Sorry to intrude

[BrianT]

but can anyone point me to a method of dating this lens?

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 1:1.5 f=5cm T Nr.2845902.

Please excuse the 1950 Kiev, it does it's best.

Thanks

Brian.

[rxmd]

but can anyone point me to a method of dating this lens?

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 1:1.5 f=5cm T Nr.2845902.

Thiele, Helmut, Fabrikationsbuch Photooptik II: Carl Zeiss Jena, Munich 2006; it's often recommended as an authoritative source on Carl Zeiss serial numbers. Available through GFW online (http://www.gfw.de/shop/product_info.php?cPath=38_549_559&products_id=12338) for 49 EUR.

I don't have it, as I don't have to date Jena lenses all that often, but you just asked for a pointer :) Maybe some other RFFer has it.

Please excuse the 1950 Kiev, it does it's best.
And probably just as good as a 1940 Contax would have done it. :)

Philipp

[FrankS]

There are several RFF members who have this Contax lens (and body) dating information. One is sure to come across this thread eventually.

I just saw a Contax II and Zeiss Jena lens for sale in our classifieds. The lens has a serial no. of 3007xxx and the seller described it as an early post war lens.

[BrianT]

Have to be patient then. Frank love your picture of the guy and his dog.

And Philipp you are probably right. Th book sounds good.

Brian

[FrankS]

Thanks Brian! It's actually my dog and a brother-in-law. :)

[Nikon Bob]

Maybe this may help http://motamedi.info/serial.htm . Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Bob

[darkkavenger]

your Kiev is wonderfully looking, I'm in love with it! Don't worry, I'm using a Jupiter-3 on a Contax IIIa ;)

[SCOTFORTHLAD]

Hello Brian,
According to info' which I picked up on Google at-- 'motamedi.info/serial',Carl Zeiss lenses commenced their number sequence at 2,800,000 in 1942.The next recorded year is 1946,where they started the numbering sequence at 10,000.In 1945 East German production commenced at Jena from 3,000,000.

Cheers,
Brian.

[BrianT]

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 1:1.5 f=5cm TNr.2845902.

Cheers Brian for looking. I reckon Zeiss serial numbers are a bit of a minefield. The one I illustrated must be post 1945, the barrel is more aluminium than chrome but from lists it would be pre 1942 but it just doesn't look like Zeiss quality apart from the optics and coating, they are lovely. Anyone know when they started T coating lenses/

Brian.

[darkkavenger]

Can't help thinking that your sonnar looks like a wartime lens. Hope someone can bring in more light regarding this lens. It has many similiarities to the ZK 50/1.5 lens.

[FrankS]

Isn't the aluminum barrrel an indication of a wartime lens when materials for chroming were scarce?

[darkkavenger]

Definitely Frank, there are examples of other lenses in aluminium barrel made during wartime, even once there was a wartime biogon in LTM39 mount available on eBay.

[Nikon Bob]

Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 1:1.5 f=5cm TNr.2845902.

Cheers Brian for looking. I reckon Zeiss serial numbers are a bit of a minefield. The one I illustrated must be post 1945, the barrel is more aluminium than chrome but from lists it would be pre 1942 but it just doesn't look like Zeiss quality apart from the optics and coating, they are lovely. Anyone know when they started T coating lenses/

Brian.

Zeiss had lens coating technology prior to WWII and I have read that they did coat some pre war lenses. I have also read the theory that Zeiss went from brass on chrome lens barrels to aluminum during the war. I am guessing to save on resources needed for other wartime production. So, from surfing the net I am under the impression that it is possible that coated aluminum pre war/war lenses were made. I agree that what is on the net regarding Zeiss Contax Sonnars can be very confusing and contradictory.

Bob

[darkkavenger]

Coating technology was invented by Zeiss in 1936 but started to be applied on civilian use equipment such as lenses in 1938. as for the red T sign on lenses, it might've been used as early as 1940.

A Sonnar 5cm f2 that I recently sold to a fellow RFF member was from 1936 and was coated (the traditional carl zeiss light blue coating) but the coating was made post-factory.

[FrankS]

I have an 50mm f2 aluminum barrel T Carl Zeiss Jena (coated) 3106xxx.

[Nikon Bob]

This link might be of interest http://www.cameraquest.com/zeiss852.htm .

Edited to add another link http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15037

Bob

[outfitter]

I have a wartime chrome and aluminum Zeiss 50/1.5 T-coated lens in Contax mount whose serial number is2726xxx

Michael

[BrianT]

You could be right Max., there is little difference. This is the Sonnar next to a 1948 SZ 50mm F1.5 Rigid. Fairly unuaual lens.

Tell me why don't people post the full serisal numbers of cameras and lenses, is there some sort of code about these sort of things.

Brian.

[darkkavenger]

Hi Brian, that's pretty much what I thought, the main difference being the "grip" band being larger on the 50/1.5 Sonnar (which seems to be a constant on pre-war/wartime 50/1.5 sonnars). I suppose people don't post the last numbers of lenses to avoid lens faking maybe, or because anyone with dishonest intentions could claim that they were stolen lens nr° 123456789.

[BrianT]

Surely not Max, dishonest people around here? No, surely not. In the Zeiss room, never.

But if anyone wants a list of 50mm jupiter lenses give us a shout.:)

cheers,

Brian.

[darkkavenger]

Just a supposition, Brian, I don't know where the 123XXXXX habit comes from :) I've got myself a nice list of russian lenses here : http://www.carthago-ltd.com/rldb/ ;)

[FrankS]

It was enough of a challenge for me to remember the first 4 digits! :)

[BrianT]

I can understand that Frank.At the moment I am trying to sort my Kievs out. To clean them I removed the lenses. Now I discover that my sole copy of the master list was stored on a computer that crashed. Fortunately I have photographed them all so matching lenses to cameras ain't that difficult. But I have ended up with a spare 1949 ZK lens, or I might have lost a camera. My wife has promised to sort it out.

Useful list there, thanks Max.

Cheers,

Brian.