Carl Jeiss JenaZoom 28-135

Astrolupa · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 5 Location: Portugal

Hello all!

I'm new around, and I love to dig around for odd lenses. Very Happy

Recently, a friend handed this one over for me to check it out. He said it never seen much use and it really looks that way. I looked around but was unable to find information about this lens. Can someone shed some light on it?

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Welcome! That lens looks like a Canon FD (?) mount lens from the 80s, branded Carl Zeiss Jena but made by someone out in Japan.

Enjoy your stay!

Astrolupa · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 5 Location: Portugal

Thanks a lot ManualFocus-G! Let's if someone has anything else to add. Smile

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Astrolupa · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 5 Location: Portugal

Hello Attila,

Yes... Unfortunately my Canon 40D will not accept a lens like this one, unless I do what I did with my Canon FL 55mm f/1.2 lens, which is now adapted for use with the EF bayonet. Anyway, I don't think I want to do that with this lens... I guess it's not worth considering I have other lenses that cover this range.

f8orbust · Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:01 pm Post subject:

Astrolupa

I have one of those. Found it about two weeks ago in the bargain bucket of my local camera shop for £5.00. Pentax KA mount. The iris is somtimes slow to react but otherwise in good condition. The research on the net I found was that it was made under licence from VEB to Chinon but I am not sure how accurate this is.

I have a small review, featured in Which Camera supplement called 'Which Lens' published in Summer 1987, as follows:

'Recommended. Very sharp indeed and doesn't cost a fortune. (£160.00). There are cheaper options.' In the same section is the Tamron 28-135, as follows: 'Good quality performance, but nor quite up to the Carl Zeiss Jena Lens. More expensive too (£239). Praise indeed!

I haven't tried it propely, seems sharp enough with the usual Jena colours but it might be a little flarey; could be the aperture problem though. I think I will prefer my Vivitar S1 28-90 (£180.00)

Phil

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

PBFACTS · Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 569

Seele · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 742 Location: Sydney Australia

I am afraid this question comes up at very regular intevals on various forums, and for years I answered every one when it cropped up...

nemesis101 · Expire: 2015-01-22

Are you sure?

I understood that Sigma had rights to the brand name for a while?

I have a Sigma that looks almost identical to that picture...

Doug

Seele · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 742 Location: Sydney Australia

Astrolupa · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 5 Location: Portugal

Thank you all for the enlightment, and specially to Seele for posting the photos of catalog. It seems it's a "real" Carl Zeiss lens manufactured with respect for CZ's standards.

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Astrolupa · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 5 Location: Portugal

Sevo · Expire: 2012-12-03

More likely Japanese lenses rebranded by the KoKo (the GDR state export coordination) in the wake of the success they had had bundling the Praktica B series with rebranded Tokina, Cosina et.al. lenses. At that time, CZJ was already practically defunct as a photographic lens design company, their research focus had shifted towards scientific instruments and tools for the microelectronics industry.

f8orbust · Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 9:27 pm Post subject:

That's what I mentioned above. VEB was originally one of the manufacturers of lenses for Zeiss Jena whiched appears in latter years to have outsourced to a Japanese company - Cosina/Sigma/Chinon? or maybe all three. My lens has printed around it ' Lens made in Japan under licence from VEB'

Phil

Morfeus · Joined: 01 Nov 2010 Posts: 22

VEB means Volkseigener Betrieb = nationally-owned enterprise.

Seele · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 742 Location: Sydney Australia

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

This thing is usually sold as Exakta. This is fake Zeiss for sure. It surely doesn't have anything to do with Sigma either. Just check their 28mm Pentacon replacements and Prakticar ZOOMs. Too shaky even for CHINON and COSINA. It might be early Korean made and exported by Japan. I guess one cannot trust writing Made in Japan that real manufacture was set up there.

Sevo · Expire: 2012-12-03

Seele · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 742 Location: Sydney Australia

Sevo,

Oberkochen never admitted in writing that the lenses fitted to Sony cameras (and perhaps others) were indeed designed by them, the most they were prepared to say was that such lenses were up to the standards befitting the Carl Zeiss label.

nemesis101 · Expire: 2015-01-22

Hi,

I wondered how you cxame to be certain that Sigma was not the maker?

I have read many sources that would seem to confirm that Sigma did indeed make lenses for the Jena company to be sold in the European (and especially UK) market?

One such reference:

http://www.photography-forums.com/prakticar-carl-zeiss-jena-confused-hereford-t35991.html

As I said I have had the chance to compare two JenaZooms with their 'cousins' from Sigma and the genes whilst not 100% (colour of markings vary) are certainly close siblings?

Doug

quote="Pancolart"]This thing is usually sold as Exakta. This is fake Zeiss for sure. It surely doesn't have anything to do with Sigma either. Just check their 28mm Pentacon replacements and Prakticar ZOOMs. Too shaky even for CHINON and COSINA. It might be early Korean made and exported by Japan. I guess one cannot trust writing Made in Japan that real manufacture was set up there.[/quote]

PBFACTS · Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 569

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18