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"aus Jena"
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:20 am    Post subject: "aus Jena" Reply with quote
I strongly recommend to choose "aus Jena" lenses over the same models "Carl Zeiss Jena".
Why?
I have just received a Flek 4/20, the model with the studs on the focusing ring, and after a test I noticed that it is sharp wide open, something that never happened to me before with the many Fleks 4/20 and 2.8/20 that I have tried.
This is not the first time I have such experience with "aus Jena" lenses.
The same happened with the Flek 2.4/35, I had two copies one "aus Jena" the other one "Carl Zeiss Jena" and the "aus Jena" was by far the better one, so I sold the "Carl Zeiss Jena" copy and now I own the "aus Jena".
Flektogon 4/25, I only have one copy, so I can not make comparison, but my copy which is "aus Jena", is excellent.
Again, Sonnar 3.5/135, I have a "Carl Zeiss Jena" copy, but I used to have an "aus Jena" also, which was definitely better than my copy, but I had to return it to seller because the focusing ring was defective and almost blocked.

I have had too many cases, I don't think it's a combination anymore, I am now persuaded that eastern Zeiss has labeled "aus Jena" their best copies (the one that did better at QC tests), because they were destined to Western Europe market.

So I would now advice to prefer an "aus Jena" copy over a "Carl Zeiss Jena" one if you have a chance.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hello,

...and thank you for the tip. I think the lenses branded as "aus Jena" were made for export in Western countries. This would explain their higher quality.

Cosmin.

PS. And if one don't like the writing "aus Jena" on the lens, could replace the frontal ring (if possible) with the one with Carl Zeiss Jena Smile .

Edit: Could be the same principle applied for the cameras too (Praktica and Zenit) ? Just wondering.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
montecarlo wrote:
Hello,
...and thank you for the tip. I think the lenses branded as "aus Jena" were made for export in Western countries. This would explain their higher quality.


Yes, that's also what I think.
It was logical for them to send the best copies to the west market, where the lenses had to meet the competition of many powerful brands (the other Zeiss, Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Pentax, Olympus etc)
In the East at the time there was no free market and no competition, so that would have been a logical choice.

I don't know about the Prakticas - I had a Porst camera once and they told me that it was basically a Praktica rebranded.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:16 pm    Post subject: Re: "aus Jena" Reply with quote
Orio wrote:

I have had too many cases, I don't think it's a combination anymore, I am now persuaded that eastern Zeiss has labeled "aus Jena" their best copies (the one that did better at QC tests), because they were destined to Western Europe market.


This is a result, but not the reason for this label. After the second world war the american troops forced some of the specialists of carl zeiss to leave Jena and go to Heidenheim in the West. In 1947 Zeiss-Opton was founded in Oberkochen, the later Carl Zeiss (West). The new "mother", Carl Zeiss Stiftung (=Foundation) in Heidenheim was the legal successor - according to west german laws - of the pre-war Carl Zeiss Foundation.

Certainly the remaining part of carl zeiss jena in east germany had another opinion and a long dispute about the rights to use this name was the result. So both parts of Carl Zeiss - east and west - were forced to use phantasy names if they made exports in regions of the other part of the divided world. Carl Zeiss West used the name "Opton", Carl Zeiss East used "aus Jena".

Michael


PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:30 pm    Post subject: Re: "aus Jena" Reply with quote
Borges wrote:

This is a result, but not the reason for this label.


Yes Michael, I know about the Zeiss quarrel.
I was just guessing about the possibility that the Jena Zeiss could privilege the western market with their best quality copies because of the tougher competition. At least it seems curious to me that all the "aus Jena" lenses that I have tried were better than their "Carl Zeiss Jena" equivalent in my hands. Of course I am not a sufficiently large sample to determine any truth on the subject. Yet, I thought that passing this information could be useful for making choices when needed. I personally do not care about having the Zeiss name printed on the lens or not, since the "aus Jena" lenses seem better, I think I'll go for them in the future.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
After lahnet asked about "aus Jena" last week I found a very good explanation, the best I've seen: http://www.pentaconsix.com/jena.htm

I didn't realise that here in UK and all the Commonwealth countries, both factories could use the Carl Zeiss name with suitable identification of the particular factory.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I was read the interesants posts about the topic and ask miself,

Are there MC CZJ lenses with the Aus jena words?

Anybody knows that?


PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, available.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
All the pancolars 50 and sonnar 135 that I remember had carl zeiss jena, I saw a lot zebras with aus Jena.

Well, I'm wrong. I will look for carefully.


Are them really better?


PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quality control was more tight, I never seen any lemon copy of Pancolar or 135mm Sonnar this is another fact, I don't think so on this lenses it has any difference. I saw lemon copies from Flektogons.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
WOW!!

Before buy, I will ask in the forum. Wink

I only know - a little - of leica and konica.

Rino.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Biggest problem of Fleks, based on my experience, is not optical.
It's the aperture. The early Fleks (leatherette, zebras) are better in this regard.
The last Fleks, the black/orange multicoated, have quality problem with aperture. I got problem in many of my lenses of this type.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have almost every kind of Carl Zeiss Jena SLR lenses, most of them in all variants too. Meyer, Pentacon also my favourite area let me know if you have any questions.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
My flek 35/2,4 -black orange- when is face down doesn't shut the blades to F/11. It stops at F/5.6-8 if you put F/22.

Rino.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
A/M switch is a weak construction , but a cleaning always help. I sold many of this lenses a few of them has this problem after cleaning by professional repair man works like a charm. Problem in western world labor cost is high people sell them instead of cleaning, so you can get more frequently from Ebay problems than as common. I bought and sold at least hundred pieces from different CZJ lenses Pancolars, Flektogons I saw a few copies 5-10 with aperture problems.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
does this also hold true for "aus Jena" in Exacta mount?


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Are you sure that in the 50/1,8 panky MC and in 135 CZJ MC, are aus jena version, in EBAY I can't find any?


Rino.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you can't find at this moment means only they are rare, perhaps I am wrong I don't remember well also possible.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Look> http://www.praktica-b.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=99:aj35135&catid=39:czj&Itemid=55

This guy is looking for Aus Jena lenses, also he has many.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Welcome paguru, You have nice lenses


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Anyway of telling which Carl Zeiss labelled lenses were export - in the UK we didn't have the 'aus Jena' label...


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pardon, gentleman:

50/1,8 Pancolar aus jena? Did I ask about it?

WRONG: I have one 50 pancolar aus jena. I didn't see it Embarassed

Actually I have two pancolar 50: one carl zeiss MC, and the other MC Pancolar Jena 50mm.

I will see by miself what about the best, in my copies of course.

Rino.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
For a period Carl Zeiss Oberkochen and Carl Zeiss Jena fought before curt who will own Carl Zeiss brand under this period Jena factory exported lenses with Aus Jena label. Quality control was more tight on export items this is a chance only to get better lens nothing else.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's sound me razonable.

Rino.
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