CZJ Serial number help

[sparrow6224]

Hi. My not all together conclusive web search leads me to believe that a CZJ 50/1.5 Sonnar for Contax that I'm looking at, no "T", serial number 2,100,XXX is a pre-war lens. From what I've seen the post war East German Jena serial numbers start with 3,000,000.

Am I correct?

Many thanks for any solid info.

Vince

[Brian Sweeney]

You are correct.

The SN 2.1M CZJ 5cm F1.5 Sonnar should have "wings" on the aperture ring, and substantially more weight than the post-war lens.

It should be a pre-war, uncoated lens.

[dexdog]

definately a pre-WW2 lens. The serial number probably dates to 1934 or 1935- can't look it up right now, I am not near my copy of Thiele's reference. Is the lens chrome, or a mix of black and nickel?

[sparrow6224]

Lens appears to be all chrome except the black of the inner rim where the name, sn, focal length and widest f/stop appear.

Thanks. Brian, as I recall, is a big fan of these uncoated pre-war sonnars.

V

[dexdog]

The 2,100,xxx serial numbers date to 1936 in Hartmut Thiele's book, although he does not record any Sonnars with 2,100 for the first 4 digits.

[Brian Sweeney]

So the question- will this lens be used on a Contax, or converted to a Leica Mount?

The optics fixture screws right into a Jupiter-3 focus mount.

My SN201x on the M8, wide-open.

[sparrow6224]

Actually it's 201X as Brian puts it; I was trying to keep it on the DL by being vague.

It's currently on a nice looking Contax IIa where it will remain for a couple of weeks at least, if I buy it, so I can see how I like that set up. But I also have a Zeiss Opton Sonnar 50/2 I can use on the Contax if I decide to convert the other, and I obtained a Jupiter 3 LTM to exploit for the mount if I decide to go for the full Sweenification. I have to get the outfit first. And I'm robbing Peter and smacking Paul in the face to do it. Oh well....

V

[sparrow6224]

And I love that picture, Brian. What's going on in the screen rendering of it, right behind her back? I love the blue bokeh to the left of that area, on her other side.
V

[dexdog]

Originally Posted by sparrow6224

Actually it's 201X as Brian puts it; I was trying to keep it on the DL by being vague.

That serial number was one of a batch of 1000 5cm/1.5 Sonnars delivered January 13, 1937

[Brian Sweeney]

The out-of-focus areas- Late Summer, puffy white clouds and blue sky shining through the trees in Virginia.

And Fall is nice here as well,

[sparrow6224]

@Brian What effect is achieved without the coating, that isn't with it? Or, more simply, what is the general feeling that makes you like the uncoated more?

@dex Well I won the camera and lens over on Evil Empire Bay. That January 13 1937 made the specific past come alive in my imagination; started thinking about Germany in those days. Hitler gave a speech before the Reichstag on 17 January assuring the world that Germany had only the most peaceful intentions..... I look forward to having in my hands this lens that arrived at the camera shops in Berlin but a few days before.