Whether you’re looking for 3D rendering and micro-contrast or swirly bokeh and “soap bubble” rendering, East German lenses have you covered.
East German lens design favored optical character over technical perfection. Budget constraints and the centralized economy pushed firms like Meyer-Optik to innovate with unique rendering styles, while CZJ maintained higher-end production and complex designs.
Today, these lenses offer distinctive looks modern glass can’t replicate.
First, we’ll go over the manufacturers – and then we’ll dive into specific lens recommendations (organized by focal range).
Main East German Lens Makers
Carl Zeiss Jena (“CZJ”)
- The most famous East German optical firm.
- Made high-quality lenses for M42, Exakta, and occasionally Praktina.
- Notable lenses: Flektogon, Biotar, Pancolar, Sonnar, Tessar.
- Well-known for 3D rendering and micro-contrast.
- Fun fact: after WWII, Carl Zeiss split into West Germany (Oberkochen) and East Germany (Jena). CZJ had to drop the ‘Carl’ on exports, so you may see lenses labeled simply as ‘aus Jena’ or ‘Jena T.
Meyer-Optik Görlitz
- Known for character lenses with swirly bokeh and soap-bubble rendering.
- Notable lenses: Trioplan, Orestor, Lydith, Primoplan, Domiplan.
- These lenses have seen a resurgence due to their distinctive “vintage” look, especially among creatives.
Pentacon (VEB Pentacon Dresden)
- A conglomerate that absorbed Meyer-Optik in the late 1960s.
- Lenses were often rebranded Meyer designs (e.g. Orestor → Pentacon 135mm f/2.8).
- Produced “Pentacon” labeled lenses (28mm, 29mm, 50mm, 135mm) with decent performance and good build.
- Also responsible for the Praktica camera line.
Now for the 10 recommended used lenses (all prices in US dollars).
Wide Angle Primes
Note: “3D rendering” refers to a lens’s ability to create a strong sense of subject separation and depth — often due to a mix of sharpness, contrast, and optical falloff.
| Lens | Summary | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CZJ Flektogon 20mm f/4 (M42, Exakta) |
Unique ultra-wide from the era. Compact and well-corrected for distortion. Slight vintage softness, but very usable. Sharp stopped down. Close focusing (~19cm), rare for its time. | 350 |
| Meyer-Optik Lydith 30mm f/3.5 (M42, Exakta) |
Quirky but charming wide-angle with a signature vintage look. Very compact and lightweight. Decent sharpness, painterly bokeh. Weak corners until f/8. Character lens for creative video or analog-style street shooting. Note: Sometimes sold under Pentacon 30mm f/3.5 after merger. |
50 |
| CZJ Flektogon 35mm f/2.4 (M42) |
⭐ Best all-rounder wide. One of the best vintage 35mm lenses period, not just East German. Legendary sharpness stopped down, beautiful rendering wide open. Minimum focus: ~20cm — semi-macro ability. Excellent build quality. 8-element design, with a complex optical formula that contributes to its near-macro performance.
🔁 Earlier version: Flektogon 35mm f/2.8 has slightly lower contrast. Skip. |
250 |
The CZJ Flektogon 35mm f/2.4 is an easy recommendation!
Standard Primes
| Lens | Summary | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CZJ Pancolar 50mm f/1.8 (M42) |
⭐ Arguably the best East German 50mm. Sharp, fast, with beautiful rendering and color. Subtle swirl, nice micro-contrast, creamy bokeh. Winner!
Tip: avoid expensive red “MC” labeled versions unless you’re collecting. 🔁 Earlier Pancolar 50/2 is less bright but still solid |
150 |
| Meyer-Optik Oreston 50mm f/1.8 (M42, Exakta) |
Very underrated and affordable. Soft wide open, but dreamy rendering. Later Rebranded as: Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 (same optical formula after Meyer → Pentacon transition). Under $50! |
100 |
| CZJ Tessar 50mm f/2.8 (M42) |
Aka the “Eagle Eye.” Classic four-element design, very sharp when stopped down. Lower contrast and glow wide open; nice for vintage feel or black-and-white work. Super cheap and compact — a great “character” lens. |
75 |
| Meyer-Optik Domiplan 50mm f/2.8 (M42, Exakta) |
Budget option; very common kit lens. Tri-element triplet design = low contrast (uncoated or single-coated in many cases), soft wide open. Plastic helicoid can be fragile. Cheap, lo-fi bokeh machine — great for dreamy video or modding. |
40 |
Honorable mention: CZJ Biotar 58mm f/2 (aka the “original” Helios 44). If you’re chasing swirly bokeh, this one is a cult favorite. Not cheap, but optically unique.
Telephoto Primes
| Lens | Summary | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Meyer-Optik Orestor 100mm f/2.8 (M42, Exakta) |
A true hidden gem — excellent bokeh and sharpness combo, ideal portrait length. Creamy rendering, decent sharpness, distinctive Meyer style. Rare.
Rebranded as: Pentacon 100mm f/2.8, though much rarer than the 135mm. |
150 |
| Meyer-Optik Orestor 135mm f/2.8 (M42, Exakta) |
⭐ Best value vintage telephoto. Legendary for bokeh — 15 aperture blades in early versions. Swirly, dreamy background rendering, great for portraits. Minimum focus ~1.5m. The later versions dropped to 6 or 8 blades. “Zebra” models (or early electric) are preferred for build and character.
Rebranded as: Pentacon 135mm f/2.8 — same optical design. |
120 |
| CZJ Sonnar 135mm f/3.5 (M42, Exakta) |
Sharper and more controlled than the Orestor/Pentacon; less bokeh, more pop. Classic Sonnar rendering — smooth transitions and punchy contrast. Very compact for its focal length. More clinical than Meyer glass — great if you prefer Zeiss precision. |
100 |
What didn’t make the cut: Pentacon 200mm f/4 (Usable but uninspired — chromatic aberration and softness wide open.)
Zoom Lenses
Zooms were not East Germany’s strength. Their best glass was in primes.
Most zooms from this era (especially M42) are soft and clunky — better skipped unless you’re collecting or experimenting.
The only ones worth mentioning are:
- Pentacon 28–135mm f/4: Limited availability, but versatile vintage zoom. Push-pull design, preset aperture. Decent sharpness and contrast for the era. M42 mount.
- Pentacon 70–210mm f/4–5.6 Macro Zoom: Surprisingly decent macro capability, good build. Usable at mid-range, soft at 210mm. Dirt cheap — fun to experiment with. M42 mount.
TL;DR
If you want the “best of the DDR” grab these three:
- Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f/2.4
- Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f/1.8
- Meyer-Optik Orestor 135mm f/2.8 (or Pentacon 135mm f/2.8 for the same optics)
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