Tessar 28mm f8?

Yes, I use it a lot on either as S2 (with a dead rangefinder) or with S3/SP's. Of course. it doesn't couple to the rangefinder - but just stop it down to f11/f16 (or if it is really bright - f32) and the depth of field takes care of it. It will flare a bit in bright sunlight and the image contrast is lower than on a modern less - but it is very sharp.
If you go to our Flickr site (see below) and "tag " Zeiss Tessar 28mm f8.0 - there are some samples with this lens, both on Nikon Rf's and with the Orion style adapter - on the Zeiss SW
 
Jon. these are the prewar 28f8's for the Contax I and II. Uncoated and when you stop it down to f32 it looks like a pinhole lens. It was a much better lens than Leica's Hektor 28f6.3 of the same era - though Leica bettered it after the war with the Summaron 28f5.6 - one of the highest resolving lenses I have ever used - also one of the flattest contrast I have ever used!
 
Tom, thanks for info.... it would be fun to test one, will have to start to look for one!
Have a great Summer!
Jon
 
Tom, thanks for info.... it would be fun to test one, will have to start to look for one!
Have a great Summer!
Jon
I actually own one of these, and in fact I have it for sale right now if you're interested. Tom is exactly correct in his description. It takes a little more effort than usual to get a good shot from it, but if you stop down a bit and avoid back lit scenes, it does work pretty well. It is a beautiful lens physically - a precise metal chrome "pancake" form factor. I'd describe as a functional collectible.
 
I wish I had the money to even ask what you want for it :eek: :bang: :D It's long been on my "would be lots of fun to try" list.

William
 
But are there really Tessar lenses in Nikon S-mount ??
Jon
Stephen poses such questions on this forum, sometimes regarding lenses made in Japan, in the early 50s!!!

If it mounts, use it...doesn't matter if it was not meant to be, lots have tried it before, lots will try it in the future.
Tom knows better...

Kiu
 
The 28mm f8 Tessar is a beautiful lens and not easy to find. I own one. Someone should buy Dave's.

<looks again>

Not a bad price for one either... :bang: Not that I can do anything about it anyway, but I'd think that it would be gone at that price. Sigh... Be fun to take it and my chrome face 50/2.8 out on a walkabout :)

William
 
It is not that easy to find - I picked mine up in Tokyo some years ago. It did cost $350. It is in decent shape - no scratches on the glass and reasonably smooth focus. Tiny lettering on the f-stop scale and distance scale is virtually unreadable. People in the 30's must have had much better eyesight!!
I doubt that it was a "hot" seller in the 30's - a f8 lens when filmspeeds were rated "fast" at 40 asa must nave been a challenge.
I have never seen a hood for it - doubt that they ever made on. Lens is deeply recessed (and tiny).
It is surprisingly good - very little distorsion and sharp enough for a 11x14 print. I have not shot any color with it so I dont know what it is like with that. With slow bl.w film it is quite respectable. I find it one of the better Zeiss pre-war lenses to use. Built like the proverbial brick outhouse - Zeiss overbuilt to the n'th degree.I doubt we will ever see lenses with a build quality of the old Zeiss Biogon 21f4.5, The Tessar 28f8 and the pre-war Biogon 35f2.8 - or my favourite of their 35's - the Planar 35f3.5.
If you go to our Flickr site and look under Sets for the Zeikon Project - there is a whole bunch of pictures done with Zeiss lenses on Nikon RF cameras. I gathered up all my Zeiss lenses and shot with them for a month last year.
 
Raid, it's become my favorite 50. I've become especially fond of it wide open for portraits, but it's a really fine walkabout & shoot anything lens.

I'd say, for me, the order is roughly:
1) 50/2.8 Tessar
2) 50/1.4 Canon FD
3) 50/2 Sonnar (pre-war uncoated collapsible)
4) 50/1.5 Jupiter 3

though 2 & 3 change place depending on mood, phase of the moon, etc. :D

William
 
William,

I will one day buy either the old Tessar 5cm/2.8 or 5cm/3.5, and until then I have as 50mm favorites and in no particular order:

1. CZJ 5cm 1.5 LTM
2. Canon 50mm 1.4/1.5 [both are great]
3. Summicron rigid 50mm/2
4. Nikon 5cm 2.0 LTM

I have to admit that I also like the Elmar 50mm 2.8 and the Canon 50mm/1.2.


I just bought a Heliar 50mm 3.5 LTM, and this baby needs to be use first. The Pentax Limited 43mm 1.9 LTM is also a new "normal lens" in the stable. My favorite 50mm stable may change within the next month.
 
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