NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => What the Nerds Do => Topic started by: richardHaw on August 05, 2021, 14:22:02

Title: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 05, 2021, 14:22:02
https://richardhaw.com/2021/08/05/repair-carl-zeiss-jena-tessar-50mm-f-2-8/

rather underwhelming despite its reputation :o :o :o
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: David H. Hartman on August 05, 2021, 19:21:34
https://richardhaw.com/2021/08/05/repair-carl-zeiss-jena-tessar-50mm-f-2-8/

rather underwhelming despite its reputation :o :o :o

"The overblown areas of this photo bloom and look washed-out. When metering with this it’s best to underexpose the photo a bit so details look better in the bright areas." --From article linked above

I believe lost diffused highlights in digital images are more unpleasant compared to film. I've never accepted ETTR as a useful method of exposure. When you loose diffused highlights the image will look ugly. I'd much rather accept noisy shadows. The dynamic range of recent DSLR and Mirrorless cameras should end ETTR but it lives on.

Dave
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: David H. Hartman on August 05, 2021, 19:22:06
Thank you for another good read!
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 06, 2021, 00:02:21
its probably due to the coatings, i have ordered a zebra to see if that resolved this, also going to shoot with my contessa again as i assume that the formula is the same :o :o :o

the cheaper 50/3.5 really beats this guy in mostly everything
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: MEPER on August 08, 2021, 15:27:38
The classic Voigtländer 50/2.8 and 50/3.5 Color-Skopar lenses (which are also a kind of Tessar design) the 50/3.5 also got a better reputation?
Apart from that I was very happy with 50/2.8 which was soft at 2.8 but very sharp stopped down a bit (5.6 - 8).
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 08, 2021, 15:58:46
not sure about those 2 but the CZJ 50/3.5 has something magical in it. ive restored 2 of them and the results are identical to mark the 1st one as a fluke. it really is a magical lens :o :o :o
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: rosko on August 08, 2021, 16:58:02
Richard, I am amazed by the new look of this lens after your cleaning !

Also, quite decent pictures.

Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: MEPER on August 08, 2021, 21:43:11
not sure about those 2 but the CZJ 50/3.5 has something magical in it. ive restored 2 of them and the results are identical to mark the 1st one as a fluke. it really is a magical lens :o :o :o

Some few images here with 50/3.5 Color-Skopar. A person has been creative and been able to fit the lens to a digital rangefinder......any similarities with CZJ 50/3.5?
https://www.talkemount.com/threads/color-skopar-voigtlander-finally-mounted-on-the-nex.2627/ (https://www.talkemount.com/threads/color-skopar-voigtlander-finally-mounted-on-the-nex.2627/)

I have an adapter for the Prominent version (to Z-mount) but have not yet used the lens.....
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 09, 2021, 01:53:19
Richard, I am amazed by the new look of this lens after your cleaning !

Also, quite decent pictures.
the original one looks like it was varnished with a clear coat, that coat is now gone, of course :o :o :o
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 09, 2021, 01:59:25
Some few images here with 50/3.5 Color-Skopar. A person has been creative and been able to fit the lens to a digital rangefinder......any similarities with CZJ 50/3.5?
https://www.talkemount.com/threads/color-skopar-voigtlander-finally-mounted-on-the-nex.2627/ (https://www.talkemount.com/threads/color-skopar-voigtlander-finally-mounted-on-the-nex.2627/)

I have an adapter for the Prominent version (to Z-mount) but have not yet used the lens.....

im not sure, maybe it does.

these photos illustrate what i mean by "magic". theres a "cleanliness" quality to the photos of the 50/3.5 CZJ absent from all other lenses ive tried from any manufacturer. it is hard to explain :o :o :o

(https://richardhaw.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/dsc_4585.jpg)

(https://richardhaw.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/haw_7549.jpg)

(https://richardhaw.files.wordpress.com/2021/05/dsc_4593.jpg?w=437&h=&zoom=2)
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: Erik Lund on August 09, 2021, 09:00:03
"The overblown areas of this photo bloom and look washed-out. When metering with this it’s best to underexpose the photo a bit so details look better in the bright areas." --From article linked above

I believe lost diffused highlights in digital images are more unpleasant compared to film. I've never accepted ETTR as a useful method of exposure. When you loose diffused highlights the image will look ugly. I'd much rather accept noisy shadows. The dynamic range of recent DSLR and Mirrorless cameras should end ETTR but it lives on.

