Zeiss Jena 75/1.5 in LTM mount?

[johnastovall]

Has anyone used one? Just how rare are they?

Would I be even older and gray than I am now before I found one?

 

[ferider]

Very rare. The original Biotar.

The closest I got is the Helios 40-2 mounted to my Nikon F 🙂

Cheers,

Roland.

 

[LeicaTom]

Holy Cats!

Forget about the lens!

That`s a Leica IIID 😀

Both items are sort of crazy rare, I`d say in collectors terms, but looks pretty bulky on a IIIC sort of reminds me of a Summarex, just a tad shorter.....it would be at home on a M Leica 🙂

Tom

 

[johnastovall]

A Leica M8 was what I was wanting it for.

 

[EZfan]

Very rare. The original Biotar.

The closest I got is the Helios 40-2 mounted to my Nikon F 🙂

Cheers,

Roland.

Nice F, ferider 🙂

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

I've a random collection of old magazines from the 1920's onwards and you often see Zeiss lenses advertised "coupled for Leica" and mostly they sold slowly.

The secondhand stuff for sale then was quite amazing. F'instance a 5cm f/1·4 Biotar "as new" that stayed in the lists for weeks and even went through the sales unsold for £22 - which was a lot of money in the 1930's.

So the question is really "what happened to them all?". I'd love to know.

Regards, David

 

[David Hughes]

Hello David,
Some are still about.My 5cm f/1.4 Biotar in LTM (photo attached) I sold last year.I know that Leicashop in Vienna had a 5cm f/1.4 Biotar for sale around Xmas 2007 and Kevincameras has a similar lens in his stock still.
So they are still around if you search diligently but the prices have now risen considerably from the 1930's price of £22.
Expect to pay £1500 to £3000 depending on condition.
The second photo attached is the lens that sold at Leicashop(Vienna) which was in superb condition and was priced accordingly at Euro 3500.

Regards,
William

Many thanks I've often wondered what they looked like, and who did the conversions.

Did I mention the Meyer "Plasmat" lenses? I wonder if any one's got one or a picture.

Ditto the "fodis" range-finder that was often offered with the standard Leicas. "Fodis" sounds like a Leica code name but I've searched for it and got nowhere.

Regards, David

BTW, what really gets to me is the adverts from years ago in which they offer trade-in prices that you just can't believe.

 

[peter_n]

The Exakta mount CZJ Biotar 75/1.5 can still be found fairly easily in places like Poland and the Czech Republic. It is regarded as the best lens ever made for the camera and still a reason to buy an Exakta - just to use this lens. I have a CZJ 58/2 Biotar and it is a quality lens too - Jena made some good stuff.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi David,
Hope the attached photo's answer your query re:-
"FODIS" and "Meyer Plasmat"
The "FODIS" was offered circa 1926 for the Leica 1 (Model A).
The rangefinder offered for the Leica Standard (Model E) was the FOFER later known as HFOOK.
Regards,
William

Many thanks: especially for the fodis pictures. The trouble with these cameras is that the more you discover the less you know!

Here's a link to an advert from 1937 with some secondhand prices for the lenses in it (middle on left hand side).
http://idrh.smugmug.com/photos/477240667_eWJ5m-XL.jpg

And this might amuse:
http://idrh.smugmug.com/photos/477235230_PuvNs-M.jpg

Thanks again.

Regards, David

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Some of the second hand prices are amazing. There's lots of the early ones with the fixed lens at £7, £8 or £9 by the mid to late 30's. Nickel and black finish with ERC and caps...

Regards, David

PS The other interesting item is that you'd not see many 35mm cameras advertised. it's 99% plate and roll film cameras for sale. Just the odd Leica and Contax advert, usually a picture and text postage stamp size.