Red Robin
It Is What It Is
Jacques. My lens is a sonnar 1:1,5 f=5cm . My only 28 is a nikkor 1:3.5 f=2.8cm . Not a zeiss bur fulfills my needs nicely, both in LTM.
Jacques M.
Established
OK. As we were talking of 2/8,5cm Sonnars, I thought yours was one of them...
But I have too such a 1,5/5cm which should be a 4/7,5cm for Robot, by its serial number!
Jacques.
nhchen
Nathan
Hey guys,
Does this look like a genuine sonnar? Although being on a fed does make it seem quite dubious!
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Russian-...676?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4186c6c8a4
nathan
Does this look like a genuine sonnar? Although being on a fed does make it seem quite dubious!
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Russian-...676?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4186c6c8a4
nathan
john neal
fallor ergo sum
Ray,
I would have thought any of the usual repair locations could do it - Sherry, DAG or Youxin.
I have done several, but I'm in the UK, and shipping lenses in to me from outside the EU can attract the dreaded 20% VAT.
Jacques M.
Established
Impossible to be sure.
But by the serial number and considering the two screws in line on the body, it could be a good one.
Of course, it would be necessary to check if the rear triplet has the matching engraved serial number.
The Fed is not original: no black ones were made. But who cares of it...
Jacques.
nhchen
Nathan
It just looked weird to me with the little ears on them. But it seems many of them have these ears it seems.
nathan
Jacques M.
Established
I don't see why the ears would be a problem...
I know that some collectors think that the Sonnars with ears are fake. I just wonder why...
Jacques.
I know that some collectors think that the Sonnars with ears are fake. I just wonder why...
Jacques.
menos
Mentor
Anyone bought the Fed with 50/1.5 Sonnar from the auction site?
How did it turn out?
If real, it looked like a good deal.
How did it turn out?
If real, it looked like a good deal.
john neal
fallor ergo sum
I was outbid, and internet problems prevented me from upping my bid 
Looked like the real deal to me - just like the one now with Dirk.....
Looked like the real deal to me - just like the one now with Dirk.....
James1
Established
I was outbid, and internet problems prevented me from upping my bid
Looked like the real deal to me - just like the one now with Dirk.....
I am no expert, but this site suggests you had a lucky escape:
http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Zeiss_Fakes.html
Ears near the aperture ring, and comma as the number separator both apparently indicative of a fake...
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
The ears are a somewhat vague indication - these were on a few original modules (most notably Contax mount collapsible lenses), and might turn up on other lenses that had their aperture replaced in a repair. That some Russian with a spelling fetish re-engraved his original Zeiss lens with commas in place of the dots is very, very unlikely, though...
menos
Mentor
I was outbid, and internet problems prevented me from upping my bid
Looked like the real deal to me - just like the one now with Dirk.....
I hope it was a nice one and somebody got a great deal.
Jacques M.
Established
About this site and the conclusions, I am not sure that all is absolutely proved...
The 289xxxx 1,5/5cm LTM Sonnar is presented on this site as the model of genuine LTM Sonnars. But there is no batch of 1,5/5cm Sonnar in the 289xxxx numbers... by the works of Thiele, based on the official factory numbers.
I don't say that this lens is a fake. Of course not. But the 2000 1,5/5cm LTM Sonnars officially made by the factory are in the 284xxxx range. Not elsewhere.
The main question is: what is a fake, for each of us? Of course, a disguised Jup 3 belongs to that category (I own one, with ears, very easy to identify). But all the others?
Amitiés. Jacques.
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menos
Mentor
Interesting Jacques, that there are "official" factory records regarding the wartime produced lenses.
Indeed it could be assumed that records and actually produced units during those years are not necessarily in sync.
The LTM Sonnar I have from John for example does have a wartime 27… optical cell with matching numbers and is fixed inside a genuine LTM mount with , … hold yourself 285… SN marking
Maybe this one was built from left over LTM mounts from the recorded 2000 pcs or the actual recordings are incomplete and production of LTM Sonnars exceeded the 2000 pcs or shifted into a later SN window?
I believe that it might now be impossible to exactly say what is made when, where and by whom.
Jacques M.
Established
I absolutely agree with you, Menos: impossible to know exactly.
I have six 1,5/5cm LTM Sonnars, none belonging to this famous official batch. But all have the good stamped Zeiss number on the back, and several (two or three) even have the number engraved by Zeiss on the rangefinder shell, inside. Perhaps original bayonet Sonnars directly converted by the factory for war reasons.
The factory records are not complete: there are holes in them. And I think too that the factory production exceeded 2000 lenses. All that without the number of reconstructions from genuine parts, in Germany or in Russia...
Amitiés. Jacques.
I have six 1,5/5cm LTM Sonnars, none belonging to this famous official batch. But all have the good stamped Zeiss number on the back, and several (two or three) even have the number engraved by Zeiss on the rangefinder shell, inside. Perhaps original bayonet Sonnars directly converted by the factory for war reasons.
The factory records are not complete: there are holes in them. And I think too that the factory production exceeded 2000 lenses. All that without the number of reconstructions from genuine parts, in Germany or in Russia...
