The BEST BUDGET LENS Money Can Buy - For Under £20!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ค. 2024
- This week's lens is, in my opinion, one of the nicest budget 50mm vintage lenses you can buy.
It's made by Carl Zeiss Jena and as you would expect it's a very high quality optic, with outstanding colour, sharpness and background blur characteristics.
And perhaps best of all, it can be found from as little as £20 - or even less!
This lens is too good to miss!
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Thanks for watching!
Hi, I am a 18 year old beginning cinematographer based in the Netherlands. I want to thank you very much for your videos! I learned so much in the past years I have been following you. My teachers at school can't tell me a thing about lenses. So having your videos to learn from is really great. I bought about 20 lenses based on your recommendations. And my clients love it! So thank you, best wishes for 2022.
I'm very glad these videos have been useful - perhaps your teachers should watch them too!
Great comment, very cool.
Netherlands here too!
I also appreciate Mr. Xenography and you too.
The contents he made are easy to understand for Korean like me.
I deeply appreciate your comment. Nowadays, the young generation ignore the wisdom of elder generation but you recognize this simple truth!
You will be great Cinema director with huge knowledge of Old/Vintage wisdom!
"The Classic is forever!" Chanel said.
TS, Seoul
No difference in coatings eh? That's because almost all eastern Tessars are single-coated ! And they do not use the old Tessar formula but the "new" one designed by Harry Zöllner in 1947. This formula was used for four decades !
In an Essay from '72 Zöllner said that there's nothing more that can be done to improve the Tessar, and he furthermore said to praise Paul Rudolph and his successors as they created a near perfect lens using no computers and just raw brainpower.
Yet one small change came with the Praktica B-series. A small production run of "Prakticar f2,8 50mm" lenses were made with their only advantage being that they were multicoated.
TL;DR Near perfect design from more than hundred years ago continues to be a good lens. Quite the feat if you ask me
Indeed! That reminds me of the story of the guy who created the first steam turbine - he sketched the design and profile of the blades so that it looked 'about right' - around a hundred years later the design was subjected to computer analysis to see if it could be improved and was found to be - spot on! Engineers with intuition can't be bested by computers!
@@zenography7923 Similarly with the inventor of Diesel.
His somewhat relaxed calculations of the self ignition point were actually dead accurate
The Tessar 50mm f2.8 is truly a wonderful lens, one of my favorites. I have three of them including one made in West Germany, four if you add in the Industar 50-2 which is slightly slower at f3.5. My oldest, made between 1955 and 1958, is all silver and has 12 aperture blades. The lens design is four elements in three groups and, as you say it produces great sharpness, contrast and color. The Germans have called it the adlerauge, eagle's eye.
Eagle's eye is just about right, a great piece of glass! Thanks for the correction too!
I've got a 1963 model. All aluminium finish. Work of art.
Oh, that sounds lovely!
Nice lens. Best wishes for 2022!
Many thanks Bert, happy new year to you my friend!
Nigel
Happy New Year to you
This looks like another great lens
Thank You
Happy new year to you too! This Tessar is a lovely little lens, cheap to buy and rather under-rated too!
Happy new year Nigel. Thanks for another video to sip coffee with.
Thanks Jaime, glad you enjoyed it!
Really liking your approach 👍
Awesome video!!
Thanks for the visit, glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic lens for photography and also video.
What a thrilling title !
Happy 2022 Mr Z
Thaknk, glad you liked it! Happy new year my. friend!
I took a couple of shots of that library yesterday. Happy new year.
Small world!
What a great start to the New Year, Nigel. A lens which is within reach of almost everyones pocket. I also have two, one I got with a Praktica MTL 5B and one I bought as I couldn't resist the price - it was cheaper than the cost of postage, and THAT was under a fiver. Bargains, every one.
Bargains indeed, no doubt about it!
Hi Nigel,
Happy New Year!
This video is a nice start into 2022 - I enjoyed it very much.
Actually I have a CZJ Tessar from the fifties that I use sometimes.
