Black Engraving! Standard Emperor Planar 50mm F1.4 AEJ Old Lens

CONTAX Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm F1.4 AEJ Old Lens

This lens is for the Yashica/Contax mount. It can be easily adapted to αE mount and other mirrorless cameras.

Released in 1975, this lens is known as the emperor of standard lenses. It's bright, offers high resolution, and produces smooth, soft bokeh with rich colors. It has few of the quirks often found in old lenses, resulting in exemplary image quality.

This model is the AEJ, the early version, manufactured by Tomioka Optical, a prestigious Japanese company. It's a model that allows you to enjoy the "shuriken bokeh" effect, where the out-of-focus highlights take on a shuriken (throwing star) shape when the aperture is stopped down slightly.

This lens is from the earliest production run, with a serial number in the 58- range. There's an urban legend that some of these early lenses have particularly excellent image quality, and they command high prices in specialty stores. However, I believe the condition is key. Furthermore, some lenses have the country of origin engraved in black instead of white, making them highly prized as "black engraved" models.

I have prepared sample images taken with this lens.

It feels like it's been a while since I've tested a 70s lens, as I've been shooting with pre-war and post-war lenses... It delivers detailed images and rich colors that feel like a world apart. Especially with its wide F1.4 aperture, this lens can completely melt the background even at 50mm when shooting close-ups. As someone from the SLR generation, I appreciate the 45cm minimum focusing distance, making it suitable for table-top photography.

This is a black engraved model, and the optics have been disassembled and serviced. However, there is some coating damage on the middle element. The rear element also has a slight haze, though it's not noticeable under normal light. While stopping down the aperture produces sunstars, this is a point of deduction. The exterior has no noticeable dents, but there are some scratches. The operation has been adjusted to be smooth. Furthermore, a genuine hood is included, and this is an affordable offering for those who want to try a black engraved model, so please consider it.

Condition: 58- serial number, black engraved, working condition
Appearance: No noticeable dents, with scratches
Optics: Coating damage on the middle element, slight haze on the rear element
Operation: Tested and confirmed working with α7
Accessories: Front and rear caps, genuine hood

Stored in a dehumidified cabinet.
3127

*Evaluation is subjective. Please understand that this is a used item.
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