Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F2.8 Rare Cine Mod Prime Portrait Lens | Arri PL!

🎬 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F2.8 Cine Mod – Vintage Full Frame Prime | ARRI PL

A professionally modified Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F2.8 vintage prime lens, converted by TerPhoto for cinematography and professional video production. This is a character-rich classic Zeiss Jena optic transformed into a practical cine lens with ARRI PL mount, de-clicked aperture, dual follow-focus gears and an 80mm OD cine-style front hood.

The lens is based on an original Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50 manufactured for the Exakta system. The lens was produced approximately in the 1964–1967 production period, making it a genuine mid-1960s East German Carl Zeiss Jena optic. The Tessar is one of the most historically important Zeiss optical designs. Originally developed at Carl Zeiss Jena in 1902, its famous four-element, three-group optical formula became known for combining relatively simple construction with excellent central sharpness and distinctive rendering.

This vintage photographic lens has been extensively prepared for modern cinematography. It has been fully cleaned, mechanically adjusted and re-lubricated, then adapted and precisely adjusted for ARRI PL mount. The aperture has been de-clicked, allowing smooth, continuous iris adjustments during video recording instead of the stepped aperture operation of the original photographic lens.

Two cine-style follow-focus gears are installed: one for precise manual focusing and another for aperture/iris control. This makes the lens considerably easier to integrate into a professional cinema rig with follow-focus equipment.

The lens also features an 80mm OD cine lens hood/front assembly, providing a more production-friendly front profile and helping integrate this compact vintage optic into a modern cine setup.

The lens covers a full-frame sensor, making its classic 50mm field of view especially useful as a normal/standard prime on full-frame cinema cameras. It can also be used on compatible smaller-format cinema systems, where the effective field of view becomes tighter.

Glass condition: Glass is in good vintage condition. There is very minor wear on the glass typical of a lens of this age. These minor signs of use do not affect the final image. Please examine the detailed photographs for the exact cosmetic condition of this individual lens.

The body shows normal age-related cosmetic wear appropriate for an original mid-1960s lens. The lens has been serviced and modified for practical filmmaking use while retaining the vintage Carl Zeiss Jena optics that give it its distinctive character.

⚙️ Technical Specifications

• Lens Mount - Arri PL
• Focal Length - 50mm
• Maximum Aperture - F2.8
• Minimum Aperture - F22
• Aperture Blades - 5
• Minimum Focusing Distance - 0.5m
• Filter Size - 49mm
• Focus Type - Manual
• Serial Number - Various

🎥 Why Choose This Lens?

The Tessar 50mm F2.8 is a great choice for cinematographers who want something different from the technically perfect rendering of modern cinema glass. Its vintage Carl Zeiss Jena optics give footage an unmistakably classic character while the 50mm focal length remains extremely versatile for narrative filmmaking, portraits, interviews, music videos and stylized commercial work. This TerPhoto cine modification adds the practical features needed on a modern set: ARRI PL adaptation, smooth de-clicked iris control, dedicated focus and aperture gears, an 80mm OD cine front and full-frame coverage. You get genuine mid-1960s Zeiss Jena glass with modern cinema-oriented handling rather than a modern lens merely designed to imitate a vintage look.

📦 This Offer Includes

✔ Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F2.8 Cine Mod Lens
✔ ARRI PL Mount Adaptation
✔ De-clicked Aperture Modification
✔ Follow Focus Gear – Focus Ring
✔ Follow Focus Gear – Aperture Ring
✔ 80mm OD Cine Lens Hood
✔ Front Lens Cap
✔ Rear Lens Cap