Dave
Yes, I completely agree.
Also thank you for the work Rick.
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: Gone on August 09, 2021, 11:07:16
Does the (later?) "zebra" version have the same optics / foibles?
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 13, 2021, 05:27:30
Does the (later?) "zebra" version have the same optics / foibles?
zebra looks like the optics have been recalculated but i am not sure.

zebra performs better, much better in my tests :o :o :o
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: Gone on August 13, 2021, 09:39:52
Better than the 50mm f3.5?
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 13, 2021, 09:51:13
Better than the 50mm f3.5?
close. :o :o :o
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: MEPER on August 16, 2021, 21:46:45
Have you tried any Xenon-lenses?
.....or may Ultron.....but that is another topic :-)

https://casualphotophile.com/2019/03/10/xenon-lens-history/ (https://casualphotophile.com/2019/03/10/xenon-lens-history/)

Dr. Tronnier seems to be a talented lens designer from that period?
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: Birna Rørslett on August 16, 2021, 22:38:49
According to the linked page, my 5cm f/1.1 Nikkor-N has a Xenon heritage ....
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 16, 2021, 23:08:24
According to the linked page, my 5cm f/1.1 Nikkor-N has a Xenon heritage ....

yikes! according to the article we have the fuhrer to thank for the 5/1.1 :o :o :o

this is interesting, i am sure that Nikon wont acknowledge this as the general feeling i get is theyre trying to distance from their militaristic past ::)

i dont really mind to be honest, as an engineer i merely see these as machines/formulas, distancing myself from whatever political weight it has. 8)
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 16, 2021, 23:10:54
Have you tried any Xenon-lenses?
.....or may Ultron.....but that is another topic :-)

https://casualphotophile.com/2019/03/10/xenon-lens-history/ (https://casualphotophile.com/2019/03/10/xenon-lens-history/)

Dr. Tronnier seems to be a talented lens designer from that period?

i havent but i am interested in trying the Flexon (prototype Pancolar).

i love nikon a lot but i respect carl zeiss a lot, i see nikon as an oriental carl zeiss in many ways. the pedigree is obvious :o :o :o
quite unfortunate for carl zeiss that they had to be divided.
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: MEPER on August 17, 2021, 08:28:09
Yes, if you go 9-10 pictures down you see a large Zeiss collimator in the "secret room" at Nikon factory:

http://riess.fotohistoricum.dk/ni.hist.html (http://riess.fotohistoricum.dk/ni.hist.html)

Klaus Riess was the "top-Nikon" repair person in Denmark some years ago and he knows everything about the old Nikon cameras and lenses and can disassemble then and assemble then again in total darkness :-)
He was former at Zeiss in Germany. As I remember he told as very young he tested the Zeiss Contarex bulls-eye camera. He has written about this period.
So also here a Zeiss-Nikon relation.
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: richardHaw on August 17, 2021, 08:31:18
i dont read deutsche :o :o :o
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: MEPER on August 17, 2021, 08:35:27
There are also some Japanese in the pictures? :-)

His time a Zeiss here.....in English:
http://riess.fotohistoricum.dk/story.html (http://riess.fotohistoricum.dk/story.html)
Title: Re: carl zeiss jena tessar 50/2.8!!!
Post by: Erik Lund on August 17, 2021, 09:21:20
Thank you for the links!