IronGlass Carl Zeiss Jena Rehousing – Now Available for Pre-Order

Lens News

by Jeff LochOctober 4^th, 2023

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Ukrainian lens rehousing company IronGlass recently launched a “secret” Carl Zeiss Jena rehousing project and is now taking pre-orders for it. The lens rehousing includes a new internal focusing system, iris/focus gears with 300-degree focus ring rotation, a PL mount that you can swap and shim, and a 110mm outside diameter compatible with clip-on matte boxes. So let’s take a closer look at this interesting lens rehousing project!

IronGlass made themselves a solid reputation for rehousing old and vintage soviet lenses, including the famous Helios 44-2 MKII that we had the chance to look at in person.

The Carl Zeiss Jena series of lenses were fairly popular in the 1970-80s for 35mm film cameras. These lenses have an M42 lens mount, and they recently gained more popularity on the Internet thanks to their clean look, interesting bokeh characteristics, and close focusing distance.

Some companies, such as White Point Optics, already offer lens rehousing for the Carl Zeiss Jena. IronGlass is now jumping on board with its own Carl Zeiss Jena rehousing project!

IronGlass Carl Zeiss Jena rehousing project

The IronGlass Carl Zeiss Jena rehousing project is currently open to no less than twelve Zeiss Jena MC lenses, including:

• Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon MC 20mm T2.9 CF 7.5″ / 0.19m (Sample footage, here)
• Carl Zeiss Jena II Macro MC 24mm T2.9 CF 9″ / 0.22m
• Carl Zeiss Jena P MC 28mm T2.9 CF 10″ / 0.25m
• Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon MC 35mm T2.5 CF 8″ / 0.20m (Sample footage, here)
• Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar MC 50mm T1.5 CF 1’2″ / 0.35m
• Carl ZeissJena Pancolar 50mm T1.9 CF 1’2″ / 0.35m
• Carl Zeiss Jena Macro-Pancolar MC 55mm T2.9 CF 10″ / 0.25m
• Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar MC 80mm T1.9 CF 2’8″ / 0.8m
• Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar MC 80mm T2.9 CF 3’3″ / 1m
• Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar MC 120mm T2.9 CF 4’3″ / 1.3m
• Car Zeiss Jena Sonnar MC 135mm T3.6 CF 2’11” / 0.9m (Sample footage, here)
• Car Zeiss Jena Sonnar MC 180mm T2.9 CF 5’7″ / 1.7m

According to IronGlass, other Carl Zeiss Jena Zebra lenses should be available early next year. As always with lens rehousing projects, you’ll have to provide the original lens to IronGlass for them to do the modification. However, they can source lenses for you at an additional cost.

Here is a complete list of what the lens rehousing of your Carl Zeiss Jena by IronGlass includes:

• Modification of the focusing system with the IronGlass “Helicam” internal focus system. It also includes a reverse direction of the focus scales.
• A new external housing with proper focus and aperture rings plus 0.8 mod gears. Also, the focus ring will have a rotation of 300 degrees, and the aperture ring will have T-stop markings. The focus ring scale can be ordered in Metric or Imperial.
• If you get multiple lenses rehoused, the position of the focus and aperture rings will be uniform across the set.
• The external front diameter will be an industry-standard 110mm and compatible with clip-on matte boxes.

• The lens mount will be changed from an M42 to a PL, LPL, Canon EF, or Canon RF mount. According to IronGlass, the lens mount system will be “swappable and shimmable and made out of stainless steel.”
• A rounded 15-blade aperture mechanism.
• IronGlass also claims that the close focus distances will be improved.

Pricing and availability

The IronGlass Carl Zeiss Jena rehousing project is currently in the pre-order stage. The rehousing price per lens is set at $2,750. According to IronGlass, “their aim is to have most lenses ready and shipped within 12 months”.

For more information, please visit the IronGlass website here.

What do you think about this lens rehousing project? Did you already shoot with Carl Zeiss Jena lenses? Have you ever gotten vintage lenses professionally rehoused? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!