Provenance & certification
Certificate issued at hand-off.
Carl Zeiss Tessar 50mm f2.8
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Condition assessed 26/4/2026
How we gradeInspector’s condition notes
Lens in good condition. Optical is perfect with no scratch. Focus and aperture are smooth like new. Internal parts are solid with no internal lens rattle. External body shows typical signs of use, with visible scratches and paint loss on the lens body as commonly seen.
How this lens renders
Compared to the 50mm lens with matching specs, this Tessar stands out for its sharpness, courtesy of the legendary 4-element Tessar formula (designed by Paul Rudolph back in 1902). At wide open f/2.8, center sharpness is good, though the edges remain a touch soft. Stop down to f/4 and the center becomes tack-sharp, peaking through the f/5.6–f/11 range — well earned by its "Eagle Eye" nickname. Micro-contrast at stopped-down apertures is excellent. Bokeh from the 8 aperture blades renders highlight points as calm, nearly round orbs with a quiet, non-busy character. Backgrounds dissolve smoothly without drawing attention to themselves. Colors lean neutral with a hint of warmth, and the lens renders blues and greens accurately. It can also throw some vignetting at wide open — a nice framing cue for stylistic use — that fades by f/5.6. With a single-layer coating, shooting into strong backlight will give you flare and a soft, filmic tonality. If you'd rather avoid flare, a lens hood is the way to go. A classic manual focus lens that delivers both sharpness and charm — truly worthy of a place in any collection.
In the box
ฝาหน้าเทียบ ฝาหลังเทียบ
Carl Zeiss Tessar 50mm f2.8
The Carl Zeiss Tessar 50mm f/2.8 with 8 aperture blades in Exakta mount is a historically significant lens from 1950s East Germany that delivers legendary sharpness when stopped down, featuring the iconic four-element Tessar formula designed by Paul Rudolph in 1902.
