A simple, yet fantastic lens: Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm

Introduction

In this post, I want to share my experience with the Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8 lens. Originally designed for 35mm SLR cameras with an Exacta mount, this lens was introduced in 1951 and became highly successful, leading to various modifications being produced until 1990. One of the most notable versions is the so-called Zebra Version. The lens I’m using here was produced around 1961 or 1962, as indicated by the serial number. I’ve paired it with a Micro Four Thirds (MFT) camera, the Olympus OM-D E-M10. Thanks to the in-body image stabilization and focus peaking features, using old manual lenses on this camera is a breeze. This review isn’t a technical deep dive; instead, it’s about the joy of using vintage lenses on modern cameras and the impressive results you can achieve with such an old piece of glass.

Build Quality

The build quality is excellent. The lens is made of metal with a silver finish, likely aluminum, though I’m not entirely sure. It’s very compact, and compared to modern lenses, it looks tiny. It’s hard to believe this is a “full-frame” lens—it’s even smaller than some MFT lenses, such as the M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8. Despite its size, the lens feels very solid and well-constructed.

The focus ring rotates smoothly with just the right amount of damping, making it easy to achieve precise focus. It has a 270° turn from the closest focusing distance to infinity, allowing for very accurate focusing. The front element doesn’t rotate while focusing, and the aperture ring has well-defined stops and clicks. Below is a table summarizing the key technical details.

Optical Quality

The optical quality is decent, but not something to rave about. The lens has both strengths and weaknesses, depending on what you’re looking to achieve. On an MFT camera, the lens effectively acts as a telephoto lens due to the crop factor. Even with in-body image stabilization, I sometimes noticed camera shake—something that wasn’t apparent when taking the shot but became visible on a computer screen later.

In terms of sharpness, the lens performs well but not consistently across all apertures. At its widest aperture of f/2.8, the center sharpness is lacking, and images appear noticeably soft. However, stopping down improves sharpness significantly, with the center becoming sharp from f/4 to f/11. Beyond that, at f/16 and f/22, the images soften again, though not as much as at f/2.8.

Corner sharpness is technically not great, but from a creative standpoint, this softness can add a unique character to your images. Wide open at f/2.8, the corners are very soft, and while they improve somewhat when stopped down to f/4 or f/5.6, they remain soft. It’s only at f/8 that the corners become noticeably sharper, with f/11 providing the sharpest images across the frame.

If you want sharpness across the entire frame, f/11 is the sweet spot. However, the soft corners at wider apertures can create a pleasing effect, drawing attention to the center of the image.

The bokeh is acceptable, but not my favorite—it can be a bit harsh and distracting in the background. Surprisingly, chromatic aberration is minimal, which is impressive for a lens of this age, especially one without modern coatings. This could be due to the simple construction of only four lens elements. Flare is also not an issue; in all my tests, I didn’t encounter any problems with it. Additionally, distortion is very low and practically invisible. One of the lens’s standout features is its color reproduction: the colors are saturated, contrast-rich, and well-balanced.

Example Video

Example Photos

Below are example photos taken with this lens on the Olympus OM-D E-M10. All images were slightly post-processed, including adjustments to white balance, exposure compensation, and shadows or highlights. No distortion correction was applied, and the colors were not manipulated. The photos have been scaled down for this webpage.

The following photos were taken during bright sunshine:

The next two photos are night shots:

And here are a couple of photos showing the bokeh of this lens:

And now a few miscellaneous photos taken at different conditions:

Conclusions

The Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8 is a solid vintage lens. While it’s clear that its optical properties can’t compete with modern lenses, it can still produce good results with some practice and patience. The lens gives your photos a unique look that’s difficult to achieve with contemporary lenses. It’s best suited for experienced photographers who appreciate the nuances of using vintage glass. For me, it’s a lot of fun to use this lens—partly because it’s compact and lightweight, and with a nice lens mount adapter, it looks stylish on the E-M10. I also enjoy the focal length and the results it delivers, but it does require careful handling to get the best shots. This is not a lens for quick, spontaneous photography—focusing and setting the right aperture can be challenging.