Prewar Zeiss Ikon Tessar 5cm f3.5. Uncoated. Made in 1930. This was the standard lens for the Contax I, commonly known as the Black Contax. Its nickel finish has a beautiful, distinctive shine.

At the time, several standard lenses were offered for the Contax: the f1.5 Sonnar, which was more expensive than the camera body itself, the f2 Sonnar with an excellent balance of speed and price, and the more affordable f3.5 Tessar.

Nearly a century has passed since this lens was made, yet the Tessar remains one of Zeiss's most iconic designs. It is lightweight and compact, while still offering a very practical maximum aperture of f3.5.

With an adapter incorporating its own helicoid, the lens can also be used on Leica M cameras and a wide range of mirrorless digital cameras.

There are some light rub marks, but no noticeable scratches or dents. The contrast between the black-painted name ring and the nickel-plated barrel gives the lens a very attractive appearance.

The aperture ring feels somewhat stiff, but remains perfectly usable. Paid servicing is also available if desired. Focus is accurate.

There are some light cleaning marks around the outer area of the front element, while the center remains clear and bright. Very slight discoloration of the glass can also be seen only under strong LED light, but this should have virtually no effect on actual images.

The results of our test shooting were also good.