Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 135mm f4.5

[TomAlf94]

Hello guys!

Hey, can someone help me out a little? I'm looking into this lens, a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 135mm, the Zeiss-Ikon type. I know it's made for 9x12. I'm looking for someone who has shoot with it before, I want to know what your experience was and how the lens performed. If anyone has some sample images, that would be great! I'm looking for some not-so-clinical, not-so-sharp lens to use on my 4x5 camera and this one fits just my wished focal length.

Thanks for all the help and info!

[notorius]

What do you mean by not so clinical? At what distance are you going to focus and what f stop number? I do have the exact same lens.

[TomAlf94]

My current 135mm lens is a Nikkor W. It's a great lens, but from time to time, I find myself looking for softer images. I do landscape and portraiture, I like using lenses wide open, I think I've never gone beyond F11. How has your experience with it been so far?

[djdister]

A tessar design is also pretty sharp, so if you are looking for a bit of softness you should explore other lens designs. Check out what lenses are being used in landscape and portrait threads in this forum for examples.

[domaz]

Tessars are sharp but they can have great bokeh. I wouldn't discount it unless you want to go with really low DOF shots. For that you need an Aero Ektar or a fast Petzval.

[TomAlf94]

That's actually something I've been doing for a bit now. I just wondered, since this one I don't recall seeing around that much!

[TomAlf94]

Thanks for the input! Can't go wrong with great fall off!

[Oren Grad]

Tessars are sharp but they can have great bokeh.

They can, but they don't necessarily. If that's a concern each particular lens needs to be evaluated for its own merits.

[TomAlf94]

They can, but they don't necessarily. If that's a concern each particular lens needs to be evaluated for its own merits.

Well this is exactly what I'm after. Modern lenses are kinda just one way.

[Oren Grad]

Well this is exactly what I'm after. Modern lenses are kinda just one way.

Actually, modern lenses aren't one way - they're lots of different ways. Similarly, Tessars don't all look the same, even classic Tessars. If there's a particular look you're after, you'll need to evaluate each lens you're considering for it - there's no one "classic lens look" or "classic Tessar look".