Need help with Carl Zeiss Jena 135mm f3.5

Lexus · Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 3

Hello. I've bought this lens from ebay couple of days ago and it appears to be faulty. Focus ring turns smoothly from 1 to 7 feet and then stops. I cannot get it past 7 to infinity and I don't want to use a lot of force. It actually did work few times correctly, I even managed to get few photos, but now it's stuck again. I've tried all aperture settings on both manual and auto mode with no luck.

This is my first vintage manual focus lens and I'm a beginner in photography in general. Maybe I'm doing something wrong or this fault is easily repairable. Or should I just return this lens as this issue was not mentioned by seller ? Need advice.

I apologize for my English. Thank You.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Does the barrel show evidence of a smash?
Either there is a mechanical friction of the barrel (due to a hit), or there is a problem with the helicoid (maybe simply a matter of hardened grease)
You have two options, either return your purchase, or accept it and take the lens to a serviceman that can repair it.
Of course your choice can depend on how much you have spent for the lens.

BrianS · Joined: 03 Aug 2013 Posts: 92

That does not sound good. If it had NEVER gone to infinity for you, suspect a misassembled helical. Meaning someone took it apart, re-assembled it starting on the wrong turn of the thread. If it went to infinity once or twice, but jammed a lot: could be a loose screw. You can usually turn past old grease with a little force, but almost never takes a lot of force. There are exceptions to that: one lens that I bought had grease that was so baked in that it required 4 DAYS soaking on Isopropyl Alcohol to loosen. It was a very rare lens, and worth keeping.

Unless you like to disassemble lenses- probably best to return it.

Lexus · Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 3

It is in very good cosmetic condition as far as I can tell with my limited knowledge of photography. Paid 70 pounds for it. I've tried to find a bargain but most of items I've tried to win ended with similar price. So one day I've pulled a trigger on buy it now lot and here I am.
How much would such repair cost?

Thanks for response.

Aanything · Expire: 2014-05-30

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Yes return it. While Jena lenses do develop stiff focus fairly commonly, yours sounds worse than just the usual stiffness due to hardened lubricants.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

For 70 pounds, I would return it too.
Don't know in UK, but in Italy you would spend from 30 to 50 € for the repair, depending on the type of damage.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Not many repair places in UK and costs are high. You should be able to find a good copy of this lens for 50ukp plus postage.

sichko · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 2475 Location: South West UK

I too would recommend returning the lens. However if for some reason you can't, one possible source of your difficulty can be seen in Figure 13 of This disassembly guide. The blue arrow points to a lever which controls the automatic aperture function. Sometimes the screw - seen in the picture - which holds this lever becomes loose. The lever tilts and moves away from from the part in the base/mount which it is supposed to engage. As the lens is focussed towards infinity the lever moves into the base/mount - but it is blocked by other "bits" because it itself is in the wrong position.

Of course there may be other reasons but, provided the lens barrel hasn't been dented, it's usually quite easy to service this lens.

Lexus · Joined: 15 Aug 2013 Posts: 3

I've contacted the seller. Returning it tomorrow. Hopefully I will be more fortunate with my next purchase. Thank You.

RSalles · Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 1:30 am Post subject:

DR.JUAN · Joined: 08 Feb 2013 Posts: 661

Be very careful with czj mc lenses.

I had some 2,4/35, 3,5/135 and 1,8/50.

Only the 1,8/50 mc czj were ok.

The rest, not well building and economical plastic pieces very easy to foult.

IQ, like a lot.

Eugen Mezei · Joined: 17 May 2008 Posts: 266

I can confirm plastic in the 2,4/35mm Flektogon and in the 300 mm CZJ (at least the ones in PB). Mostly this are internal levels, actuacting the inner mechanism of the lens, mostly the iris. They are well protected in the barrel and no big mechanical forces act on them. I still saw some ot these plastic pieces broken inside the lens (Hint: If something rattles in these lenses than it is such a broken plastic component.), but I have the suspicion that they didn't brake in use but more probably in the hand of an unskilled repairman.