wjlapier
Well-known
Can the Zeiss 35mm Biogon be used on the Nikon rangefinders like the Zeiss 21mm? This is the post war version made for the Contax II and III. Would it focus relatively the same?
I'm thinking of picking up a 35mm lens and found a nice Zeiss copy. How is the color and sharpness compared to the earlier Nikon version, or the newer version?
Bill
I'm thinking of picking up a 35mm lens and found a nice Zeiss copy. How is the color and sharpness compared to the earlier Nikon version, or the newer version?
Bill
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
great lens.
it should work ok, there might be a little focus problem at f2.8 at very close focus distance say one metre or at one and a half metre, but over all it will work fine.
it should work ok, there might be a little focus problem at f2.8 at very close focus distance say one metre or at one and a half metre, but over all it will work fine.
dexdog
Veteran
"Postwar version made for the Contax II and III" is a bit unclear. I notice the title of the thread says Carl Zeiss Jena, though. Do you mean the post WW2 Carl Zeiss Jena (DDR) version of the pre-war Biogon, or the Carl Zeiss/Zeiss Opton (GDR) Biogon, which has a different design? I have used the Carl Zeiss version on my Nikon SP, but have been reluctant to try to mount the pre-war design Biogon on the SP, because I couldn't tell if the protruding rear element would hit the film plane- in any case, it would be a close fit, and I was afraid of damaging both camera and lens, and chickened out.
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xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
The pre war 35mm Biogon should also work ok on the Nikon S2 as its copy the J-12.
this FSU lens works fine on the S2 other than radial scratching the front plate of the Nikon a bit.
no harm if you have a user S2.
wjlapier
Well-known
The info says the lens is post war, but made for pre war contax II and III. Lens says, "Carl Zeiss Jenna Nr. Biogon 1:2.8 3.5cm T."
Bill
Bill
dexdog
Veteran
OK, sounds like the old design Biogon, with a serial number larger than 3 million. It sounds like xayraa33 has used one on an S2. I will have to go home and put my old pre-war Biogon on the SP!
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
I used the prewar Biogon copy, a black Jupiter 12 from the early 1980s on my Nikon S2 and it worked fine other than that front plate scratch on my S2.
But it is a user camera anyway.
wjlapier
Well-known
Cool, I'll give it a try. Thanx for the feedback.
HuubL
hunter-gatherer
A couple of days ago I had the complementary question here if the Nikon 35 mm lens would work on the Contax IIa. The consensus here was "YES". I think therefore the reverse would work as well.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
I have and have used both the pre-war and post war Biogons on my Nikon's (see Flickr set "Zeikon Project) and they both work fine. The later T* is more contrasty and lighter. The prewar Biogon, however, is a one of the most overbuilt pieces you can find. Wonderful mechanics, scary rear element (and no problem with clearing the shutter on a Nikon RF). It is uncoated and slightly "flary" but very sharp - low contrast though.
As stated, close focus at f2.8 can be a bit iffy, but I find that I rarely use it for that so not much of a problem.
Yes, a Nikkor 35f2.5 is probably better, but that is a coated lens and the Biogon's has more of a "vintage" look to it. The post war Opton T* is a close contender to the Nikkor 35 - a more modern look.
As stated, close focus at f2.8 can be a bit iffy, but I find that I rarely use it for that so not much of a problem.
Yes, a Nikkor 35f2.5 is probably better, but that is a coated lens and the Biogon's has more of a "vintage" look to it. The post war Opton T* is a close contender to the Nikkor 35 - a more modern look.
Highway 61
Revisited
Don't do it unless you want to scratch your SP frontplate. I once began to mount my prewar Biogon 35/2.8 on my SP and fortunately I realized that the frontplate would got scratched just before I began to turn the lens ccw on the camera lens mount. The postwar Biogon 35/2.8 will not scratch the Nikon RF bodies frontplates, nor would the Nikkor-W 35's do (how strange). I have used my postwar Biogon 35/2.8 on my Nikon S2, and did a quick close-focus test wide-open on potatoes at a vegetables market, the pic was tack-sharp exactly where I had focused with the RF patch. OTOH I once did the same test with my W-Nikkor-C 35/2.5 on my Contax IIa, and I had a very tiny focus shift issue. Other pictures shot at longer distances were perfect. Anyway I now have Nikkor lenses for my Nikon RF cameras and Zeiss lenses for my Contax bodies. Fred can relax and have a beer.
Highway 61
Revisited
Don't shout victory out too fast, little grasshopper...
