Zeiss TeleTessar T 35-200

[jerryquax]

I bought a used Tele-Tessar T*3,5/200 in an excellent condition (It actually looked like never been used ...). The Production was stopped in the early 80s. Is there anybody having experience with that lense ? Are there any MTFs available ?

 

[tbarry]

I bought a German Tele-Tesar f3.5 200 in identically pristine condition a few months ago. I've taken some photos with it and find it to be quite a fine lens, with good contrast. Even though it is rather large, I rather like the look of it mounted on one of my Aria bodies. There is a website devoted to MTF charts for most lenses, but I took it off my "favorites" list (which had grown too large) and can't remember the name. But someone here will, I'm willing to bet.

 

[rico]

The brochure containing MTF is available from this web site. Lens performance looked quite weak, but am most interested to hear your first-hand opinion!

 

[tbarry]

I didn't realize the Zeiss MTF charts were on this site! Thanks. Actually, the old 200 f3.5 figures look pretty comparable to the current 180 f2.8, though of course it is not as good as the new 200 f2 (nor does it cost nearly as much). MTF charts are helpful, but don't tell the whole story of a lens, as you know. I don't have any experience with the new 200 f2, but I find the 200 f3.5 subjectively (looking at slides from both lenses) just a little - very little - behind the performance of my Canon L-series 200 f2.8 for EOS, and that is one of the better 200s to be found.

 

[jerryquax]

I just got the photos from my first shootings with the used CZ T* 200/3,5 done during my summer vacations. In my opinion it is best used for portrait-photography. Before I have used the CZ T* 100/2; however, using the 200 mm you have more chances to isolate the object's face beyond the background. It is remarkably sharp while having an extremely good contrast. Nevertheless, to bring it into the right sharpness you have to turn (nearest distance to infinity) around 270°, which makes it quite cumbersome for use in nature photography (Any animal will be long away before it's sharp ...). Therefore I prefer to use it in connection with the AX-body. Then you only need to turn it into a somewhat right sharpness while the AX makes the rest ...

 

[tbarry]

Dr., you are right, the 200 f3.5 has a long-throw focusing mechanism. I find it helpful to keep the lens set near infinity, rather than at the near-focus mark; that is because most of my use of the lens is for landscape photography. The AX body should make the lens more convenient to use.