CZJ Tessar f7,2 17,5cm

[alexvaras]

Hi all,

Finally I got this lens, I already dated it, it's from 1909-1911.
But being a f7,2 is the most intriguing fact.
I read a lost of old documents, english and french mainly but all the references for Tessar are f6,3, f4,5, etc.

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Anyone can add info about it? Is it like a transition lens from Zeiss double-anastigmat?
Confirmed the presence of two lenses at the front and a double-cemented at the back.

Thank you,
Alex

[Dan Fromm]

Alex, the Tessar is an asymmetrical anastigmat. It was CZJ's primary general purpose lens until after WW II. Not transitional.

CZJ's Ser. III Anastigmat was an f/7.2 four elements in two cemented groups lens, but it was discontinued before 1900.

Y'r lens may be in a small shutter that limits the maximum aperture.

[alexvaras]

The aperture at the Koilos shutter is 7,2 as well. It could fit another lens before this.
Until when Koilos did shutters? I will try to read about Koilos.

[Dan Fromm]

You could unscrew one of the cells and measure the shutter's aperture's maximum diameter ...

[Steven Tribe]

This air brake model of the Koilos was introduced in 1907 and it looks like it disappeared in 1910, leaving the Compound alone as an air brake shutter.

[lucaas]

As Dan said, the lens aperture is limited by the max opening of the Koilos shutter. Your shutter should be no.2 with 25mm opening.

[alexvaras]

At home I will measure the shutter max opening later, lens is from 1909 as I read in Zeiss Historica - Spring 1999 - page 15.
If Koilos was still on business (as Steven says) then it fits, it could be from another shutter yes but the lettering says 1:7,2 pretty clear but no catalog I read so far mention any lens like this.

[Dan Fromm]

Even in those days CZJ was a merchant lens maker, sold lenses to camera manufacturers. Special versions like the OP's f/7.2 Tessar weren't always cataloged for sale to the, um, general public.

OP, look for the lens in camera catalogs, not in CZJ lens catalogs.

[alexvaras]

The narrowest diameter is 24,21mm where the shutter blades come and go, the thread lens diameter is 30mm.
Dan, what does OP mean? I only know OverPowered acronym from online games and I don't think this is the case.

[Dan Fromm]

The narrowest diameter is 24,21mm where the shutter blades come and go, the thread lens diameter is 30mm.
Dan, what does OP mean? I only know OverPowered acronym from online games and I don't think this is the case.

Original Poster. That's you.

[alexvaras]

Thank you Dan, I will search on camera catalogs, it is going to be a long search :)

[Rick in CO]

Just found this thread; I have a 17,5cm Zeiss Tessar Nr. 123488 in a 1-1/200 Compound shutter with marked apertures f7.2-50, no serial number, but circa 1909-1910 according to the early photography website.
As the Original Post indicates, I have found no listing reference.

[alexvaras]

Thank you for sharing your lens.
Btw,’mine it’s not a real Tessar 4/3 design but a triplet 3/3. Rear lens is only a single element.

[Rick in CO]

Thank you for sharing your lens.
Btw,’mine it’s not a real Tessar 4/3 design but a triplet 3/3. Rear lens is only a single element.
Amazing. Just checked mine and you are correct. Still time for a lawsuit?

[alexvaras]

Someone here with more knowledge can say that lenses with f/7.2 are 3/3 triplets and with f/6.3 are 4/3 Tessars, if I recall I read it somewhere.
I don’t complain about my lens, I love it.
If anyone can point out the early years of Tessar for reading, I will appreciate it.

Thank you.

[Rick in CO]

[QUOTE=alexvaras;1698176]Someone here with more knowledge can say that lenses with f/7.2 are 3/3 triplets and with f/6.3 are 4/3 Tessars, if I recall I read it somewhere.
I don’t complain about my lens, I love it.
If anyone can point out the early years of Tessar for reading, I will appreciate it.[/QUOTE

Yes, I would be interested in that info as well.
The earlier f7,2 Zeiss Anastigmat was a very different lens.

I bought this lens out of curiosity, to put on a vintage Linhof camera.
My comment about the lawsuit was frivolous, however I wonder if the original purchaser knew what they were getting?