Is this a CZ lens ?

[bang2]

Just got a Jena 50mm f 2.8, but there is no CZ label nor the maker. Nr is 6277714. Is this a real CZ lens ?? Any information about this Jena ?

[anscochrome]

Common mid-late 1950's/early 1960's, marked that way for export to the USA to avoid conflict with Carl Zeiss GmBh. My 58mm CZJ Biotar is marked "C.Z Jena B 1:2 f=58 Nr.4763274" for similar reasons-it came with a late model Pentacon Reflex, which was a rebadged Contax D for the USA market.

[ForenSeil]

Yes it's made by Carl Zeiss
After WWII Carl Zeiss splittet up by the occupying forces into Carl Zeiss West (sometimes also called "Carl Zeiss Oberkochen") and Carl Zeiss Jena.
This lens is made by Carl Zeiss Jena in East Germany/G.D.R. Many CZJ lenses were renamed with "Jena", "aus Jena" and so on for export to avoid conflicts with brand names as said.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall 1990/1991 both companies were more or less reunited again.

Carl Zeiss West was generally better than Carl Zeiss Jena in quality as far as I know (with some exceptions I guess)

Your lens is an Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50/2.8 which was produced as a cheap "kit-lens" in mass-production. They are going usually several times a week on Ebay.de in several versions between ~5- and ~120€ (price depends on coating, kind of casing, era, mount, condition,...I don't know the mount or the condition of your lens so I can't give you a more accurate rating for your lens ). All 50/2.8 Carl Zeiss (Jena) Tessars are good but "nothing special" or "zeissisch" in image-qualty or bokeh. Carl Zeiss (Jena) Biotar, Pancolar, Sonnar and Planar of the same era were generally better.

I also had such a "Jena" Tessar with the same casing in Exakta mount 1 year ago when I joined this forum.
My copy was very hazed by dust on the inside which caused a low contrast so I sold it to someone who was able to clean the lens.

But I enjoyed the build, the haptics and the vintage look a lot

Nevertheless if you have a DSLR or any other kind of camera with interchangeable lenses on which you can adapt this lens you have to give it a try

[Attila]

Export version , may it has better quality control , enjoy this great Carl Zeiss Jena lens.

[bang2]

Thank's for all responses and usefull informations that lead me to more confidence to bring the lens around, though it's not the best one. This is my first CZ lens. I got it for about 55 euro. I use a Nikon M42-Nikon adapter with optic to connect this lens to my D90. So far, the results are OK to me. Next time I'll try to upload them.

[Attila]

[bang2]

Good deal! Congrats! Look forward your happiness, take off optic from adapter and use lens for close ups, optic in adapter usually cheap stuff and ruin image quality.[/quote]

I took off the optic and shot some. Yes, they're different- alot better than when with the optic. But, th infinity is so so short ! I've tried to pull back the rear lens optic to improve it, but did not succeed. I was too scared that I would scratch this 'precious'(!?) lens. And, when I tried to open the front optic, guess what ? I found that there is a ' Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar' label under the front ring. Also with a serial number that different to what is written on the front ring.