens. SLR versions did not appear until after the WW2 when Carl Zeiss was split into western and eastern companies. Carl Zeiss Jena DDR continued manufacture for Pentacon, Exacta and M42 mounts until reunification in early 1990s. Carl Zeiss West Germany introduced a Contax Sonnar T* 180mm f/2.8 a new design, derived from the famed Olympia Sonnar in the 1980s.

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar may also be labelled "Carl Zeiss Jena S" or "Aus Jena S" lens remains exactly the same.

Four basic versions of Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 180mm F2.8:

1. Aluminium finish often with leather band grip - 1956-1963
2. Black with hard plastic focus ring with raised ovals sometimes referred to as "Star Wars edition" 1961 - 1963.
3. Black with bright aluminium stripes on focus ring "Zebra" 1963 - 1967.
4. All black 1967 - 1978. From 1978 - 1990 with Multi-coating denoted by "MC" marking. All previous were single coated.
 
Corran,

I apologize if I give that impression. I certainly have no dispute with you. I had entered that note where I thought it would appear immediately after Johan Neils' post, but I didn't notice that there was a second page. I have been desperately trying to contact Johan about items I bought and didn't receive, but it appears I am being stonewalled. Since I can't reach him on his site, and he has disabled PM's, I'm trying to catch his attention on a recent post.

Sorry for any confusion,

Dez
 
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