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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

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Schneider-Kreuznach Retina Curtagon 2.8/35
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 4:29 am
Post subject: Schneider-Kreuznach Retina Curtagon 2.8/35
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 4:29 am
Post subject: Schneider-Kreuznach Retina Curtagon 2.8/35
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A beautiful little lens I use on my Minolta 7000 using a DKL mount adapter.

Kodak Gold 100 developed at the local Asda supermarket then scanned on my Plustek 7600i, no PP other than auto colour in Photoshop.

Most of these are shot at f11, the lens is really sharp and the coating is excellent, producing bright, vibrant colours and strong contrast.

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Three stitched panoramas, the first from 3 shots, the other two from 4:





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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 8:54 am
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 8:54 am
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If you like the Retina Curtagon 35, you should buy the Retina Curtagon 28 too. The Curtagon 28 is quiet sharp on full open in the center but it is not very sharp in the edge and some visible fall off used in a FF camera. I will rate Curtagon 28 as the best 28mm Retrofocus in 1950s.


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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 9:07 am
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 9:07 am
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Cheers Calvin, the 28 is on my list. BTW, isn't the Curtagon pretty much the only SLR 28mm from the 50s? I struggle to think of another, Rodenstock had the Eurygon 30mm, but I really can't think of a 28mm that early, the Takumar 3.5/28 perhaps?


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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 10:06 am
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 10:06 am
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This is a tough question but I will try my best to answer.

The development of Retrofocus around 28mm is pretty slow in the 1950s and all the makers are located in Europe. The first 3.5/28 are made by Angénieux in the 1953. Then, the Eurygon 2.8/30 is introduced in 1956 Photokina. The Enna Ultra Lithagon 3.5/28 is introduced Photokina 1957. Finally, the Curtagon 4/28 comes out in 1959.

Major Japanese camera maker starts produce 28mm for SLR in the early 1960s.


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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 11:49 am
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 11:49 am
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Interesting, cheers.


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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 11:54 am
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 11:54 am
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IIRC, first retrofocus designs by pentax were developed in the very late '50's, with the (amazing) auto takumar 35/2.3 being introduced in 1958 and the 3.5 just some months later in 1959. I don't know about any pentax 28mm earlier than super-takumar series, which was introduced in 1962.


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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 12:08 pm
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 12:08 pm
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The 3.5/35 Takumar is a copy of the Voigtlander Skoparex 3.4/35, a lot of the early Japanese designs were copied from German ones. The Meyer Primagon 4.5/35 is very similar in design to the Skoparex - they basically took a 4 element Tessar type and stuck a large extra element in front to give it a wider fov.


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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 12:12 pm
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 12:12 pm
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The 3.5/35 Takumar is a copy of the Voigtlander Skoparex 3.4/35, a lot of the early Japanese designs were copied from German ones. The Meyer Primagon 4.5/35 is very similar in design to the Skoparex - they basically took a 4 element Tessar type and stuck a large extra element in front to give it a wider fov.


And, after trying them all, I'd say it was a good idea (both the design itself and copying it), since all of these look at least very good.


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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 12:23 pm
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 12:23 pm
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Aanything wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The 3.5/35 Takumar is a copy of the Voigtlander Skoparex 3.4/35, a lot of the early Japanese designs were copied from German ones. The Meyer Primagon 4.5/35 is very similar in design to the Skoparex - they basically took a 4 element Tessar type and stuck a large extra element in front to give it a wider fov.


And, after trying them all, I'd say it was a good idea (both the design itself and copying it), since all of these look at least very good.


I agree, I have the Skoparex and Primagon and they are both superb.


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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 12:40 pm
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 12:40 pm
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The 3.5/35 Takumar is a copy of the Voigtlander Skoparex 3.4/35, a lot of the early Japanese designs were copied from German ones. The Meyer Primagon 4.5/35 is very similar in design to the Skoparex - they basically took a 4 element Tessar type and stuck a large extra element in front to give it a wider fov.

The Primagon is a Triplet based retrofocus with 4e/4g.
The Auto-Takumar 3.5/35 is a Tessar based retrofocus with 5e/4g.
The Voigtlander Skoparex 3.4/35 and Auto-Takumar 2.3/35 are similar to Angenieux 2.5/35 with 6e/5g. All are Tessar based retrofocus with an additional element in front of the Tessar.
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