It's got the CZJ 1950s lenses' silver look and is actually pretty tiny - almost like a viewfinder lens, although it is in M42-Mount.
Only disadvantage: for some reason the hyperfocal scale is spread out wider, than the helicoid will turn - otherwise it's just nice.
Greetings from Hamburg/Germany,
Christian
Hey Christian, happy new year to you! Your Tessar sounds lovely!
I have one and can confirm everything you say, I love it.
A great little lens for sure - enjoy!
Happy New Year!!
And happy new year to you sir!
Really enjoyed this in depth review!
I have one of the earlier versions + am so pleased to have paid only £20
Am tempted to buy a Domiplan lens , but not sure due to it's reputation.
May I wish you a happy, healthy + peaceful New Year
Derek
Hi Derek, happy new year to you my friend, hope all's well! Very glad you enjoyed the video!
I love the sharpness but mainly the color rendering of this lens. It is a great value for money.
I can think of few better!
Good to see there are still some bargains out there. Like the change to the dinning room table.
Thanks Ryan, glad you enjoyed it!
Hey!! ..Not Sure if you read comments..I have followed your videos for a year or two and purchased a mirrorles a7 camera and several vintage lenses you recommend. I want to thank you. I have such great photos of my family now and an enjoyable hobby. My favorite lens so far is the SMC takumar55mm or my FED industar61 .
Nigel let his hair down with this recommendation!
He did indeed! When it comes to hair I'm with the hippy in 'Withnail and I', who said "Your hair is your ariels man, it picks up signals from the cosmos and transmits it directly into the brain"! I'm sure that must be true. I think. :)
@@zenography7923 In keeping with my rock music analogy in this youtube niche (eg.Simon's Utak as Roxy Music for vintage snappers). Cool and urbane. Nige, your free flowing locks did have me reaching for equivalence not over imaginative I know, but will have to settle for Eno. ps. Your reference to Withnail and I resonated here, are you channeling the Richard E. Grant or Paul McGann role? pps. Love the vids keep em rolling!
I was just thinking of you as I fished out my old Sony DSC-R1 with one of my most favourite lens' . Carl Zeis Vario Sonnar T* 24 -120 f2.8.. Not talking the same thing of course, but a really, really cool camera and lens.
This is going for eighty to over a hundred dollars on eBay. Crossing the Pond raises prices.
Gosh, that's quite steep! I guess perhaps there weren't many of these sold in the USA?
Hello Nigel, thanks a lot for the presentation of this lens! A nice little lens, indeed! Talking about zebra finish. I have a Leica Curtagon 4.0/35 mm shift lens. Also a very nice lens on my Nikon Z6. It can be had for cheap for a shift lens. If you wish, I could send you some sample images! A happy new year to you, too! Best wishes Ralf
Hey Ralf, happy new year to you my friend, hope all's well with you. I'd very much like to see those images - please send them over when you get the chance!
@@zenography7923 Hey Nigel, thanks, I’m fine. If the weather permits, I’ll take some pictures with the Nikon Z6 and the PA-Curtagon attached on it and I’ll send it to you via e-mail. I have some images from a few years ago and I made them on a Sony A7 II (the predecessor of the Nikon Z6). Best wishes Ralf
@@zenography7923 Hi Nigel, a few days ago I sent you some images made with the Curtagon as well as a Pentax shift lens (3.5/28mm) via e-mail. Did you get them? Please let me know. Best wishes Ralf
Thanks!
And thank you!
Bonne et heureuse année 2022 avec la santé surtout .Happy New year.
Merci beaucoup Rudolphe, a toi aussi!
I have a 14 bladed king Tessar that’s amazing!
Gosh, that really does sound amazing!
I bet your lens cabinet is kicking out some radiation with those vintage lenses. Fab video btw 👍
Hehe... you funny! ;-)
It's not kicking out too much - my only radioactive lens is a Pentax 50mm f1.4, which I keep in a metal container!
