Bargain Lenses For The Vintage Look, Part 2

With regard to the Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F2 uncoated Rigid version: I have handled a couple, these were custom conversions done back when they were new. Usually a single-helical mount with the Sonnar barrel placed in them. The Zeiss made 5cm f2 LTM Sonnars that I've seen are collapsible mount. Unfortunately Ukraine sellers are turned out many fake Sonnars that are nothing more than J-8's with fake name rings.

You can convert a pre-war 5cm f2 Sonnar to Leica mount using a Jupiter-8 LTM mount, as I've done with about 20 or so. The winged aperture ring of the pre-war version will not fit into the mount, the diameter is too large. Best to exchange the aperture ring with that of the J-8. The 5cm F2 Sonnar T winged aperture ring will fit into the J-8 mount.
 
These are three of the Sonnar 5cm F2 conversions that I have done, using Tabbed J-8 focus mounts. I find the tabbed mounts to be the best quality, smoothest focusing, and most precise for RF use. Any LTM J-8 mount will work.

Note the difference in the Name Ring compared with the fake Sonnars being sold on Ebay now, mostly by sellers out of the Ukraine. The barrel and internal construction is much better for the true Sonnars, with optics being fixed in brass before being placed in the mount. Internally, all three groups have the SN of the lens on them.
RIMG0321.jpgRIMG0322.jpgRIMG0323.jpg

Compare with this Fake from the Ukraine. It is a J-8 with a counterfeit namering.


This guy makes them by the dozens. I wonder if he changes the SN on the namering or if they are all the same.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top