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1949 ZK 5cm F1.5 Sonnar, in LTM

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[quote]A google search on ZK Sonnar borought up this forum. Looks like a good place to post about my Russian lenses!

This is my first post on this forum. Today, I disassembled and cleaned a newly acquired ZK Sonnar. I've taken apart several Wartime Zeiss Sonnars and a lot of J-3's, ranging from 1950 to 1986 production. Any members of rangefinderforum.com will recognize the name and infatuation with Fast Russian Glass.

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I just finished collimating this lens, and re-assembling it.

No question that this lens is made from German parts. Some minor construction differences compared with the lenses assembled in Germany: NO set screw holding the rear optics fixture in place, no hidden set screw holding the name ring in place. Material is the same as the Wartime LTM Sonnars.

It looks like this lens started out as Zeiss SN 2726739. There is not a tap for the Set Screw used to hold the rear module into place. It is not from a parted out lens.

[IMG]http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=145&pictureid=1304[/IMG]

The plastic case that it came in, compared with a J-3 case on the Left.

[IMG]http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=145&pictureid=1300[/IMG]

Lens compared with a Wartime Zeiss LTM Sonnar.
[IMG]http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=145&pictureid=1298[/IMG]

Serial Number, note that it looks like a J-3 SN.

[IMG]http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=145&pictureid=1308[/IMG]

The first ZK's had "1948" and then a SN.

Rear module has hand engraved numbers like a J-3. German LTM Sonnars do not have these extra markings, just the machine stamped lens SN.

[IMG]http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=145&pictureid=1303[/IMG]

Big "M" and two Set Screws as in a Wartime LTM Sonnar.

[IMG]http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=145&pictureid=1305[/IMG]

The larger of the two screws is the Stop for close-focus and infinity. The J-3 does not use this second set screw.

Not sure if the rear cap is original, but it probably is. Shows who made the lens, KMZ.

[IMG]http://ziforums.com/picture.php?albumid=145&pictureid=1301[/IMG]

I'll be testing the lens and posting results. Looks great using the TTL viewer. I will compare with the wartime lens with the 272 SN.[/quote]

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