Review Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2,8 f = 50mm T

For the opportunity Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2,8 f = 50mm T many thanks to Igor and Sofia http://www.graffotoart.com.ua/

Review Tessar 50mm F2.8 T

Review Tessar 50mm F2.8 T

TTX Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2,8 f = 50mm T:
Landing thread: M42
Optical design: 4 elements in 3 groups (Tessar scheme)
The weight: approximately 170g
Diaphragm: F2.8-F22 with smooth running, indicator designations are present for the values ​​F / 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22 and the preset ring
Number of aperture blades: 14 pieces
MDF: 0.5m
DOF indicator: for aperture values ​​of 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22
Front Filter Diameter: 49mm
Instance number from this review: № 3376939

My copy Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2,8 f = 50mm T was taken off camera Contax don which he worked as a full-time lens. Please note that there were at least 4 versions of this lens. Two of them: CARL ZEISS JENA DDR TESSAR 2.8 / 50 (black) and Carl Zeiss Jena DDR Tessar 2.8 / 50 (zebra) have already been described by me.

View CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T from different sides

View CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T from different sides

The designation “T” in the name of the lens means anti-reflective (T - Transparenz) coating. Now there is the legendary "T *" enlightenment. Lenses with T * cost quite a lot of money.

View of the CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T on the modern Central Control Panel

View of the CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T on the modern Central Control Panel

The main features of the lens:

1. The lens is very compact, metal and light. The lens has an aperture preset ring. To use it, you need to push this ring towards the camera, set the limit aperture value and release it back. After that, using the aperture ring, you can immediately close the aperture to the desired value, and sight when fully open.

Photo on the CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

Photo on the CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

2. The diaphragm has 14 (fourteen) blades, this gives a very round aperture with even discs in the blur zone of the image. With so many petals and similar parameters, very few lenses can compete with Tessar, for example Helios-44. The aperture switches smoothly, without fixed values. You can set any intermediate value.

Photograph by CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

Photograph by CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

3. The focusing ring rotates 360 degrees, which is a rarity for fifty dollars. MDF is 50cm. Focusing is a pleasure. However, the focuser ring is not rubberized.

Photograph by CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

Photograph by CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

4. The diameter of the front filter is 49mm. The lenses are deep-seated in the lens body, which creates a kind of hood with black metal (or plastic) with pyramidal steps to absorb parasitic light.

Sample photo on the CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

Sample photo on the CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

5. The optical design includes only 4 elements. The scheme is popularly called "Eagle Eye" for its ability to produce a very sharp image. The only pity is that the lens has a maximum aperture of only F2.8, usually fifty (F = 50mm) have a much larger aperture.

Sample photo on the CZJ Tessar 50 mm 1: 2,8 T

Sample photo on the CZJ Tessar 50 mm 1: 2,8 T

About the image quality.

My Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2,8 f = 50mm T demonstrated excellent image quality. The lens features excellent contrast, color and bokeh. The maximum aperture is fully operational. The circles in the out-of-focus area remain circular at any aperture setting. The optical scheme of the "Tessar" type makes the lens is very sharp.

Bokeh on CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

Bokeh on CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

Sample photos on Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2,8 f = 50mm T:

All photos taken on D200, without processing, reduced size to 1600 * 1200 and imprinted data with EXIF. For information on how to use modern Nikon cameras, see Soviet optics... How to use on Canon DCC - old lenses at canon.

Personal impressions:

In this review, I do not really dwell on the little things, everything is already described in the review CARL ZEISS JENA DDR TESSAR 2.8 / 50. To me personally Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2,8 f = 50mm T really liked it. The lens captivates compactness and image quality, as well as the inscription Carl Zeiss Jena Germany.

