[95新] Contax/康泰时 Zeiss Jena Biotar 4 1/4cm F2 42.5/2#jp18087

【Contax博物館級別珍品】Contax/康泰时 Zeiss Jena Biotar 4 1/4cm F2 「42.5/2」#jp18087 根據網上文獻，大約總共有250隻biotar 42.5mm，但可能只有10隻左右是刻印4 1/4 cm，大珍品！ 外觀如圖，95新，無任何瑕疵，輕微歲月痕跡 光學乾淨 通透 光圈葉片乾淨 手感順暢 帶前後蓋 按照當年的匯率，2006年的WL拍賣會成交價格超過4000美金！ 收藏把玩價格：19999人民幣 This folks, is the stuff that Zeiss Collector's dreams are made of: the f/2 Zeiss Biotar marked "4 1/4" cm rather than than 40/2 or 42.5/2. Strangely enough, they are all the SAME focal length. Some claim Zeiss admitted that the earlier lenses marked 40mm were actually in error....that they ALL were actually 42.5..but this is disputed. The important thing, however, is that it said ONLY TEN examples of the "4 1/4" marked lenses are known. In Zeiss, this is practically as rare as it gets. This is a 6 element design, whose focal length was chosen to correspond to the diagonal of the 35mm film format. Construction is very solid brass and chrome, weighing 9 oz. F/stops range from f/2 to f/16. This example was for export with a distance scale marked in feet. It takes an external 42mm push on cap and internal 40.5mm filters. Depth of the lens, from tip of the filter ring to back of the element, is 40mm at infinity. Measured from the filter ring to base of mount is 29mm at infinity. Made in 1936, it's uncoated. The 4cm/2 Biotar in Contax mount was originally introduced in 1933, in a black paint and nickel mount for the Contax I. A 4cm finder was also made, not a brightline. A Robot mount 4cm/2 Biotar was also made, but with a different optical formula due to the smaller film format. All were pre-war, and apparently all left the factory uncoated. Real world, any Contax mount 4cm/2 or 4.25cm/2 is rare these days, and a great prize to the dedicated Contax collector. The mystery is why Zeiss would change the lens marking from 4cm/2 to 4.25cm/2. This f/2 Biotar was produced for the pre-war generation of Contax 35mm Rangefinders: the Contax I, II, III. In the 1930's, Contax was the world's ONLY 35mm camera system besides Leica. The general perception of the day saw Contax with sharper and faster lenses, but the Leica being easier and more comfortable to use.