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	Username   Password FM Forum Rules FM Forums | Alternative Gear & Lenses | Join Upload & Sell    end    Archive 2011 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm!

Edgars Kalnins Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #1 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Hi, I purchased this Zeiss Jena Sonnar 5cm f2 on ebay for $80. Since then I have been searching the net for more information but can not find a definite answer. I guess it was made shortly after the war. However, I can not find any serial numbers on the barrel - I have read that authentic Zeiss lenses made in the western factory or assembled from the old parts should have them, well at least one visible on the outside.? The glass is surprisingly clean, apart from what looks like smears/fingerprints on the inside of the front element. The lens has 9 aperture blades. If the lens is authentic and not a disguised Jupiter could you please advise me on the way of mounting it on sony nex? some pictures: Nov 17, 2011 at 08:41 AM

thrice Offline • • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #2 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! It'll be contax RF mount. Similar to Nikon S mount. Nov 17, 2011 at 08:50 AM

Edgars Kalnins Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #3 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! thrice wrote: It'll be contax RF mount. Similar to Nikon S mount. Just wondering if it is authentic, as I have read reports of jupiters that had their front rings swapped for Zeiss ones. The contax RF and Leica lenses have had many fakes made in USSR. Nov 17, 2011 at 08:56 AM

thrice Offline • • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #4 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Get in touch with Brian Sweeney on RFF. Nov 17, 2011 at 09:03 AM

Edgars Kalnins Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #5 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Thanks, Trice! I will try when I have more time. Looks like old Sonnars are not used very much these days, strange isn`t it. Nov 18, 2011 at 08:21 PM

mawz Offline • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #6 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Likely to be real, the Jena labelling means that it's of post-war East German manufacture and that's a lot less likely to be worth faking. Nov 19, 2011 at 01:48 PM

ZoneV Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #7 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! I have a Zeiss Jena Sonnar 50/2 on a Contax II at home. I could look if there is an additonal number on the barrel. Nov 21, 2011 at 08:21 AM

Edgars Kalnins Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #8 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! mawz wrote: Likely to be real, the Jena labelling means that it's of post-war East German manufacture and that's a lot less likely to be worth faking. I hoped that it being early after-war production could be assembled using the "original" parts. Now this could be a bit confusing as East-German plant is as original as the west German. I hope that someone could tell me about the optical value of the lens - is it as good as the ones made in the West after the war or the original "united" zeiss? Curiously, I read that the early west sonnars were quite bad!? Nov 21, 2011 at 11:44 AM

Edgars Kalnins Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #9 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! ZoneV wrote: I have a Zeiss Jena Sonnar 50/2 on a Contax II at home. I could look if there is an additonal number on the barrel. That would be great, thank you! Nov 21, 2011 at 11:45 AM

Mescalamba Offline • • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #10 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Coating seems pretty blue-ish, so it probably is Zeiss. I dont think they would fake Zeiss Jena as its not "true" Zeiss. Tho it doesnt mean its bad (I think that quite few of Zeiss Jena lens are very underestimated and pretty good bargains). Nov 21, 2011 at 02:58 PM

ZoneV Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #11 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! My lens has no additional S/N on the barrel. It´s 3050462. Difference is that the index arrow on mine is black, not red. But it looks the same used. Nov 21, 2011 at 06:15 PM

Edgars Kalnins Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #12 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Thank you guys! Now I just need to find an adapter for it. It might be too expensive though - I should have looked for the L39 instead. Nov 27, 2011 at 08:38 PM

LightShow Offline • • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #13 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! I did bookmark this one, no idea about it's quality. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kipon-adapter-Contax-RF-lens-Sony-E-Mount-nex-5-nex-3-/310321082045?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item484093eebd Nov 28, 2011 at 12:19 AM

Edgars Kalnins Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #14 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Kipon is rather good, but the price is quite high. I will be on the lookout for a used one! Nov 29, 2011 at 01:13 AM

uhoh7 Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #15 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! thrice wrote: Get in touch with Brian Sweeney on RFF. +1 He has his own sub forum, and is really nice about this stuff. You should have two serials on the lens---one on the ring and one near rear element--not on barrel. Usually the latter leaves the first number out. That's the way it works with the 50/1.5 anyway. But at RFF they will tell you what the tech had for dinner the night before he ground the glass on your particular sonnar. As you prolly know these easiliy adapt to both leica M and nex with amedeo's adapters. Nov 29, 2011 at 01:52 AM

api75 Offline • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #16 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Hi, in the end, did you manage to find out if the Sonnar is real? I have one which is exactly as yours, with similar SN: 3095486!! I also am looking for an adapter (for micro 4/3) and found a Kipon exactly as the one you found for NEX: in case you bought it, it is ok? Thanks! Antonio Dec 02, 2011 at 03:52 PM

Edgars Kalnins Offline • • • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #17 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! I can only find one serial number - at the front. One thing that is confusing a bit is the fact the lens has what looks like brass cylinder at the rear. The wartime and later lenses in East-Germany did not use brass, apparently. Here is a quote from Mr Henry W. Scherer's website: "It is sometimes not easy to tell a pre-war Jena lens from a post war Jena lens, except that the lens barrel and internal lens mounts of a pre-war Jena lens were made of brass, and most made after the war were made of aluminum with the exception that very rare wartime lenses made under military contract were also made of aluminum." (http://www.zeisscamera.com/services_overhaul-cIIa-lenses.shtml) Still, I imagine there was a lot of confusion after the war and lenses were assembled from what parts they had at hand. When I have more time I have to do a proper search. I am reluctant to spend a lot on the adapter - I have a few other lenses I wish to adapt even more than this - namely Contarex Planar - and money is limited. I will most likely wait till a used adapter is found. Dec 02, 2011 at 10:16 PM

api75 Offline • Upload & Sell: Off p.1 #18 · Help identify a Sonnar 5cm! Thanks for the answer. In the meantime, I found this item on kevincameras.com (a well known seller with good reputation), which is exacty like mine (including the first three digits of the sn): http://www.kevincameras.com/gallery/v/Contax_rf/albup60/50_2/3093501/ The lens is described as follows: Album: contax_rf_50_2_3093501 Item Name : Contax RF Carl Zeiss Jena 50/2 'T' Sonnar Serial no. : 3093501 Glass Description : Rare 1947 East German version in high quality chrome finish barrel,front cleaning mark,some coating wear,no haze Remark : Barrel condition : EX+ Price : $395 Yours seems similar to this one: http://www.kevincameras.com/gallery/v/Contax_rf/albup60/50_2/3005646/ described as follows: Item Name : Contax RF Carl Zeiss Jena 50/2 'T' Sonnar Serial no. : 3005646 Glass Description : Rare 1946 East German Jena Alloy Rigid mount with black anodised aluminum rear section,extremely early serial no.,front cleaning mark,no haze Remark : Barrel condition : EX Price : $450 Now I feel confident on our lenses, let's wait for the adapter! Regards, Antonio Dec 02, 2011 at 11:59 PM

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