No movement in the aperture blades

Mozziephotography

Mozziephotography

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Stephen
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Bought a lens off Fleabay and it arrived this morning. It's a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8 and is in really good nick. Problem, the aperture blades are on wide open all the time. They don't close at all when I move through the different apertures. Am I doing something wrong?
 
Some lenses have a lever or key or something that needs to be moved before the aperture works so maybe if you mount the lens on an adapter it'll work. If it doesn't work then it's had it.
 
Probs a broken linkage somewhere. Older lenses lacked mechanical control of aperture via the camera, as they either relied on stop down metering or were mounted on cameras with no metering at all. So unless it is for a particular lens mount that would have had mechanical aperture control for open aperture metering, and that's got stuck, I'd say it's faulty.
 
woof woof said:
Some lenses have a lever or key or something that needs to be moved before the aperture works so maybe if you mount the lens on an adapter it'll work. If it doesn't work then it's had it.
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me, as in the aperture ring sets the aperture......but it only "stops down" when the shutter is pressed which actuates the mechanical (internal) lever to close the diaphragm to the selected aperture.

PS though this site mentions that this lens has a few variations!
http://vintage-camera-lenses.com/carl-zeiss-jena-tessar-50mm-2-8/
 
I've just checked my old lenses and here's how they react...

Minolta Rokkor and Nikon pre ai, I can see the aperture changing with just the lens in my hand.
Canon FD, the aperture doesn't alter until I mount it on an adapter.
Olympus Zuiko, changing the aperture has no effect unless I press the button on the side of the lens. If mounted on an adapter the aperture changes as expected.

Stephen, your lens may be duff but it may be worth mounting it or looking of something to move (lever, switch...) before giving up on it.
 
It's that PIN again, the one sticking out at the back of the lens. Wish it was possible to pull it out OR ... ?
 
@mossienet

Out of curiosity, as it seems there are some variations of that lens, how about showing some pictures (showing is appearance & colour, rear element end & front element end) ?
 
There's a "flick" switch at the front which appears to pull the pin in. It's next to the aperture ring which doesn't help matters. You can see the switch at around 2 o'clock. Press this down and the pin goes in, but not permanently.

lens.jpg
 
Stephen, you seem to be having some trouble with these lenses. Why not go for something easier? I've had no such trouble with any of my mass market ones, Minolta Rokkor, Olympus Zuiko, Canon FD and Nikon or third party lenses in those mounts. They just go on the adapter and work.
 
I've got 5 lenses that work perfectly and have had no trouble at all. The picture of the rose shows that it is a "good enough" lens for my level of photography. Just annoyed with this blooming pin thing. Thanks @woof woof for all your support and advice, it's appreciated.
 
mossienet said:
There's a "flick" switch at the front which appears to pull the pin in. It's next to the aperture ring which doesn't help matters. You can see the switch at around 2 o'clock. Press this down and the pin goes in, but not permanently.

View attachment 281635
Click to expand...
the pin on the back of the lens should shut the aperture down to the preset aperture value. it is operated by a plate/lever in the body of the camera when the shutter is fired and the mirror raises. but can be pressed in while the lens is off the camera to test it. the the switch on the side of the lens is to view the depth of field manually and shuts the aperture down to the set.
value as long as you press it

Some pentax praktica type lenses have an extra switch on the side of the lens for setting the aperture manually. when that is operated moving the aperture scale moves the aperture blades.
 
mossienet said:
Into trouble with my wife? Just one last one, a Takumar 35mm and that's it.
Click to expand...

Of course you'll be done.

You definitely will not be posting a picture like this in a few months time.

aPT1FGf.jpg


:D
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
the pin on the back of the lens should shut the aperture down to the preset aperture value. it is operated by a plate/lever in the body of the camera when the shutter is fired and the mirror raises. but can be pressed in while the lens is off the camera to test it. the the switch on the side of the lens is to view the depth of field manually and shuts the aperture down to the set.
value as long as you press it

Some pentax praktica type lenses have an extra switch on the side of the lens for setting the aperture manually. when that is operated moving the aperture scale moves the aperture blades.
Click to expand...


Thanks for that, much appreciated. It IS faulty though, it only performs when it feels like it. Think the blades aren't free enough or the spring is a bit ???? Wonder what it would cost to have it looked at. More than it's worth?
 
I've had a few lenses serviced and it cost about £75 a time so I'd guess that it's not really financially viable unless the lens is expensive or of sentimental value.
 
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