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Jacques M.
France
2584 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 06 2015 : 07:57:05 AM
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Hello,
I have received lately a beautiful 4/13,5cm Sonnar. LTM, wartime and with an "M" for meter. So, probably made by Zeiss (for the lens barrel and the glasses) and by KMZ for the mount.
But finally, I am not so sure...
This Sonnar has the s/n 2712580 and belongs to a batch made for Contaxes. Just after, there is a small series of 10 of these 4/13,5cm Sonnars which are made for "Fed fûr Russen" by the Thiele. And in the 270xxxx/271xxxx series, which includes batches of Sonnars and Biogons, we often find nowadays LTM lenses "M" marked whereas they should be with baïonnet.
So, these lenses could have been leftovers at the end of WW2, and changed into LTM "M" by Zeiss at the demand of the Russian Army, like the other series officially made for Fed.
http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/622015_DSCF1787.JPG
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Edited by - Jacques M. on Apr 03 2015 11:40:40 AM |
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Jacques M.
France
2584 Posts |
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Jacques M.
France
2584 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2015 : 09:30:55 AM
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Hello,
I have changed the title of this post. I have just received a third Sonnar 4/13,5cm, and it would be interesting to discuss about the differences (and the history, if we can!) of these lenses.
Here they are:
http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/342015_DSCF1842.JPG
First, there is absolutely no official LTM 4/13,5cm Sonnar ever made by Zeiss for Leicas. The only ones officially recorded by the "Thiele" were made for... Fed! (610 lenses in 1946). These Sonnars are not rare, but not so easy to find.
From right to left, the s/n 2712506, 2712580 (same batch) and the Jup 11 s/n 5101897. The second only can be dismounted to check the Zeiss number. On the two others, the main screw is stuck.
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Jacques M.
France
2584 Posts |
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Jacques M.
France
2584 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2015 : 10:10:42 AM
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The reference mark for the diaphragm ring consists of
- a black triangle for the first Sonnar,
- a black point for the second,
- a red point for the Jup!
http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/342015_DSCF1843.JPG
And the "4" on the depth of field scale is "closed" on the first Sonnar, "open" on the two other lenses. ZKs have open "4" too.
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Jacques M.
France
2584 Posts |
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Jacques M.
France
2584 Posts |
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Jacques M.
France
2584 Posts |
Posted - Apr 03 2015 : 10:45:42 AM
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So, I am a bit perplex.
I don't have doubts about the authenticity of the lenses. But if the general making is the same, every lens has many slight differences.
We will never know, alas, what happened exactly to Zeiss in those grey years...
If I had to imagine, I would see the first Sonnar ("m" mark) as made unofficially in the factory. Perhaps the second one too ("M" mark) at the demand of the Red Army. This lens could really be the forerunner of the ZK, like some collapsible 2/5cm Sonnars are.
And certainly the body of the Jup was made by Zeiss too, before it was finished at KMZ's.
Please, your ideas! Thanks!
Amitiés. Jacques.
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Topic |
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Three LTM Sonnar-Jup 4/13,5cm
