At 08:26 9/25/02, Ben Russell wrote:
While the Tokina 28-85/4 is on peoples minds, I'd like to ask about this
comparable lens.
Does anyone else use this lens, or know anything about it? I've found
nothing on the web about this particular 'Jena' model.
It's a 'Jenazoom II' that I've been told was produced by Sigma. It has a
62mm filter thread, MC, 1:4 macro across the zoom range and with two touch
action.
Ben,
The subject of these lenses has come up before . . . usually with the
discovery of a "Carl Zeiss" in OM mount being auctioned off on
evilBay. Every one I've seen is a CZJ.
Carl Zeiss originally started in Jena. Following WWII, the Zeiss
Foundation (Stiftung) which included Zeiss Ikon, Schott Glass, Carl Zeiss
as its principal companies was relocated to Stuttgart at/near their
Contessa-Nettel works, and was reorganized there. Oberkochen is often
mentioned as well (near Stuttgart). Only the "key personnel" were
relocated, leaving many behind. The remnants of the Zeiss Ikon works in
Dresden were hauled of to start the Kiev camera works as part of war
reparations. Out of this pillaging in Jena, there were numerous Zeiss
personnel left behind and they started Carl Zeiss, VEB, also known as Carl
Zeiss, Jena, in the Soviet Sector to distinguish it from the restart of the
"real" Zeiss Foundation companies in what was to become West
Germany. Numerous patent and trademark lawsuits were filed in quite a
number of countries. In the U.S., CZJ was banned from using "Zeiss" or any
of the Zeiss trademarks; however both could use all the pre-WWII
patents. Some countries in Europe (France comes to mind as one of them)
allowed CZJ to use the Zeiss name. Many of the CZJ lenses, especially
early on, were pre-WWII designs and were renamed. Build quality varied
more due to shortages of some materials for the lenses and equipment for
their manufacture, but a number of these lenses are as outstanding as the
West German Carl Zeiss.
Now let several decades fly by to the late 1970's and early 1980's. Carl
Zeiss VEB in Jena is having financial difficulties. In order to increase
revenue, they prostituted their name onto Japanese designed and built
lenses, and marketed them in mounts for popular SLR systems, including the
OM. Although these lenses are not bad, they are not up to the Carl Zeiss
reputation either; about average or middle-of-the-road for aftermarket
lenses. Even so, it didn't help CZJ's repuation in the long run and cast a
shadow over other stellar lenses that had evolved from pre-WWII Carl Zeiss
lens designs and their design principles. Your lens is undoubtedly one of
those designed and manufactured by a Japanese firm and marketed by
CZJ. Doesn't mean it's a poor lens, though, but it won't have the "resale
value" nor the exceptional performance of a true Zeiss lens either.
-- John
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|