dexdog
Veteran
This is a ZK lens. If you spin the lens block out of the barrel you will find a Zeiss serial number on the rear lens element. If you do not see the Zeiss serial number on a ZK it is likely a fake.
Uncommon, Rare, and Collector's Delights.
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dexdog
Veteran
The Zeiss serial number shows that this lens was part of a batch of 2000 sonnars in LTM completed in January 1946.
Cascadilla
Well-known
Back to the black and nickel Zeiss lenses for early Contax: a 5 cm f/2 Sonnar and a 13.5 cm f/4 Sonnar. The f/stop ring on the 3.5 reads out on the bottom of the lens when focused to infinity, not the most convenient way ever.. The Contax I is version 6 according to Koch, but has an inoperable shutter despite a crystal clear viewfinder and accurate rangefinder.
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dexdog
Veteran
Your 13.5cm is an early one, part of a batch of 200 completed March 1932. Serial numbers in this batch run from 1368701 to 1368900. Using data from Thiele's book, this batch is the first regular production run for the 13.5cm Sonnar.
TenEleven
Well-known
It's possible (but not easy to tell without checking with a collimator or properly calibrated digital adapter) that someone made your 13.5cm Sonnar hit infinity on a Nikon or similar. This would involve screwing the lens head out of the focus mount for roughly half a turn, which of course means that the aperture is now conveniently at the bottom.
Edit: I also have a Contax-mount ZK Jupiter-8 from 1950, so KMZ most definitely made these contemporaneously for a while. Very interestingly the coating color and design matches the post-war Jena (3million) lenses, whereas the Jupiter-8 (proper) is closer to the pre-war design.
I always found that very curios. Has anyone investigated this?
Edit: I also have a Contax-mount ZK Jupiter-8 from 1950, so KMZ most definitely made these contemporaneously for a while. Very interestingly the coating color and design matches the post-war Jena (3million) lenses, whereas the Jupiter-8 (proper) is closer to the pre-war design.
I always found that very curios. Has anyone investigated this?
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
FOTON - If anyone is looking for one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/234549914696?hash=item369c43ac48:g:KLgAAOSwxnFiaw0Q
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
I believe that the Russians took a great deal from East Germany as a part of war reparations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_reparations
dexdog
Veteran
That Foton is a beauty. I wonder if it still really works as seller says it does.
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
Someone is smelling the cheese. ;o)
On the plus side, 100% positive feedback and a 30 day return window.
dexdog
Veteran
I already have too many film cameras, really more of a vintage lens guy.
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
It comes with a vintage lens. LOL
furcafe
Veteran
It's way overpriced, even w/the accessory viewfinder & neverready case, but it probably does work. Fotons were extremely reliable by design (just think of them as slowed-down movie cameras), unlike my other favorite Americamera, the Kodak Ektra.
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
It is an auction. If the starting bid is not met it may be re-offered at a lower price.
Mos6502
Well-known
About 3000 to 4000 of these were made. Strangely they only seem to have been sold in British Commonwealth countries, they are practically impossible to find in Japan where they were made.
furcafe
Veteran
Thanks, I'm quite aware of how eBay works. The seller's starting bid is a bit "ambitious". 😉
Timmyjoe
Veteran
My rarest collectible glass was actually for cinematography (though I always dreamed of converting them to still lenses). It was a complete Taylor Hobson Cooke set of Speed Panchros, Series II & Series III. I put together the set in the early 2000's for about $2500. In 2010 I sold the complete set for $7500 as everyone was looking for vintage glass to use with their digital cinema cameras. I thought I was the luckiest guy around. Now they are worth three to four times that amount. Oh well. They were beautiful lenses.
Best,
-Tim
Best,
-Tim
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p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Never mind Tim, with the recent hike in film equipment prices, we all experienced this to a lesser or greater degree. I sold an M42 50f1.8 Pancolar back in 2013 for 50something pounds. I don't even dare to check current prices.
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james.liam
Well-known
I did it for you...about £175
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Not too bad then. I thought it will be worst. I did use to sell Yashica T4/T5 for £50 but somehow I don't feel bad about their current prices. Apologies if I digress.
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
I have no doubt that you know how eBay works. This was not a critical comment. I was just saying that the seller could come around for another bite at the apple, a smaller apple next time.