There is a book regarding the serial numbers of Zeiss Oberkochen lenses whether made in Germany or Japan relating to serial numbers. It is written by Hartmut Thiele and is supposedly based on factory records. It does not accurately define whether they were definitively made in Germany or by Tamioka (a Yashica company) in Japan. There seem to be two groups of manufacturing records as follows:
The Vario Sonnar F/3.4 35 -70 mm based on a design from April 26, 1982 The first batch is from serial number 7,015,569 to 7,025,540 and was initiated in 1986 for a total of 9,970 examples. The second batch was from 7,228,451 to 7, 238,450 for 10,000 examples dating from 1994. The second batch was totally from Japan and my example from the first batch was also from Japan.
So I cannot accurately give you a date when the lens was manufactured but can only state when the batches were initiated. I highly doubt if they were all done at the same time but the serial numbers were allocated during the years noted.
More than this, I am not able to tell you except that they all fit onto the Contax Yashica bayonet mount.
Myself and several friends have purchased the vintage CY 35-70 F3.4 zoom lens and nobody knows when this lens was 1st produced or the serial numbers in relation to the various production year models. Can you supply me with this data for informational purposes? Thank you very much for a reply as i have not been able to find this data anywhere.
Glad you like these. They were taken in the Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains in NSW - it's alpine, long snow season, but only 2000m. I have been walking there a long time and am very impressed with what the CZ lenses do with it, lots of detail!
The one I have is 7237xxx; the one I had before the current one was 7237539. They were both purchased used late 2000. Nice lens. My 85mm is 84xxx and was also purchased in 2000. The 50mm is 95xxx and it was purchased new in 2000. Hum. Interesting. Oh well I used to have a table somewhere with suggested mapping for man. dates and years; but can't seem to find it at this time.
Will have to let that go, cause I do not have the money in the moment. Thought I post it here to give a fellow forum member the chance to grab it, it is super cheap:
Nope, it was already gone. I keep thinking about this lens, but honestly, I think I should just get the ZF35/2. I also have a Nikon camera (D3) and the 35-70 is a pain to set up for Nikon. But for 300 Euro for a nice-looking copy, I would jump on it.
IMO this is one of the finest MF lower range FL zooms to purchase. There is not too many modern AF zooms in this range that can duplicate the rendering if any can that this CY 35-70 produces:
There is a book regarding the serial numbers of Zeiss Oberkochen lenses whether made in Germany or Japan relating to serial numbers. It is written by Hartmut Thiele and is supposedly based on factory records. It does not accurately define whether they were definitively made in Germany or by Tamioka (a Yashica company) in Japan. There seem to be two groups of manufacturing records as follows:
The Vario Sonnar F/3.4 35 -70 mm based on a design from April 26, 1982 The first batch is from serial number 7,015,569 to 7,025,540 and was initiated in 1986 for a total of 9,970 examples. The second batch was from 7,228,451 to 7, 238,450 for 10,000 examples dating from 1994. The second batch was totally from Japan and my example from the first batch was also from Japan.
So I cannot accurately give you a date when the lens was manufactured but can only state when the batches were initiated. I highly doubt if they were all done at the same time but the serial numbers were allocated during the years noted.
More than this, I am not able to tell you except that they all fit onto the Contax Yashica bayonet mount.
Myself and several friends have purchased the vintage CY 35-70 F3.4 zoom lens and nobody knows when this lens was 1st produced or the serial numbers in relation to the various production year models. Can you supply me with this data for informational purposes? Thank you very much for a reply as i have not been able to find this data anywhere.
Picked one up on the bay today, and lo and behold an oddball M42 mount version of this lens comes along. Anyone know how to perform this sort of conversion?
If you're using a Canon DSLR - a common M42 to Canon EOS adapter should work - an AF confirm chip and focus screen would also be recommended. Looks like a nice lens.
