Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 5,8cm f/2 T
MADE IN GERMANY!
Standard fast 58mm f/2 lens in m42 mount. Great for photo & video on DSLR via adaptors(m42 to Nikon/Canon etc), mirrorless systems: Sony NEX, Olympus Pen, Panasonic G, Canon EOS M, Nikon 1, FujiFilm X-mount etc.
Legendary German 58mm Biotar lens which Soviet clones are so popular today on all camera systems!
A TRUE GEM IN ANY COLLECTION!
This is an early post-war m42 version with preset aperture and 17 aperture blades, in the lighter-weight aluminium barrel that replaced the heavy early chrome-brass construction. The 17-blade diaphragm keeps out-of-focus highlights round even when stopped down. The focal length is still engraved in centimetres (“f=5,8cm”), and the red “T” marks the Zeiss anti-reflection coating.
The lens s/n 3350007 was made in the early 1950s.
It is noticeably lighter than the early chrome-brass Biotars.
Lens barrel has light signs of age and use.
Glass is clean and clear – only some age-related dust specks, no scratches.
Mechanics are excellent – focus is smooth and uniform.
Light oil on the aperture blades is present, but it will not affect image quality or functionality (manual preset aperture).
See photos for cosmetics.
Creates beautiful Biotar style bokeh – out of focus highlights are rendered as beautiful discs, making the background swirly.
Comes with original Carl Zeiss Jena front cap and an M42 rear cap.
Features:
Mount: M42 screw mount
Focal length: 58mm
Maximum aperture: f/2, preset
Nr. of aperture blades: 17
Optical design: 6 elements in 4 groups
Filter size: 49mm
Focus: manual
Produced: Biotar 58mm f/2, 1946-1960 in many variations
This product ships from 🇺🇦Ukraine with tracking number
Why Collectors Want This Lens Today
The Biotar 58mm f/2 is the lens the Soviet Helios-44 was copied from. Zeiss introduced it in 1936 for the Kine Exakta, to a design by Willy Merté, and after the war Carl Zeiss Jena kept making it until about 1960, with 17-, 12- and 10-blade diaphragms and with manual, preset and semi-automatic aperture control. The Helios-44 became one of the most mass-produced lenses in the world; the Biotar is the German original behind it.
This example is an early post-war version with a 17-blade diaphragm, still engraved in centimetres (“5,8cm”) and marked with the red “T” of the Zeiss anti-reflection coating. So many thin blades keep the opening close to round when stopped down, so out-of-focus highlights stay round too. It is the same quality collectors look for in the early 13-blade Helios-44.
Went through recent CLA (Cleaning Lubrication Adjustment) and guaranteed to work well!
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