Need help with a couple lenses . . .

j.lukow · Expire: 2021-11-25

(I should have included this in that old post of mine . . .)

Ok, on eBay I've seen various types of Zeiss lenses . . .
Tessar, Planar, Sonnar, Biotar (?), and lately Pancolor (?) (appologies forn any spelling errors . . .)
The first three I've heard of, the 4th less so, and the last ???
Anyone, the short and the quick of it - (or if it says Zeiss, it must be good)?

I've occassionally seen Schneider lenses appear - any thoughts?

Lastly - I've seen "rare"lenses listed - often they're a prime lens, with a slow appeture (is there a good reason for a 50mm F4? - or do I need to hit the books) - how often does rare = useful? As you've probably guessed I am neither a collector or a lens hoarder.

I know there are many questions here, but as the past has shown this is the place for answers Very Happy

!!

Ballu · Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:38 am Post subject:

You can find some technical info here,

http://www.panix.com/~zone/photo/czlens.htm

Some good links are posted here,
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=3214

Maxim · Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 7:43 am Post subject:

Steve - exactly, Biotar 58mm f2 is a father of Helios Very Happy

CZJ Pancolar is average popular and relatively expensive in Poland... not so popular as Helios. 90 - 110 USD for Pancolar in mint condition. I read positive opinions about these lens. It's often met on Polish auctions.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Tessar was the budget lens in Carl Zeiss Jena product line I know 50,80mm f2.8 Tessars. 80mm is pretty rare.
Planar is brand name of Carl Zeiss (Western part of Carl Zeiss) made in different focal length , highest quality lens what is available on the market)

Sonnar tele-photo range of Car Zeiss Jena and perhaps for Carl Zeiss too.
135,180,200,300mm available from Carl Zeiss Jena
Their produce superb quality images.
Pancolar highest quality lenses of Carl Zeiss Jena available in 50,80mm and in a zoom only 50mm going on low price. 80mm and zoom are expensive and very rare.
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/carl_zeiss/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/zeiss/tessar/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/zeiss/pancolar_001/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/zeiss/sonnar/

j.lukow · Expire: 2021-11-25

My thanks to all of you for some help.

Great links (I should have realized the best way to see a lens' performance is to cruise the gallery - Rolling Eyes

ps! )

They say experience is the best teacher, I guess this sites members prove the best teachers share their experience!!

rick_oleson · Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 4:16 am Post subject:

All of those are excellent lenses. The Tessar was only a "budget" lens in comparison to the faster Biotar and Pancolar, it was no slouch.

The Biotar was the first of the great classic normal lenses for SLRs - back in those days they couldn't fit a fast 50mm in front of the mirror, so it had to be 58. The Planar was a West German lens, a more advanced (and later) design than the Biotar. The Pancolar, I believe, was Jena's answer to (or copy of) the Planar.

The East Germans didn't just copy from the West, though. There's another great lens not on your list, the Biometar, which is generally seen in 80mm as a medium format normal lens but did exist as a short tele for 35mm. This excellent lens came out about 1951, after which the Schneider Xenotar and Zeiss (west) f/2.8 Planar mysteriously appeared in 1953-4.... both with a formula that looks suspiciously like a clone of the earlier Jena Biometar.... and considered to be some of Carl Zeiss's (and Schneider's) finest lenses.

Personally I like Zeiss lenses better than Schneiders, but this may be more prejudice than optics.