Zeiss Jena 13.5 4.5 question..

[Robbie Bedell]

Today I found and was loaned a Carl Zeiss Jena 13.5 cm 4.5 lens off an old folding Zeiss camera. The camera was just less than 4x5 in in film size. I know this should be a very good lens with not a whole lot of coverage and I plan to try it on both my very old speed graphic and my Wisner 4x5 Tech. This lens is like new, in a compur shutter, dated 1914. I will play with it this week. Have any of you out there ever used this lens? I am being impatient here so tell me what you know! Thanks! Robbie Bedell

http://robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

[IanG]

I have a Crown Graphic which came with a 135mm f4.5 Tessar (circa 1931). It's an OK lens covers 5x4 with a touch of movements but like all LF Tessars and derivatives has poor corner and edge sharpness until f16 when it's OK and f22 very good.

My experience is that the glass changed in some 1930's Tessars (and other Zeiss lenses) which were redesigned to use newer (softer) optical glasses. I much prefer my older Tessars, and have a 1913 165mm f6.3 which is one of Zeiss' best designs.

The early 135mm f4.5 which you have is also a reasonable lens I have a mid 20's version on a Patent Etui.

What surprises me is the (my) older Zeiss lenses (pre roughly 1932) have better contrast, I think it's because the 30's glass is prone to softening/attack by pollutants.

The 135mm Tessar was a standard on European 9x12 cameras, about the same length as 5x4 but a narrower width format, but the same cameras where sold in some markets as Quarter Plate, so the same width as 9x12 but not as long. A few cameras were sold wiyh Quarter plate backs & holderrs, same width as 9x12 but shorter, but this was a UK/US standard

9x12 is still a European (mainland not UK) standard so most film stock's available in Europe and Frestyle carry some in the US.

Ian

[Robbie Bedell]

Yes, Ian. Thank you for your reply! This lens came off a Zeiss Ikon which I beleive was a 9x12 camera. It showed little use which is why the lens is in such good shape. The 1 sec. sounds a little slow, but the 1/2 sounds like 1 sec. and the rest sound very good. I am making a temporary board now to put it on my speed graphic as my speed is very old and takes the 3 1/4 inch boards. I can't wait to take some photos with it. Thanks again, Robbie

http://robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

[rdenney]

Is the lens cell-focused? As you focus, the front cell will turn in and out with respect to the fixed lens standard. The (better) alternative is for the entire standard to be moved to focus the lens. If it iis cell-focused, you will have to experiment with which cell focus setting provides the sharpest image, and then fix it at that point, and thereafter focus it normally on your Speed Graphic.

With lenses this old, condition is a bigger determinant of outcome than vintage. I would expect it to have as good a coverage as any of the 127mm lenses commonly used on 4x5 Graphics, even though those lenses were also intended for smaller formats. Tessars have only three groups and so minimize glass-air surfaces, and perform well even uncoated. They also give a vintage look that isn't so easy to emulate with modern ultra-contrast lenses.

Rick "thinking it's worth further experimentation" Denney

[IanG]

The larger Tessar's were never cell focussing and are quite reasonable performers. Coverage and edge sharpness is a bit little bit better than the 127mm lenses.

Ian

[Robbie Bedell]

Well, the lens now belongs to me. Thanks to all for your input. This is a fixed lens in the compur shutter, not the front focus type, so I am pleased about that. This lens really is like new. I think it was closed up in that folder for most of its life. I will be playing with it more over the weekend. I need to make a lens board for the speed graphic, but it does go on a copal 1 which I do have for my Wisner so I will put it on that and see what sort of movement I have. In the temporary cardboard board I made for the speed the lens looks very sharp and contrasty just looking at the tv screen. Since I have unloaded all of my modern large format glass I am very pleased with this new lens. Thank you all again! Robbie

http://robbiebedell.photoshelter.com