Nikon S2 Black Dial and pesky postwar Zeiss Opton 35/2.8 Biogon (a famous Stuttgart made German beer glass bottle).
On Fuji Reala 100 film.
Nikon S2 Black Dial and pesky postwar Zeiss Opton 35/2.8 Biogon (a famous Stuttgart made German beer glass bottle).
On Fuji Reala 100 film.
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xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
Don't shout victory out too fast, little grasshopper...
Nikon S2 Black Dial and pesky postwar Zeiss Opton 35/2.8 Biogon (a famous Stuttgart made German beer glass bottle).
On Fuji Reala 100 film.
Very nice Hwy 61, that should become a classic combination.
The chrome collar over the mount of the J-12, and I suspect the Biogon, can scratch the Nikon front-plates. The collar is easily removed with three set screws and can be filed down. I did this for the lens that VinceC uses. My own 1960 J-12 fits and works well on my S2, does not scratch it.
The Nikkor 3.5cm F2.5 and 3.5cm F1.8 are sharper and have higher contrast. But the J-12 was under $20, and is part of my kick-around combo.
The Nikkor 3.5cm F2.5 and 3.5cm F1.8 are sharper and have higher contrast. But the J-12 was under $20, and is part of my kick-around combo.
Highway 61
Revisited
The best 35 for my Nikon RFs seems to be my W-Nikkor-C 35/1.8.
Then I don't know which, from the W-Nikkor-C 35/2.5 and the Zeiss Opton 35/2.8 Biogon, has the edge. Seems that the Zeiss is a bit better (better contrast, and a bit sharper, in general).
That said I have a very early W-Nikkor-C 35/2.5 (the one w/ the plain flat chrome collar over the mount).
Anyway I like them all.
I also like my prewar Jena Biogon 35/2.8 and I won't file its collar down just for the fun of trying it on a Nikon RF body.
Thanks to xayraa33 for his comments, here is another shot from the same combination (Nikon S2 Black Dial and Zeiss Opton 35/2.8 Biogon).
Then I don't know which, from the W-Nikkor-C 35/2.5 and the Zeiss Opton 35/2.8 Biogon, has the edge. Seems that the Zeiss is a bit better (better contrast, and a bit sharper, in general).
That said I have a very early W-Nikkor-C 35/2.5 (the one w/ the plain flat chrome collar over the mount).
Anyway I like them all.
I also like my prewar Jena Biogon 35/2.8 and I won't file its collar down just for the fun of trying it on a Nikon RF body.
Thanks to xayraa33 for his comments, here is another shot from the same combination (Nikon S2 Black Dial and Zeiss Opton 35/2.8 Biogon).
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dexdog
Veteran
recently, my favorite lens on the Contax II or IIa has been either the original 35/1.8 Nikkor, or its 2005 counterpart. I like 35s, and like to switch off between the Nikkor and the Zeiss lenses.
Fred, enjoy your beer. I don't think that it is Nikon/Zeiss related, but my favorite lager (and only lager that I will regularly drink) is Negra Modelo. Dos Equis is pretty good too, though.
Highway- I have never tried fully mounting the old CZJ Biogon on the SP- I probably won't try if it scratches the body. Odd that this lens would do so, when the Biometar, ZO Biogon, and Orthometar do not. Thanks for the information
Fred, enjoy your beer. I don't think that it is Nikon/Zeiss related, but my favorite lager (and only lager that I will regularly drink) is Negra Modelo. Dos Equis is pretty good too, though.
Highway- I have never tried fully mounting the old CZJ Biogon on the SP- I probably won't try if it scratches the body. Odd that this lens would do so, when the Biometar, ZO Biogon, and Orthometar do not. Thanks for the information
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wjlapier
Well-known
Highway 61,
Nice pictures. I've been bitten by the 35mm bug lately and saw this nice CZJ 35. Should be a nice compliment to my newish CV 35mm finder!
Today I took out my S2 with the CZ21 with K64. What a joy is was to shoot and not see a LCD screen
Nice pictures. I've been bitten by the 35mm bug lately and saw this nice CZJ 35. Should be a nice compliment to my newish CV 35mm finder!
Today I took out my S2 with the CZ21 with K64. What a joy is was to shoot and not see a LCD screen
dexdog
Veteran
Please post some pictures with the CZ 21 when you get the roll developed. I have one, and really love it.
Otovalo market, Ecuador, 2006. Contax IIa, CZ 21/4.5, Fujicolor 200
Otovalo market, Ecuador, 2006. Contax IIa, CZ 21/4.5, Fujicolor 200
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