Carl Zeiss Tessar 50mm f2.8, is indeed one of the very best. It ain't just about sharpness although it's sharp stopped down, it's about mood and rendering. You know it's high time you did a review of the Zeiss Ikon Contaflex series. The quality of these cameras and lenses are superb for not too much money. They are so underrated and the default lens is a Pro Tessar 50mm f2.8 with a leaf shutter built in. Yep, another variation on this venerable design. Add to that you have a choice of a 35mm, 85mm and 115mm Tessar lenses, and they are all a delight.
I'll check out those Zeiss cameras, thanks for the tip!
I have the even slower 50mm Tessar 3.5 from 1947 and I love it
A 3.5 Tessar can be a very nice lens indeed - the Industar 22 and 50 are both cases in point!
Ah, the Carl Zeiss Jena is one of my favourites. I have both, the zebra version and the later back in black version. The zebra I love, but I haven't come across a later one that works. There seems to invariably be some fault or other with them. Usually stiff focus or aperture blades that don't work. The trouble is that they are cheap, and it's easier to buy another than it is to get it repaired. Three versions later... 😂
They're cheap enough to buy another it's true, but they're such nice lenses it seems a shame not to give them a little service, if needed! Glad you found a good one in the end!
@@zenography7923 I do have a very good later one that I probably will service. Pity not too really.
Actually, the Tessar design has 4 elements in 3 groups.
Thanks for the correction!
Yes. Basically a Cooke Triplet with an added Rear Element, making it four total. A very old, but great lens design indeed-
Construction: 4 elements in 3 groups
Aperture: f/6.3 (1902)
f/4.5 (1907)
f/2.8 (1930)
I absolutely love your style making this video. I have been worn out from other reviews where they try so hard to be better than everyone else.
I'm very sorry, but would this lens work with Canon dslr EF-S mount?
No need to apologise, questions are welcome! You can adapt this (or any other m42 mount lenses) to your Canon, using a cheap m42 to ef adaptor!
All jokes aside. You're literally the Bob Ross of photography. You don't tell me anything new (so far). But I love to listen to your relaxing voice while polishing my lenses. Plus, you made me buy a FED 4 (for 30 fucking €, lens and shipping included! That's nothing!). Talking 'bout polishing. I'd love to hear your advice on repairing and cleaning all kinds of photography equipment.
I am honoured to be compared to Mr Ross, I love his show! Enjoy the Fed by the way!
@@zenography7923 He should be honoured to be compared to you, sir.
Hi there! Great video and great lenses you got there! I have in sight a carl zeiss jenna 50mm 2.8, the thing is, its a pentina mount and i cant find any adapters for my sony e mount camera, do you know any sites that sell that adapter? I want to buy the lens but it renders useless as wouldnt be able to use it
Well, I don't like to correct you, Nigel, but the Tessars have four elements, in three groups, in fact the name Tessar comes from the greek word for four. While I'm at it, Pentax, Canon and Nikon are not western, Japan is about as far east as you can get, the land of the rising sun, you know. That said, I totally agree, the Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm 2.8 is a great lens. Amazing how this 120 year old design still is an excellent choise today. I actually paid 50 euros for my copy in an Internet auction, but I think it's worth it. They are kind of rare here, Praktica cameras tend to come with either Domiplan (triplet) or Pentacon, and at about 25 euros, that's great too. I did however get an Agfa camera with a Tessar design lens, for just 10 cents at another Internet auction, it's working too! I really like your videos on vintage lenses (and cameras)! Happy New Year!
Happy new year to you Kalle, and thanks for the correction! You certainly did pretty well at the 10c auction - well done!
Tessar are 4 elements in 3 groups.... a bit of a leg up on the Cooke triplet.. originally designed in York by an English guy..... 😮
Funny, the focusing scale/ring on newer Jena is EXACTLY the same as on my Pentacon 50 1.8)
I love my Carl Zeiss Jena lens I use it on my canon ae1 and I get great results
It's a very nice lens, and rather under-rated too!