Sample photo on the CZJ Tessar 50 mm 1: 2,8 T

Sample photo on the CZJ Tessar 50 mm 1: 2,8 T

Radozhiv has the following reviews of 'Tessar' lenses:

  1. CZJena Tessar 2,8 / 50 [M42, 8 petals, silver, GERMANY, Nr.4793092]
  2. Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2,8 / 50 [M42, 12 petals, silver, 5124425]
  3. Carl Zeiss Jena DDR Tessar 2,8 / 50 [M42, 5 petals, zebra, MDF 35 cm, 9182179]
  4. Carl Zeiss Jena DDR Tessar 2.8 / 50 [M42, 5 petals, black, MDF 35 cm]
  5. Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2.8 f = 50mm T [M42, 14 petals, silver, Nr.3376939]
  6. Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 4,5 f = 4cm T [M42, 10 petals, silver, Nr. 3315266]
  7. Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar FE 4 / 24-70 ZA OSS T* (Sony SEL2470Z FE 4 / 24-70 Optical Steady Shot) [modern zoom]

Catalog of modern Carl Zeiss lenses can look at this link.


Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.

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Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1: 2,8 f = 50mm - an excellent fifty dollars. Gives excellent image quality, lightweight, with aperture preset ring and good bokeh. Not the biggest drawback aperture. I recommend.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

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Comments: 37, on the topic: Overview of the CZJ Tessar 50mm 1: 2,8 T

  • Vlad

    I want to buy Zeiss Planar 50 1.4 ZF2. Interestingly, it will give the same background blur?

  • Vlad, he will give another blur. This is Tessar, and you want Planar. Moreover, this is the production of the GDR, the company VEB Carl Zeiss Jena (Soviet), and you want the Japanese Zeiss production Cosina. However, to me personally Planar is prettier.
    Arkady, sorry to answer :)

  • dmitri

    Hello. I would like to ask which of the lenses in your opinion is better this or CARL ZEISS JENA DDR TESSAR 2.8 / 50?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Both are good. But the older version's 14-blade diaphragm is captivating. You just need to take into account that I have met on the Internet more than 4 varieties of Tessar 2,8 / 50, which one is better - I cannot say.

  • Vlad

    Dmitry and Arkady. Thanks for answers. I am really in the throes of choice. Also Voigtlander Nokton 58mm / 1.4. He is also very good in reviews. Although, of course, I do not know if Planar is better than the same. Could you give a review on Carl Zeiss Planar ?.
    PS By the way, many say that Zeiss optics is revealed only in full frame. Is this true or is he good on crop too?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Yes, only at full frame can you get the full potential from the lens. On crop it also gives an excellent result.

    • Dmitriy

      my blog is full of Planar reviews. If Arkady considers it possible, he will give a link or look at my first message (click on the name)

  • Anatoly

    Hello. I have a Carl Zeiss jena Biotar 1: 2 58mm T lens.
    What can you say about him?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Not used, I can’t say anything. Speculation can be found on the forums.

  • Sergei

    Should I buy this one instead of Nikkor 50mm f / 1.8D AF? (Using D80)

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Is it worth it or not, it's up to you, especially since you have not indicated the needs for shooting.

      • Sergei

        Needs are unlikely to be very different for them, one just a little faster. And it was precisely the difference in the quality of the resulting pictures that interested.

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Pictures are just different.

  • Sergei

    There is an opportunity to buy one for 500UAH. Is this a normal price? Thanks!

  • Stanislav

    I can't understand why the "eagle eye", not quite sharp shots.

  • Sergej

    Bought a white tessar with a camera (Praktica). But I just can't figure out what thread it has. Everywhere, in principle, it is said that 49. But for my 49 is big. Measured it on ... Either 40, or 39 (unfortunately there are no instruments at hand, I measured it with a simple ruler).
    But what is Tessar then? do not tell me? The seller wrote that the lens is 53 years old.

    • Alexander

      40.5 mm

      • Sergej

        Thank you very much, Alexander. Do you happen to have more information about this tessar? And then, oddly enough, I just can not find anything. Everywhere only about the so-called standard. And this one whose?

    • Alex

      Your Tessar, this is a whale version, was produced under different systems, a copy of the pre-war Tessara produced under Kine Exakta. The filter thread is good if the standard is 40,5, and maybe 40x0.5. I wonder how many petals are in the aperture? Since they were produced with a different number of petals.

      • Arkady Shapoval

        The review indicated 14 petals, and 49mm.

