Zeiss 50mm 1.5 Sonnar LTM

[Mjd-djm]

I’ve not heard much about this lens in LTM but I know there are lots of fakes around. I’ve come across quite a nice looking example which is very clean but could possibly be a fake. Anyway there are no past sales on eBay UK so I was wondering how much a genuine copy and a fake copy are worth nowadays?

 

[Mjd-djm]

Photos below...

 

[rfaspen]

I'm pretty sure there are numerous threads here on RFF about these lenses. Perhaps no recent valuations though.

I am NOT an expert, but I've read through many of those threads, especially when I was considering getting one of these lenses (I ended up with a decent J-3). From my limited knowledge, this looks like a conversion lens. Not necessarily fake -- I think it looks like a Contax mount lens that was fit in an LTM lens mount. To me, that means the lens could be a wonderful fun user, but not a collectible lens with any value that might be attached to that. In short, if you want a sonnar to use and love, this might be a great lens as long as the price is not attempting to reflect collecter value. What that price should be?........Any guesses folks?

 

[Larry H-L]

I am not an expert, but I think those “ears” may be an indication of a Jupiter?

This might help: http://www.klassik-cameras.de/Zeiss_Fakes.html

 

[FJM]

I am not an expert, but I think those “ears” may be an indication of a Jupiter?

This might help: http://www.klassik-cameras.de/Zeiss_Fakes.html

Hi Larry

I tend to disagree. There is a (admittedly older) thread here at RFF which suggests exactly the opposite: https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51692&page=16

Overall it seems quite difficult to judge whether a specific lens is genuine Zeiss Jena or fake / Russian. There are some indicators (serial number, lettering, decimal indicators, m instead of M, more brownish coating color (CZJ) than blueish (Russian)), none of which are really fully reliable, if I understood correctly.

In the end there even remains the question whether a lens, that may have been produced by German ex-CZJ employees in Russia, using (partly) genuine CZJ gear and (partly) Russian gear (housing) can be called fake or not.

Best
FJ

 

[analoged]

Serial number would help

 

[FJM]

Serial number would help

Yes, indeed. At least the first 4 digits.

 

[mcfingon]

I have seen prices around $600 US for genuine Zeiss 50/1.5 Sonnars in LTM. That was the asking price, anyway. Some examples show the Zeiss serial number (which is shorter than the full serial number shown on the front ring) on the internal lens block as proof of authenticity, but the lens would have to be partially dismantled to show that.