@@zenography7923 that is true I think there's alot of hype over the 44-2 but not over the czj
is it this one Carl Zeiss Jena 29mm f2.8 MC ?
Do you have some tips to store cameras and lenses when not being used? I am struggling with a lot of moisture here in Germany this winter.
What 35mm manual lens would you recommend for using on mirrorless and keeping the combo as small as possible?
Delicious videos continue as they were. Are those lenses able to be directly mounted on the creamy Fujifilm xe2? Or I need an adapter for them?
You'll need an adaptor for each type of vintage lens mount, eg OM to Fuji X for Olympus OM lenses, M42 to Fuji X for M42, and so on. Adaptors are cheap, and readily available!
@@zenography7923 thank you very much for your precious and crispy information and happy new year🥳🙏
2022 came round quickly yes, but not completely unexpected ;-)
It had to come eventually I guess - happy new year Martin!
@@zenography7923 Only a matter of time. Happy New Year to you, too. Looking forward to more Zenography!
😹😹😹
Good luck finding any CZJ 50mm f/2.8 Tessar for as cheaply as you claim now. I spent quite a bit of time looking for one back in mid 2020 because of the great reviews of this lens. I found a nice Aus Jena export version for about $30 USD, but it cost nearly $60 USD after tax and shipping. That's still a very good price, but these lenses are selling today on Ebay for $60-120 before shipping.
Prices do vary from country to country, and it seems this lens is particularly expensive in the usa, unfortunately.
@@zenography7923 I am also finding the prices quite a lot more and I am in the UK. Any ideas?
I found the zebra one attached to a Pentax camera for 30€ in a thrift store near my house. I guess I should buy it. 😅
I use a helicoid adapter to Fuji with mine ,for even closer focusing .
I bet that makes some very cool close shots!
@@zenography7923 I'll do a measurement on closest I can focus with the helicoid in good daylight tomorrow & post on here . Looking forward to more videos .Have you tried any Medium format lenses ? I have been using the Pentacon 6 Volna 80mm lens with nice results .
A quick test today and I can get as close as 6`` to subject with helicoid on X-T1 .
Carl Zeiss Jena 29mm f2.8 MC have you tried i and whats it Like
How would these vintage lenses perform on M4/3? Surley you would loose the full frame effect? Plus manual focus, not got time on say street, autofocus a must. Not tried early M4/3 lenses not micro 4/3rd,s, can be autofocus with correct adaptor with elec connection,s. Some bargain,s with the DSLR lenses, perhap,s worth an episode?
You're right, the crop factor on M43 means this lens will function (effectively) as a 100mm lens on full frame. If you have focus peaking, you should be able easily to manually focus on the street - with a little practice - or you can buy adaptors that will enable autofocus even when using vintage lenses!
For 2022 I'd love to see a standard test chart shot for every lens (just wide open, center & corner, no need to be super technical). It's very hard to compare the sharpness and aberrations between lenses from random shots with varying conditions shown in a compressed youtube video. Imagine if you started last year already, you'd be at the head of the most comprehensive comparative data of vintage lenses around ! I think that would add ton of value to your channel.
I don't really see much value in this sort of comparison. I actually prefer seeing real images that show the strengths of the lens. There's a lot more that goes into taking a lens for a walk and actually getting to know it, and see where it is strongest and weakest. I don't know about you, but I don't spend much time photographing test cards and identical scenes. I like to explore the qualities of each lens through the pursuit of capturing moments through them.
A lot of the allure these lenses have is in their character. Much of this cannot be expressed by mundane test shots. I think most of us know the limitations these vintage lenses have wide open in most cases and we accept these shortcomings in trade for that special something we get in the bokeh department, or perhaps these inadequacies make a lens more suitable for portrait work, etc.
I think the way he presents these lenses is a large part of why I keep watching. It's personal, it's artistic, and it's how I personally prefer to asses vintage glass.
