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ICA Niklas
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 24, 2022 2:05 pm    Post subject: ICA Niklas Reply with quote
I have recently acquired an Ica Niklas lens ( https://www.ebay.es/itm/194495742589?hash=item2d48d9827d:g:WOQAAOSw94phiSSs is not this, but identical, although mine has a higher series number), which by the little I have been able to inform me was a lens for a projector of the same firm (ICA) and surely manufactured in the twenties of the last century. The fact is that I have not been able to find almost any information about its characteristics and optical formula except for a reference not very specific at its focal length that would be 6 "1/2 (that is 165mm. Approx.). If that were the focal, the apparent luminosity would be f/3.5 or f/4; as it admits lateral insertion of Waterhouse diaphragms, I have manufactured two of f/5.6 and f/8 (more or less). As something dirty was, I had to dismantle it Its cleaning and I can say that it is composed of a cementad doublet (I think) front and three rear elements and after the diaphragm slot; that is, five elements in four groups (the third and fourth elements next, but not cemented).

Can someone give me some information about this lens?


PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2022 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have an even older ICA lens . A dialyte iirc. Sharp but horrible lack of contrast. SorryI can't help you with that.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
jamaeolus wrote:
I have an even older ICA lens . A dialyte iirc. Sharp but horrible lack of contrast. SorryI can't help you with that.


It is curiosity, above all; It seems to me an excess to use 5 elements in a projection lens (apparently that projects was intended for slides of 80x80mm.).

The lack of contrast is common to all these ancient objectives without coating and is easily substantable through a simple subsequent edition; more inconveniences presents its tendency to the flare.

Attached a sample (it is a lightened cut) taken with that lens in a Sony A7 II:



PostPosted: Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
With 165mm focal length it would manage greater than 4x5 negatives, maybe 5x7? You can easily check the focal length by noting the backfocus.

Its got a rather large max aperture for 165mm. Later projection lenses of that type would be Tessars of f/4.5 max.

Actual projection lenses, as for slide projectors, which were quite popular, were often Petzval types. ICA did make projection systems.

Niklas was an ICA trade name mostly used for a middle-quality basic featured folding camera model, the usual German box type with a foldout bed and a back that would take groundglass, plate and film, rollfilm and film pack holders. There were 6.5x9cm and 9x12 models apparently at different times. These were lower category cameras than the premium ICA Ideal and Maximar, which had double extension bellows and other extra features (drop-bed on one of them I think). But I dont think the camera line had anything to do with this lens, its just a trademark.

ICA sometimes used its trademarks for both cameras and lenses. There are for instance Maximar cameras and lenses (I had a couple of these).


PostPosted: Sat Mar 26, 2022 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
With 165mm focal length it would manage greater than 4x5 negatives, maybe 5x7? You can easily check the focal length by noting the backfocus.

Its got a rather large max aperture for 165mm. Later projection lenses of that type would be Tessars of f/4.5 max.

Actual projection lenses, as for slide projectors, which were quite popular, were often Petzval types. ICA did make projection systems.

Niklas was an ICA trade name mostly used for a middle-quality basic featured folding camera model, the usual German box type with a foldout bed and a back that would take groundglass, plate and film, rollfilm and film pack holders. There were 6.5x9cm and 9x12 models apparently at different times. These were lower category cameras than the premium ICA Ideal and Maximar, which had double extension bellows and other extra features (drop-bed on one of them I think). But I dont think the camera line had anything to do with this lens, its just a trademark.

ICA sometimes used its trademarks for both cameras and lenses. There are for instance Maximar cameras and lenses (I had a couple of these).


Starting by the end, indeed, Niklas was the commercial name of a plates camera ICA (in several formats, from 6x9cm to 13x18cm) and that was continued to be manufactured once ICA was incorporated to Zeiss Ikon; The Niklas lens that I investigate has nothing to do with those who carried the camera, which began with Extrapid-Aplanat Helios and then in Zeiss assembling several models, including Litonar, Novar, Dominar, and, of course, Tessar.

Effectively, ICA produced large-format projectors (80x80mm. I think) such that this https://www.ebay.es/itm/123729228613?hash=item1cced63345:g:FZkAAOSwsNBbinGD in which the model I investigated was mounted; somewhere I have seen that, indeed, it covers 10x15cm. or more.

Finally, I have also seen in dispersed information that I have been able to obtain, which was mentioned as a reference the Petzval model, which happens is that the willingness found in Niklas (2 + 1 + 1 + 1) does not respond to the formula of the Original Petzval (2 + 1 + 1), nor to the modified subsequent version of Dallmeyer or the subsequent Orthoscop of Voigtlander; but it could be a modified version of these for projection.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not that bad (at f / 8 )...

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