Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8 : Specifications and Opinions

Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8

The Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8 is a standard lens for FF and APS-C, manufactured from 1952 to 1978 (discontinued). The focus is done by Manual Focus, it does not have image stabilization. The average price was 50 €;

25 users have given it an average vote of 9.2 out of 10.

Specifications
Focal lenght	50 mm
Angle of view	46.8°
Format	FF, APS-C
Max. aperture	f/2.8
Aperture blades	12
Lenses/Groups	4 elements in 3 groups
Min. focus distance	0.35 meters
Reproduction ratio
Features
Stabilization	No
Focus	Manual Focus
Internal Focus	No
Built and notes
Tripod ring	No
Extenders	No
Filters
Lens hood	Yes (not supplied)
Weather sealing	No
Weight	175 g
Dimensions	51 x 45 mm
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Reviews

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The following opinions have been automatically translated with Google Translate.

Antonio.bartalozzi

sent on 22 Aprile 2025

Pros: Soft blur, color rendering, micro-contrast, very smooth focusing, look (aluminum version) super cool

Cons: Not too bright, suffers quite a bit from backlight

Opinion: I bought this lens by seeing a few video reviews at a good price. Being in the period when I used brighter lenses such as the helios and the super takumar 50mm f1.4 I left it aside a bit. In recent days I have picked it up again and I must say that it left me surprised. It has perhaps one of the most elegant, soft, and painterly bokeh among my vintage lenses. At close range it is very beautiful on flowers and nature and even closing the aperture a little (at f4 or f5.6) it still maintains a very soft and pleasant blur. Also nice for portraits with soft or sharp light (if not backlit, as it suffers a bit like all old lenses). I am very satisfied, it is a very poetic lens.

Alex170290

sent on 15 Aprile 2021

Pros: construction, sharpness, blurry, bokeh, colors

Cons: maybe the passage of the diaphragm is a little strange..

Opinion: it's an optics that returns very natural colors, with the best bokeh ever seen. 12 slats of the diaphragm guys, the bokeh is a booling ball. Sharpness is great. the construction made in Germany is beautiful, all in metallic silver. The only drawback in my focus is very hard, so you have to crack it a little bit. It's for still photos! it's beautiful aesthetically, sexyy

EnricoGiuliani

sent on 10 Maggio 2020

Pros: Very compact and light, remarkable quality even for the present day, beautiful bokeh even with "soap bubbles", excellent readability of lights and shadows, very intense colors.

Cons: Nothing, given the palious cost for a goal!

Opinion: Recently bought, in black version with screw attack 42, at a few tens of euros, surprised me pleasantly. High resolution especially central but starting at f/5.6, under that diaphragm is relatively soft. It provides excellent results in closed diaphragms macro shots (mounted inverted or with classic extension tubes), for its performance in the finest details. A miscousation for a few euros that pays off a lot in terms of satisfaction!

Rolubich

sent on 10 Maggio 2020

Pros: Construction, lens and historical scheme, color quality, blurry, low cost

Cons: Yield to TA

Opinion: Historic CZJ lens with equally historic Tessar optical scheme. Mine is the aluminum version with 12-bladed diaphragm, multilayer coating ("red T") and M42 attachment. At TA it has a rather weak resolution and contrast but it is still very usable even on dense sensors, and then the low contrast to TA can also be considered an advantage. At f/4 it improves a lot and at f/5.6 excellent resolution and contrast, this in the center. It suffers a bit in the peripheral areas, like all the goals of the era that I tried, but at f/11 achieves a good uniformity on the whole image and you can also take landscape photos with good results. Beautiful colors and good blurred, especially in comparison with another 50mm vintage. Moderate vignette and almost no distortion. We add the very low cost and easy availability and I do not know what you can ask for more.

Chebeltempo

sent on 23 Marzo 2020

Pros: Size, color rendering, price

Cons: Adjustment diaphragm

Opinion: Taken for a loaf of bread the ALU version. What about... Excellent optics, exciting color rendering, good sharpness and blurry really very nice. Very compact and at the same time solid and well-crafted optics. You just have to get used to the diaphragm preset system (it was stuck in my model, then unlocked with Zippo gasoline and lots of patience). Excellent rendering in macro images, also using extension tubes, not having the rear diaphragm activation pad, present on many M42 optics. As far as I'm concerned, considering also the cost and age of the project, it is a very advisable optics, which can not miss in the park of a vintage enthusiast.

There are 9 more reviews. Show all »

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Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8 : Specifications and Opinions

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Reviews

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Photos taken with Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8