Zeiss Jena · M42 screw mount · 1975–1988
Carl Zeiss Jena was an early maker of retrofocus wide-angles, and its Flektogon 35mm f/2.8 dates back to 1950. By the early 1970s Jena had decided that design couldn't be pushed any further, so in 1972 Gerhard Risch and Utz Schneider started over with a triplet-based layout. The result was the Flektogon 2.4/35, six separate elements with no cemented groups, faster than the old 2.8 and with a smaller front element. It went into production in August 1975, multicoated from the start, probably the first Jena lens made that way. By November 1988 nearly 210,000 M42 copies had been built, plus about 24,000 as the Prakticar 2.4/35 for the Praktica B. Marco Kröger's history of the lens says it's usable wide open and at its best around f/5.6. Early copies focus to 19 cm, which makes it a fun close-up wide on a mirrorless body.
On a mirrorless camera
It’s a M42 screw mount lens, and its mount sits 45.46 mm from the film. Every mirrorless mount below sits closer than that, so a plain adapter ring fills the gap and the lens still focuses to infinity. On a smaller sensor it frames tighter, like a longer lens.
Versions
The Flektogon 2.8/35 is an older, different design from 1950, so check for the f/2.4 marking. Prototypes shown in 1975 had zebra barrels, but production 2.4/35s are black. Early production copies pair the older aperture mechanism with the new cross-knurled focus ring and focus to 19 cm, and later ones use Zeiss's standardized mount parts of the late 1970s. Electric versions have contacts for the Praktica PLC 2 and PLC 3. The Prakticar 2.4/35 (1979–1988) is the same optics on the Praktica B bayonet.
Expect the usual age faults, like haze, oily aperture blades and stiff focus grease. Check the front element for scratches and cleaning marks too.
New to old glass? How to check a used vintage lens covers haze, fungus and the rest in detail.
Buying guide
We'd buy the Auto MC from a 100% seller in Bulgaria at $210 delivered, about $80 under the $290–440 band. There are at least 38 for sale, and Japan dealers grading MINT or Near MINT set most of that band at $340–545 delivered, while European and Ukrainian sellers start at $206 and US sellers ask $349–440. It has an auto-aperture pin, so use an M42 adapter that presses the pin, and the model page lists the adapters by camera. Check for the f/2.4 marking, since the older 2.8/35 is a different design, and ask for a flashlight-through photo plus a close look at the front element for scratches. Skip the US seller at 96.9% feedback.
$206.00est. delivered
The lowest delivered Flektogon here at $206, an Auto MC from a 100% seller in Germany, with both caps in the photo. The photo is small and the title makes no condition claim, so ask for a backlit photo of the glass and one of the blades at f/8.
german lens carl zeiss flektogon auto 2,4 / 35 MC camera
$209.99est. delivered
An Auto MC copy at $210 delivered from a 100% seller in Bulgaria, about $80 under the bottom of the band, and the front of the lens looks clean in the photo. Ask for a flashlight-through photo and one of the blades stopped down.
Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon Lens DDR Auto 35mm f/2.4 MC For M42
$239.91est. delivered
Titled 【Problem】, the flag Japan dealers use for a defect they describe in the listing, at $240 delivered, under the band. Read the description to see what's wrong, and buy it only if that's haze or a fault you can live with or fix.
【Problem】Carl Zeiss JENA DDR FLEKTOGON 35mm f2.4 MC Lens M42 From JAPAN #230
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 12, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 12, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$206.00est. delivered
$189.00 + $17.00 shipping
Buy It Now$189.00
Good buy
Auto MC. Small photo, both caps shown. Ships from Germany.
Seller: alt_aber_gut_14
100% positive
Used$209.99est. delivered
$185.00 + $24.99 shipping
Buy It Now$185.00
Good buy
Auto MC, ships from Bulgaria.
Seller: novastoka
100% positive
For parts$239.91est. delivered
$176.91 + $63.00 shipping
Buy It Now$176.91
Project piece
Titled 【Problem】, a Japan dealer's flag for a defect. Read the description.
Seller: koji_kkjapan
99.7% positive
Used$246.40est. delivered
$196.00 + $50.40 shipping
Buy It Now$196.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled to focus below 20 cm, the early version. GOOD is the seller's grade.
Seller: gi0rgi0ba
100% positive
![[N MINT] Carl Zeiss JENA DDR Flektogon auto 35mm f2.4 Camera Lens M42 From JAPAN](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kH0AAeSw-dlqmelZ/s-l500.jpg)
Used$369.99est. delivered
$279.99 + $90.00 shipping
Buy It Now$279.99
Our take
N MINT is the dealer's grade. $90 shipping from Japan.
Seller: kuwashiku.05
99.6% positive
Used$381.00est. delivered
$329.00 + $52.00 shipping
Buy It Now$329.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
MC, with a case and cap in the photo. Ships from Poland.
Seller: camera-mb
100% positive
Used$542.57delivered
$542.57 · free shipping
Buy It Now$542.57
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Electric MC, titled early. Top of the page, from a Japan seller.
Seller: bears2636
99.3% positive
Used$349.99delivered
$349.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$349.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Seller feedback is 96.9%. US seller.
Seller: cambridgephoto
96.9% positive
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