I post all of my images full res on Flickr sorted by lens to help others get some idea of what to expect. www.flickr.com/photos/lordawesome/albums
@@gearhead-quarters30 That's all is fine but quite irrelevant since I didn't advice to replace the whole review with a single test chart, but rather show a test chart when talking about sharpness. It's just a matter of fact that's it is better communication to show something that is relevant to sharpness comparison when comparing sharpness rather that something that isn't.
I've shied away from this approach from the start, because it seemed more useful to show how lenses actually perform in real world situations. I'm more interested in the aesthetic feel of a lens than its very precise technical performance. Perhaps there's some room for that though, thanks for the suggestion.
@@zenography7923 Note that I'm not suggesting turning the whole thing into a technical review, but when you mention that lens A is sharper than B, I think it would be much more striking to have the same shot taken with both lens as a comparison. In theory you could take the same "real world" shot with each lens (you did that for a while with the iron gate), but with changing light it's a bit tricky to do.
Hi Nigel. I found this: YASHINON-DX 1,7/50. Much more cheaper than Pancolar 50 mm. What do you think?
Well, the Pancolar's a very hard lens to beat - I've found that even the Western Zeiss lenses of the time can't quite match it in terms of sharpness and colour, and that's also true of lenses from the other major manufacturers! I haven't tried the Yashinon 1.7 yet so I can't comment, though the 1.4 version gives fantastic colours although it's a little soft wide open - as most vintage 1.4s are! Good luck with the lens, and let me know how you get on!
They have their charm in certain situations, especially for more creative portraits but in general they are not that great. I had them all and I stuck with Canon FDs and Yashicas. For people that don't have full frame cameras there is no point in carrying bulky adapters when a Chinese lenses like a TTArtisan does a way better job, is faster and has more pleasant features. Just my humble opinion, leave those lenses for the film shooters.
Some of the modern manual lenses are very nice indeed, but so are some of these older ones too - and they do tend to have character, which is why I shoot them!
Western manufacturers like Pentax and Nikon?
The Tessar (1902) is a 4 element 3 group lens. Not a 3 element lens
Thanks for the correction Neil!
I got an 80s Olympus 28mm f2:8 for £20 incl. Postage on eBay.
Now that was quite a bargain - well done!
Honestly I don't know where do you find these for under £20. What I usually see is about tenfold of this.
Yeah on US eBay, the Exakta mount starts at $50 and the m42 is over $100.
Prices do seem to vary according to country, unfortunately. In the UK these sell regularly for £20, and often for less! Thanks for looking in.
CZJ Tessar or Meyer Optik Domiplan??
CZJ every time - the Domiplan is an interesting lens and can make some nice aesthetic effects, but it's nowhere near as good a lens as the CZJ!
@@zenography7923 Yes the Domiplan is one of the least expensive ways to get interesting bokeh, but the Tessar is a better lens for daily shooting.
I had a carl zeiss jena tessar in aluminum barrel. Too bad I sold it.
Too bad indeed - they're pretty cheap if you want another though!
I have a zebra edition lens, although the aperture is stuck wide open. Thankfully I purchased very cheaply.
Aperture mechanisms are known to jam up in CZJ lenses if not used often - it sounds like it needs a clean!
@@zenography7923 it will most probably stay as it is, as I am not up to the challenge of cleaning it myself. Plus I have other lenses in the 50mm range it is not worth the expense of repairs. I will just use it wide open for those times I don't care about depth of field.
How come you look younger??????
I think the light's a bit different to usual - it's either that or the elixir of youth has started working!
@@zenography7923 I think a 1980s mullet would work wonders.
@@zenography7923 (PS I'm jealous ..I got very little left up top)
Buying anything from the UK has become so much dearer if you live on the continent.
Brexit broken Britain 🙄
How does that work? They were made in Germany. There ought to be some in Europe. 😄
All the best was made in Germany....
Unfortunately, political events appear to have overtaken us. All rather a shame really!
@@zenography7923 😂😂😂😂😂
3? Wasn’t the Greek a clue in the name?
Not sharp at all, even compared to Nik AI-S.