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Carl Zeiss Jena 135 / 6.3
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:56 pm    Post subject: Carl Zeiss Jena 135 / 6.3 Reply with quote

Hello everyone! I am new here to MFlenses and I am hoping someone here can help me out.

I came across this lens about 2 years ago and I have been wanting to use it, but up till this point I have no idea what to do with it.

It is a Carl Zeiss Jena barrel lens - 135mm / F6.3. Based on the serial numbers, I believe it was produced around 1950 and from what I can find online, there were 800 or so made.

The lens is mounted in what appears to be a block for an optical bench. It is screwed in from the top and glued in place. You can see from the one photo that at the back of the lens there is what measures to be a 25mm female thread. I am sure that there is also a male thread, but this is not accessible as it is glued into the block mount. I have thought about taking a hacksaw to the block and trying to cut out the barrel lens, but I am concerned about disturbing the lens. My other thought was to find some sort of extension tube that I can screw into the back of the lens barrel and then find an adapter to mount on my M42 to PK adapter on my Pentax.

Any other ideas? Is the lens even worth the work?

Thank you!




PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Carl Zeiss Jena 135 / 6.3 Reply with quote

stp1974 wrote:
Hello everyone! I am new here to MFlenses and I am hoping someone here can help me out.

I came across this lens about 2 years ago and I have been wanting to use it, but up till this point I have no idea what to do with it.

It is a Carl Zeiss Jena barrel lens - 135mm / F6.3. Based on the serial numbers, I believe it was produced around 1950 and from what I can find online, there were 800 or so made.

The lens is mounted in what appears to be a block for an optical bench. It is screwed in from the top and glued in place. You can see from the one photo that at the back of the lens there is what measures to be a 25mm female thread. I am sure that there is also a male thread, but this is not accessible as it is glued into the block mount. I have thought about taking a hacksaw to the block and trying to cut out the barrel lens, but I am concerned about disturbing the lens. My other thought was to find some sort of extension tube that I can screw into the back of the lens barrel and then find an adapter to mount on my M42 to PK adapter on my Pentax.

Any other ideas? Is the lens even worth the work?

Thank you!




PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Either a triplet or a Tessar, mostly likely a Tessar, 4 elements in 3 groups. The 6.3 versions were very sharp indeed with a little more coverage than the 4.5 versions. This one probably covers 4x5 but no more; a 4.5/135 was often the lens found on 9x12cm cameras.


PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Either a triplet or a Tessar, mostly likely a Tessar, 4 elements in 3 groups. The 6.3 versions were very sharp indeed with a little more coverage than the 4.5 versions. This one probably covers 4x5 but no more; a 4.5/135 was often the lens found on 9x12cm cameras.



Thank you for replying iangreenhalgh1! I believe you are right about the Tessar.

Any idea where I might find a 25mm adapter to screw into the back of this barrel? I think cutting it out of the block is not going to happen and it is a shame not to try it out.

I have seen some cone adapters that go from (female) M42-1 down to (female) M25, but something similar with a male M25 end would be great. Can't find one though.


PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

C mounts for cine cameras are also 25mm, you might find something by looking at c mount adapters.


PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Either a triplet or a Tessar, mostly likely a Tessar, 4 elements in 3 groups. The 6.3 versions were very sharp indeed with a little more coverage than the 4.5 versions. This one probably covers 4x5 but no more; a 4.5/135 was often the lens found on 9x12cm cameras.


The carl zeiss 150/6,3 of the 30's is one of the all the times lens to use.

Not coated at all, but with great contrast and very sharp.

20 or 25 years ago, it was very easy to find and very, very cheap.

Now it is cheap, but not so easy to find.

Perhaps some people know how good it is.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 5:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, 6.3 Tessars are well known in the LF community for their quality.

They aren't seen for sale often, perhaps 10% as common as 4.5s, why I don't know. I bought a Symmar 5.6/150 for less than a 6.3/150 Tessar could be found for at the time.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Yes, 6.3 Tessars are well known in the LF community for their quality.


iangreenhalgh1

How do you think this lens would act with no diaphragm or aperture control? Basically mounted as is, wide open on an crop sensor camera?


PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I expect it would perform very well. 6.3 is around the limit of diffraction for APS-C so you won't lose sharpness by stopping down, just DOF.

You will get a rendering quite unlike a modern lens, smoother, but still sharp.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I expect it would perform very well. 6.3 is around the limit of diffraction for APS-C so you won't lose sharpness by stopping down, just DOF.

You will get a rendering quite unlike a modern lens, smoother, but still sharp.


Oh man... now, more than ever, you have me wanting to find a way to use this thing! LOL

my plan would be to put it on a focusing helicoid ring mounted to my Pentax. I have roughly calculated that I could achieve infinity focus using getting to 70mm, so a 55-90 helicoid should work for this.

From what I am finding in the way of adapters, it is unlikely I will get this mounted on anything while it is still in this optical bench block. I am now considering a vice grip and very fine hacksaw.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 2:48 pm    Post subject: Figured soemething out! :) Reply with quote

For now, instead of trying to find a threaded mount that will go to the inside back of the barrel, I am going to crazy glue an M42 male threaded adapter to the back of the steel optical block. Smile This will allow me to thread on my focusing helicoid. I just need to make sure I find a helicoid that does not rotate at the front, as it would be a pain to have that optical block rotate around as I focus.

Now that that is sorted out as a temp solution, I am wondering about an iris diaphragm. I know that you can buy M42 diaphragm mounts and was wondering if mounting the diaphragm at the back of the lens would cause any issues?

Thank you everyone for the input.