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Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 80/2.8 Exa mount
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:57 am    Post subject: Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 80/2.8 Exa mount Reply with quote

First of all, I apologize as I don't write anymore so often on this forum.

I didn't argue with anyone (actually with Attila about B&W images and politics, but this happened also before Laughing ).

It's just that I don't materially have the time being pretty busy with my actually job (bank) and my second-in progress-job (photographer). Just trying to keep my blog up and running with fresh content about every couple of days is an impressive time-consuming task even if it is paying (and it will more and more in the long term).

Anyway, let's go back to our beloved lenses...

I already own a copy of this lens in m42 mount and I wasn't impressed at all by its quality. It wasn't bad, but not as good as I was accustomed to, some of my old tessars 50 mm are really great lenses all around despite they're not so much considered nowadays.

A couple of weeks ago I received this other Tessar 80 in exa mount thanks to the help from a very nice member of this forum and I put it aside trying to get the time to properly test it (yeah... new lens and no sudden shot, now you can understand how busy I am Laughing).
Finally the chance came because I needed to test some headshot lighting scheme and I was able to work in a relaxed way without hurry.
I used myself as a model and though "ok, let's try this new lens".
Camera was 5dMkII and image is postprocessed to looks like film but with very few changes beside some contrast improvement and normal sharpening procedure (I would have liked to use real film but it's not really feasible in self portraiture, unless there's some trick that I don't know other than wasting rolls of film on trials).

The results were jaw-dropping considering that I used the Tessar wide open. Anyway look at it by yourself (and pardon the model, as I said it was the only one at disposal at late at night).

P.S: the blurring on hair comes from a running fan not from the lens Laughing.


Last edited by A G Photography on Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:00 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Certainly looks like a good result! I have the lens as an M42 preset also, and like you have been unimpressed with its performance. I may give it another look though, I don't think I've used it on the digital camera.

(ps: using yourself as a model, how did you focus it so perfectly?)


PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow great sharpness and contrast !


PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rick_oleson wrote:
(ps: using yourself as a model, how did you focus it so perfectly?)


You have to shoot quite a bit to get the right one woth good expression and focus.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A G Photography wrote:
rick_oleson wrote:
(ps: using yourself as a model, how did you focus it so perfectly?)


You have to shoot quite a bit to get the right one woth good expression and focus.


Really a great portrait. By posting it here I think you like it too Wink

Of course, if you do more self portraits, then you can also use an external monitor to check the composition in Live View.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spotmatic wrote:
A G Photography wrote:
rick_oleson wrote:
(ps: using yourself as a model, how did you focus it so perfectly?)


You have to shoot quite a bit to get the right one woth good expression and focus.


Really a great portrait. By posting it here I think you like it too Wink

Of course, if you do more self portraits, then you can also use an external monitor to check the composition in Live View.


I used monitor Live view but be assured that you can't really check focus of a wide open lens unless you have the monitor at less than 50 cm (and usually you can't as you have lights at less than 50 cm Wink). So it's just pretty useful to control framing, but little more.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Haha nice to see you dear my friend! B&W match to you Wink


PostPosted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alessandro , you are the creative one!
You remind me of my video days, only you shoot Dslr Cool
very well done!


PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I just bought an Exakta mount version, and a search brought up this thread and this http://forum.mflenses.com/fscarl-zeiss-jena-tessar-80-2-8-t29206 which they couldn't identify the mount, I can confirm that it's missing the rear mount section, if its still kicking around I could provide measurements.
I'm off to test it now.





Edit:
Here's the basic measurements to make a new mount.


Last edited by Lightshow on Mon Aug 18, 2014 5:02 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Long time ago on my wish list, congrats , look forward your result.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's one from yesterday's test run on my A7r.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2014 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's definitely a good lens, not as bad as some of the posts I've seen.
It came with the mount attached, Some other photographer had one without the mount, so I only explored to see if the mount was removable, which it was.


Last edited by Lightshow on Mon Oct 07, 2019 6:39 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 5:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I updated the above post to include the measurements.