180mm f4.5 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar

[nickpye]

hi all, I have been offered a 180mm f4.5 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessa for £90.00. is it a good lens? I have a wide angle and really was looking for a 210mm or similar. is this Zeiss a good buy, and is 180mm more a standard length? thanks.

[Sevo]

It is a nice lens, a bit narrow in coverage (4x5 unless you don't mind soft corners), soft when open but tack sharp at f/11. But it is expensive at 90 quid, if it is a barrel mounted one (ik.e. without shutter - a matching shutter alone will run up to more than £90, as they need quite a big one). I've paid about 10-30€ for used barrel mount GDR Tessars, and still quite a bit less than £90 for some late to post GDR ones that were new in box.

[nickpye]

ah forgot to mention I have a 5x4. thanks for the reply!

[Ken Lee]

I have several of these lenses, including a 180 in an older shutter.

They are excellent for portraits, close work, landscapes - unless you need a lot of coverage for view camera movements.

You'll like the lens even better if it is coated, which also means post-WWII.

[Ken Lee]

Here's one I made with a vintage 180 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar lens on 5x7 film.

This useless vintage lens has a special quality, which is augmented when shooting under indirect light.


http://www.kennethleegallery.com/images/forum/img140a.jpg

[Glenn Thoreson]

The secret is out. That's a lovely image from the "useless" lens.
I think they should all be sent to me for proper disposal. :D