Amitiés. Jacques.
john neal
fallor ergo sum
I was offered a "wartime" Sonnar last weekend at a dealer in Manchester, from memory, the serial was in the 290xxxx range. It had the small "m" and the two adjacent screws in the focus ring and a red "T" on the name ring - in fact the body looked quite convincing from the outside, including convincing ageing.
However, when I unscrewed the optic module, it was obviously a Russian built lens (J3 internals) - no serial on the rear block and the inside of the focus helix was bright aluminium with so scribed serial. I wonder if it was one of the 1946-ish ones referred to by Leica Tom?
I decided that GBP250 was too much to pay for what might turn out to be a J3 in disguise.
However, when I unscrewed the optic module, it was obviously a Russian built lens (J3 internals) - no serial on the rear block and the inside of the focus helix was bright aluminium with so scribed serial. I wonder if it was one of the 1946-ish ones referred to by Leica Tom?
I decided that GBP250 was too much to pay for what might turn out to be a J3 in disguise.
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LeicaTom
Watch that step!
Yeah John the #290xxxx one's are 1946/7 parts builds from the Russian Army.
I found a mint with both caps *German Made/Wartime* 1945 m39 CZJ f1.5/50 T Sonnar the other day for $300 - couldn't find the cash for it quick enough, it ended up going overseas.......
Tom
I found a mint with both caps *German Made/Wartime* 1945 m39 CZJ f1.5/50 T Sonnar the other day for $300 - couldn't find the cash for it quick enough, it ended up going overseas.......
Tom
Austrowolf
Stepper maniac
So, I just joined the club today. My CZJ Sonnar 1.5/5 cm in M39 has arrived this afternoon. Here it is with it's "sibling", a CZJ Sonnar 2/5 cm in M39.
Some details:
The optical assembly is brass with corresponding serial number engraved, there is lower case "m", small focus triangle, and also the two adjacent screws on the focusing ring. But, it has ears on the aperture ring and commas as separators. Even though, so does my 2/50 Sonnar, and that is a 100% original wartime lens.
Plus, there is a small and faint engraving on the rangefinder coupling ring. It says "Re" in script, and appears to have been done by hand, possibly by technician during assembly or repair.
The apperture ring is dented in one place, but it is moving okay. The glass seems to be okay with some cleaning marks on the front element.
So, is it the real deal, or a very, very, very well made fake? :-D
Some details:
The optical assembly is brass with corresponding serial number engraved, there is lower case "m", small focus triangle, and also the two adjacent screws on the focusing ring. But, it has ears on the aperture ring and commas as separators. Even though, so does my 2/50 Sonnar, and that is a 100% original wartime lens.
Plus, there is a small and faint engraving on the rangefinder coupling ring. It says "Re" in script, and appears to have been done by hand, possibly by technician during assembly or repair.
The apperture ring is dented in one place, but it is moving okay. The glass seems to be okay with some cleaning marks on the front element.
So, is it the real deal, or a very, very, very well made fake? :-D
LeicaTom
Watch that step!
LeicaTom
Watch that step!
That Zeiss-Leica M39/LTM info website that's been up for years deceives everyone, ALL Jena factory made-converted WW2 CZJ M39 lenses made during the war HAD "ears" just as their Contax counterparts did, it's the English custom mounted and Post War Russian Army lenses that sometimes didn't have "ears".
And mostly ALL Zeiss M39 lenses you see for sale are so-called "real" lenses as well, even the Russian Army ones, while they were all made with original parts, the problem you have is when you have Contax lenses, "hacked/cracked" into Russian Jupiter lens mounts, being sold as an original.
That's the fake.
Ohh and the reason I took away all my posts was certain collectors who owned some of the lenses didn't want them posted online anymore, so I respected that, I didn't have time to delete just the posts affected so I took them all down.
I've been away sick almost 2 years with health issues, but I will return with some new posts from my lenses I still have in my collection and I will share some photos when I find the time possible.
Did anyone here buy that MINT 1945 lens that sold for only $300 about a month ago?
It was most beautiful condition wartime era M39 Sonnar I've ever seen, a "black nose" 1945 #285xxxx ~ It was a WW2 "bringback" from an Officer/Photographer from the US Army Signal Corps who kept the lens packed like fine jewelry away from harm for over 60 years!
The glass was pristine, with the typical Zeiss bubbles......it was a sight!
Tom
And mostly ALL Zeiss M39 lenses you see for sale are so-called "real" lenses as well, even the Russian Army ones, while they were all made with original parts, the problem you have is when you have Contax lenses, "hacked/cracked" into Russian Jupiter lens mounts, being sold as an original.
That's the fake.
Ohh and the reason I took away all my posts was certain collectors who owned some of the lenses didn't want them posted online anymore, so I respected that, I didn't have time to delete just the posts affected so I took them all down.
I've been away sick almost 2 years with health issues, but I will return with some new posts from my lenses I still have in my collection and I will share some photos when I find the time possible.
Did anyone here buy that MINT 1945 lens that sold for only $300 about a month ago?
It was most beautiful condition wartime era M39 Sonnar I've ever seen, a "black nose" 1945 #285xxxx ~ It was a WW2 "bringback" from an Officer/Photographer from the US Army Signal Corps who kept the lens packed like fine jewelry away from harm for over 60 years!
The glass was pristine, with the typical Zeiss bubbles......it was a sight!
Tom