    • Franz

      49 is it by any chance a thread for the filter? ... but judging by the measurements you have m39

  • Nicholas

    Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50 / 2.8 with Exakta, white-58 release, is it possible to redo it under m42?

  • AlekK

    At least four more options to those already described, three pre-war or WWII, two 14 petal and one 5 petal. The case of all three is chrome-plated brass, the fitting thread for the filter is 37,5. And one post-war aluminum with a thread of 40 mm. How many cakes I don’t remember I twisted in my hands once, but a lot, or 12, or 14.

  • Svaroq

    Recently I got into the hands of Carl zeis jena Tesar 2,8 / 50 4783436 I took it in a consignment shop, next to him was his “brother” shown in the review. the dimensions of the latter are smaller, although the shape and material of the case is repeated, on my 9 petals I partially disassembled and replaced the shank which I cut out of the brass adapter M42> Nikon, I also cut out the part for the retainer from a piece of aluminum, milled a recess for it on the backdrop, and eventually got it cherished infinity + in the focuser I cut 1,5 cm from the projection that fixes the stroke (it was not possible to disassemble the lens block and get to the coveted adjusting ring in this version, perhaps during the last assembly something got into the thread)

  • Victor

    Friends are asking for help. On the front lens of the Tessar 50 mm lens 2,8
    a little black one appeared and spoiled the matter. I unscrewed the lid on which. the type of lens and its data are indicated, the front lens turned upside down, wiped and collected
    and infinity disappeared, he stopped focusing on infinity, what happened I don’t understand, repeated attempts yielded nothing, There was a very sensible fifty dollars well
    drew sharp and here to hell to you. What is wrong tell me who knows ???
    If possible, write to Email

    • Alexander

      Do not despair greatly, most likely you inserted a lens on the back (to the top end) of the lack of infinity and a slight softness of the picture is a sign of this, unless of course you have not climbed into it yet,
      in order for you to write on soap, you must at least leave it.

  • Peter

    Why would an amateur climb into the lens? - before the trial photography, I give all the lenses to the master at CLA. I have all the optics adjusted and put in order with such optics and you can understand whether the lens is good or not. For half a year I have been dabbling with tessars and they are all the same for me and all are cut with an open :).

    Take the lens to the master, it is misaligned - now you need to assemble it correctly and set it up endlessly.

  • Michael

    I bought an Exakta with a Carll zeiss tessar 3.5 / 50 lens with a red T, aperture blades of at least 14. What kind of beast? I haven’t found anything about him anywhere, apparently a rarity.

  • Alexey

    I bought myself a white Tessar 2,8 / 50mm. I want to rebuild Nikon for the working segment. Has anyone worked on this model?

  • Serey Kuzmenkov

    Hello
    Need a consultation
    For use with Panasonic G6 - micro 4/3
    Enough adapter purchase
    Fotga
    M42 to micro 4/3 adapter?
    Please consult someone who knows, thanks in advance.

  • Seroja

    Good evening Arkadiy, having installed an objec tive Carl Zeiss Jena TessarT 50mm f / 3.5, (1952-1955рр)
    there is a mark on the front part of the front door є open two, which is normal, just didn’t have such options, and can you take these parameters to the limit?
    Дякую

  • Sergei

    So is it pre-war Tessar or post-war? Is this the famous Zeiss optics or the GDR version? How much is it now in euros?

  • anonym

    Good all the time of day. I got this device. But I just can’t understand how to put infinity on it. Camera Mark2

  • Nikolay Fedorovich

    Good glass

  • Alex gerdovsky

    I have such a lens in my collection, I got it with a Contax D camera. What can I say: the picture quality is excellent, those who understand optics will immediately notice the proprietary German drawing, the 14 petal for night shooting with a tripod is just space, and of course the sharpness, it's just fabulous here, however, the good old World 1 Gran Prix is ​​quite at the level, though only in black and white, the color on the German is a completely different matter, when you come across this glass, take it without hesitation

    • George

      Did you shoot on film or digital?
      I'm just about to buy a Contax D with this lens.

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