zeiss lens in LTM mount

[nzeeman]

from time to time i hear story about zeiss in LTM. can someone tell me are that real zeiss lens or fakes made from russian lens? i saw on market on of zeiss sonnar 2/50 in LTM and i am considering to buy it. so is anyone knows what are the characteristics of those lens (s/n,size...)
i only saw that a little element on the back of the lens which goes in and out when focusing and pushes rf sensor is not full circle but about half a circle.
thanks in advance for your informations.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Some are one-of-a-kind conversion jobs; some are real; many are fake. It is almost impossible to know without partially taking apart the lens.

With that said, a Good -well adjusted- J3 is every bit as sharp and contrasty as the Zeiss lens. So if you want to shoot with it, and are not a collector, the Real-Russian lens is just fine.

 

[bmattock]

I am no expert, but according to Marc James Small in his book on non-Leica LTM lenses, Zeiss was required by the government of Germany during WWII to offer some of their lenses in LTM mount due simply to wartime requirements. I do not know how you identify those from fakes.

I am also told that after the war, a number of small shops turned out conversions - Astro-Berlin, others. Also, Wollensak made LTM lenses under US government contract, and Cooke, et al, turned out "Xenar" labeled LTM lenses.

So there are all kinds of interesting variations out there. Some just interesting to collectors, some good to shoot with.

I am sure some of the other members here have more specific information.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[drmatthes]

Ok, folks,

I'm only citing H. Thiele's reference book "Fabrikationsbuch Photooptik II, Carl Zeiss Jena 1927-1991"; Munich 2005. It is based upon the records kept by Carl Zeiss Jena.

For the Sonnar 2/5 cm there are only TWO entries (p. 325):


Sonnar 2/5cm: construction 04.04.33; 2 produced; serial 1436679,1436680 (08.08.33)
Sonnar 2/5cm: construction 01.12.33; 200 prod. ; serial 2805401-2805600 (13.09.47).


For statistical reasons, it is not very likely that one of the two from 1933 are offered.

Also for statistical reasons, it is not much more likely that one of the 200 post-war lenses is offered, either. Nevertheless, it is possible.

For the latter, it shouldn't be all too easy to identify a fake. Post-war Zeiss lenses tend to be made of lightweigth aluminium rather than of heavyweigt chrome-on-brass, but so do Russian fakes. Russian fakes are often within the Zeiss serial number range as the Russians took over the plant and the archives.

But there are hints. Black front ring: suspect fake. Large clumsy letters and numbers on front ring: fake. Large red focusing triangle with broad base: fake. Large "M" (and comparatively large numbers) on focussing scale: fake.

I feel that there are loads of fakes around compared to a very small amount of original lenses. If 202 lenses have been produced in wartime and immediate after-war times, the simple likelyhood of too many surviving until 60-70 years later is not too high. And why should they be offered on the market on a regular basis?

Yes, there have been lenses that were converted from Contax-mount to M39/LTM, but these were individual cases that are out of records.

That's the problem.

I found this link very helpful:

http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Zeiss_Fakes.html


Jesko

______________

2006 AD
800 yrs Dresden
80 yrs Zeiss Ikon

 

[furcafe]

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19688

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18657

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17681

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16986

 

[FrankS]

What Brian said. Get a J3 or J8 Sonnar copy.

That, or get the real thing and put it on a Contax body where it belongs.

 

[FrankS]

Or both J3 and J8 for the Leica and both CZJ 50/2 + 50/1.5 for the Contax ...
And at least one body per mount type 😀

Sorry, Frank, couldn't resist.

Roland.

No problem, I agree. That's what I have.