Zeiss Jena · M42 screw mount · About 1965–1990
Ludwig Bertele's Sonnar made a 135mm short enough to carry, and the Sonnar 13.5 cm of the early 1930s became one of the longest-running lens designs ever made. Its compact four-element layout let the barrel be much shorter than a triplet 135 like Leitz's. Carl Zeiss Jena kept building the 135 after the war with the optics unchanged, then brought it out around 1965 slightly faster, as the Sonnar 3.5/135. Production ran in large numbers until about 1990. It was later multicoated as the MC Sonnar, and also sold as the Prakticar 3.5/135 for the Praktica B bayonet. In Western markets, where Jena couldn't use the Zeiss names, you'll find it as the aus Jena S. On a full-frame mirrorless body it's a classic 135 you focus by hand with magnification, and on APS-C or Micro Four Thirds it becomes a compact telephoto.
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
Jena's earlier 135s are f/4 Sonnars. The 3.5/135 came in M42 and later as the multicoated MC Sonnar, and the Prakticar 3.5/135 (1980–1988) is the Praktica B bayonet version. Export lenses are marked aus Jena S instead of Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar. It isn't the Contax/Yashica Sonnar T* 135mm f/2.8, a different Zeiss lens.
Expect the usual age faults, like haze, fungus, oily aperture blades and stiff focus grease. Long lenses also pick up dents on the filter thread from drops, so look at the front rim.
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 MC Sonnar titled very good condition at $130 delivered from a US seller with 99.8% feedback, about $30 under the $160–230 band. There are at least 22 for sale, most asking $160–230 delivered from Ukraine, Poland and Japan, plus a few cheap auctions that will climb. It's an M42 lens, so it takes an M42 adapter, and the model page lists the adapters by camera. Look at the front rim in the photos for dents from drops, and ask for a flashlight-through photo to rule out haze and fungus. Export copies read aus Jena S, the same lens, and we'd skip the $330 copy titled very rare, since Jena built this one in large numbers until about 1990.
$14.75est. delivered
The lowest delivered Sonnar here, an MC copy at auction from a US seller, $15 delivered with two bids and days left, so it will climb. The title makes no condition claim, so ask for a backlit photo of the glass before you bid.
Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Sonnar 135mm f/3.5 M42 Pentax Screw Mount US Seller
$129.80est. delivered
An MC Sonnar titled very good condition, at $130 delivered from a US seller with 99.8% feedback, about $30 under the band. Ask for a flashlight-through photo and one of the front rim, since long lenses pick up dents from drops.
Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Sonnar 135mm f3.5 M42 Very Good Condition
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$14.75est. delivered
$1.25 + $13.50 shipping
Auction · 2 bids · ends in 3d 3h
Good buy
US auction with two bids. MC copy, and the price will climb.
Seller: luckycat330
100% positive
Used$129.80est. delivered
$110.00 + $19.80 shipping
Buy It Now$110.00
Good buy
US seller. MC, titled very good condition.
Seller: garmont22222211
99.8% positive
Used$74.90est. delivered
$49.90 + $25.00 shipping
Auction · no bids yet · ends in 4d 2h
Our take
Zebra aus Jena S with box and caps. Auction with no bids yet, from Sweden.
Seller: sjs036
100% positive
Used$78.40est. delivered
$36.96 + $41.44 shipping
Buy It Now$36.96
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
Under half the median, from Germany. No condition claim.
Seller: easybuyshop
99.9% positive
Used$178.00est. delivered
$158.00 + $20.00 shipping
Buy It Now$158.00
Our take
Same seller and title as the $185 copy. Compare the photos to see which one you're getting.
Seller: vintagephotostore_ua
99.5% positive
Used$185.00est. delivered
$165.00 + $20.00 shipping
Buy It Now$165.00
Our take
Silver-and-black copy with a leather case and caps in the photo.
Seller: vintagephotostore_ua
99.5% positive
Used$189.00delivered
$189.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$189.00
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 copy with a rear cap. Free shipping from Japan.
Seller: dbusa23
100% positive
Used$330.00est. delivered
$295.00 + $35.00 shipping
Buy It Now$295.00
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.
Priced high
About 1.8 times the median. Titled very rare, though Jena made it in large numbers.
Seller: felix30361
100% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 12, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay search
Pentax · M42 screw mount
$45–$85 typical ask
Zeiss Jena · M42 screw mount
1975–1988
$290–$440 typical ask
Zeiss Jena · M42 screw mount
1965–1986
Thoriated glass
$210–$340 typical ask
Contax · Contax/Yashica (C/Y)
From about 1976
$170–$230 typical ask