Schneider-Kreuznach Odd Lens- 1941???

Ox Bird · Joined: 12 Dec 2013 Posts: 39 Location: Illinois

Bought this one on eBay for 99 cents. Serial number seems to suggest that it is 1941-1942 vintage lens....but I am no expert. Fits on a C-mount adapter for my trusty Lumix GF2.

If it was made in the early 40's, it seems unusual that it is coated, that the lettering on the bezel on the front of the lens seems to be gold-filled and that the scale of measurement of focus is in feet and not metric.

Could somebody tell me what I have bought? Just received it today. ????????????

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

From the date of the serial number and the Retina name on the nameplate, it is an uncoated lens used in Kodak Retina I camera. It was remounted to a helicoid in C mount.

Ox Bird · Joined: 12 Dec 2013 Posts: 39 Location: Illinois

According to the information that I find online concerning Schneider-Kreuznach serial numbers, this lens was made sometime between September 1939 and June 1942. Germany was at war with much of the market for Kodak Retinas at the time that this lens seems to have been made.

Although the coating does not show up well on the photographs that I have attached to this post, I am certain that the front element of this lens is coated.

Maybe it's some sort of hybrid that Schneider decided to make.........using lenses and bodies that were made for an export market that no longer existed for them.....????

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

Parts made pre-war are used in post-war production. From what I know, the coated lenses are marked with a red inverse triangle.

Ox Bird · Joined: 12 Dec 2013 Posts: 39 Location: Illinois

A few photographs taken this weekend with this unusual and mysterious lens.......

Ox Bird · Joined: 12 Dec 2013 Posts: 39 Location: Illinois

More....

Ox Bird · Joined: 12 Dec 2013 Posts: 39 Location: Illinois

More Spring photographs taken with the Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenar C-Mount movie camera lens.....

Newfie · Joined: 04 Mar 2014 Posts: 242 Location: Austin, Texas

Ox Bird those are great Very Happy

For a lens that is so old like that it produces pics that gives one a warm fuzzy feeling.
Good Job and enjoy that fantastic find.

Regards,

Gavin

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4748 Location: Cheshire, England

Good results, I too suspect it could be a Retina lens re-mounted to fit on cine cameras. It looks just like this one attached to a Retina 1
although the one in the picture is coated (small triangle)

Ox Bird · Joined: 12 Dec 2013 Posts: 39 Location: Illinois

I can see what you are saying. It appears to almost certainly be some sort of adaptation/reuse of a lens that was originally intended for a Kodak Retina I. The thing that really gets me, though, is that it is such a "professional" installation on this C-Mount helix. The job is perfect.

Makes me wonder who actually did the work....???? Notice in the picture that the paint job on the little lens hood that it has actually "flows" onto the body of the lens itself. Pretty good looking.

I know that it does not show on the pictures of the lens that I posted on this thread......but the lens has a "coating"......a distinct blue color.....and it also seems to be coated on the rear element, as well.

Since I am something of a bottom-feeder on eBay, I have a number of really weird lenses. Sometimes, no one seems interested in them......and they are a bit of mystery, sometimes...........I have fun with 'em, though!!!

philslizzy · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 4748 Location: Cheshire, England

odd and weird lenses are great. You could be surprised how many of us are interested. Because we dont write a reply doesnt mean nobody reads about them.

The professional finish is in all probability because the lens has been re-mounted in the factory perhaps for the old Cine-Kodaks (made in Germany)