Exakta lens history wanted!

[Polybun]

I have a tessar here that i've just cleaned up and it offered a bit of a silly detail. There are two ID rings on this thing! One reads C.Z.Jena, that one screws off to reviel another that reads Carl Ziess Jena. I'm sure its because of some east/west german relation ship issue, but i would like to hear the particulars.

 

[Ian Grant]

After the War the East German Jena factory kept using the Zeiss name, they had full rights to use the Zeiss name. C.Z.Jena is just an abbreviation.

However they kept the Jena part of the lens brand name as before the war & this distinguished them from the West German Carl Zeiss. For some time after WWII Jena were still manufacturing lenses for Rollei & other companies but quality issues led them to buy from West Germany Zeiss, these Tesars are labelled Opton Tessars to differentiate them from the Jena lenses. Later the Opton designation was dropped.

Ian

 

[Polybun]

After the War the East German Jena factory kept using the Zeiss name, they had full rights to use the Zeiss name. C.Z.Jena is just an abbreviation.

However they kept the Jena part of the lens brand name as before the war & this distinguished them from the West German Carl Zeiss. For some time after WWII Jena were still manufacturing lenses for Rollei & other companies but quality issues led them to buy from West Germany Zeiss, these Tesars are labelled Opton Tessars to differentiate them from the Jena lenses. Later the Opton designation was dropped.

Ian

Right. I wonder why this one had two then, differing serials on them as well. I would say this lens has some quality issues. Even after cleaning and lubing the focus is still really tight. :/

 

[Rol_Lei Nut]

At some point (early sixties?) Carl Zeiss "West" won a court case against Carl Zeiss Jena.

Carl Zeiss Jena could no longer use classic Zeiss names such as "Carl Zeiss", "Sonnar" and "Tessar" among others.
Carl Zeiss Jena became "C.Z. Jena" and then "aus Jena". Tessar became "T" and Sonnar "S".

In order to be exported, CZJ lenses which were already made had the additional "modified" name lens rings installed, often directly over the previous one.


Chris

P.S. Actually, at some point (1950's) the 180mm f/2.8 "Olympia Sonnars" sold by CZ "West" were actually made in Jena.

 

[Rol_Lei Nut]

Right. I wonder why this one had two then, differing serials on them as well. I would say this lens has some quality issues. Even after cleaning and lubing the focus is still really tight. :/

Lenses made it the GDR had several quality ratings. Most of (all?) the lenses destined for export were first quality example, having a triangle or a Q symbol with a 1 inside. There were at least two other grades.
How the grading was determined and what it means in practice, I don't know (all the lenses I've had being "1"s).

Anyway, if the Tessar is still stiff after a relube, it might have received a knock.
The Tessar was also the entry-level lens (for CZJ) and tended to be less well built than some others, though different generations varied (later ones tending to be worse).

 

[Polybun]

Lenses made it the GDR had several quality ratings. Most of (all?) the lenses destined for export were first quality example, having a triangle or a Q symbol with a 1 inside. There were at least two other grades.
How the grading was determined and what it means in practice, I don't know (all the lenses I've had being "1"s).

Anyway, if the Tessar is still stiff after a relube, it might have received a knock.
The Tessar was also the entry-level lens (for CZJ) and tended to be less well built than some others, though different generations varied (later ones tending to be worse).

well, the outer trim ring, the CZJena one, has the Q with a 1. It is an automatic type lens, albiet one that you have to cock first.

I took it out today and shot it, and it is getting better. I think what I will do is give it a week or so, and if it does not improve, I will re-lap the threads by placing some clover polishing compound into the threads and work it for a few hours. This should lap the threads right on into place.

I'm sure it has had a knock, because removal of the trim rings was a real bitch! They turned very easily right up till they got to about where a filter would live, and then hung up awfully badly. Some working about with a filter and some clover in this area cleaned it up fairly well, but of course, removed the black paint in the tight areas of the threads. That said the filter never had any issues at all threading onto the threads, so, who knows.

I'm still very pleased to have this lens. The other lens I have has a filter ring that was smashed very badly, and will never hold a filter again, less you use some push on type device. This lens also uses 49mm filters, which i'm very happy about. The other lens used 40.5 filters. 40.5 filters are not very easy to find, the only solution i found was a 40.5 to series VI adapter.