Carl Zeiss Jena 58mm f2 M42 Lens

Unearthed more stuff that I bought from the last camera show. One of them is the Carl Zeiss Jena 58mm f2 in M42 mount (this lens also came in Exakta mount). This lens was a standard lens for one of the early Praktica M42 bodies. The chrome body, after decades of aging, still looks beautiful. The focusing is ok, but the greased has dried up a little and thus is not as smooth focusing as it should be.

The pre-set type aperture of this lens consists of 10-blades, giving an almost circular shape. This should make the out of focus areas a bit more pleasing. This particular lens does not even have the Carl Zeiss name on it, just plain jena. This was common because East Germany was barred from using the Zeiss name, and lens designs such as Sonnar, Biogon, Planar, etc, outside of East Germany, so in order to sell the lenses overseas, they used Carl Zeiss Jena, aus jena, and, T for Tessar, B for Biotar, S for Sonnar, possibly some other designations on the lenses. This lens has jena B 2/58, to indicate that the design was Biotar from Carl Zeiss Jena having a 58mm focal length and f2 maximum aperture.

Most Biotar designs are great performers and this is no exception. It has beautiful bokeh, and is very sharp. I like how this lens renders the pictures. It's one of those lenses that doesn't cost a lot, but gives you much pleasure in return.


Glasses! -- T2i & Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f2. Larger Picture.


Cubes. The out of focus area is rendered very nicely -- T2i & Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f2. Larger Picture.