Steinheil Culminar 135/4.5 M42

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

This is a rather common lens, but an uncommonly pretty one, all nickel-plated brass. The Steinheils of this era are almost all very good looking.

Most that I have seen are in Exakta mount, but M42 ones are pretty easy to find, and there are also versions in Leica mount. Like many similar lenses of the 1950's the lens head can be detached from the focusing helical for mounting on Visoflex bellows, but you need a special Leitz adapter to M39 (and from that to anything else) as the thread is different from anything. When I tried this I made do with tape and a T-mount (of course, T-mounts are good for everything, everybody needs a dozen).

They aren't expensive either, not like the faster Quinars and Quinons and the other Steinheils. This must be the cheapest Steinheil.

My pet peeve with this thing is that the filter thread is weird, 36.5mm, and even if you find a 36.5mm converter the thread is countersunk so far that nothing fits. There must have been a special filter/hood that went with these. After a lot of looking I found a slip-on 44mm hood with a slot for a Series V filter, so now its finally dressed for public use.

I took it downtown this afternoon, but it was a dark and foggy day. Everything taken at f/4.5

And, naturally, the bird -

"Show pixels" zoom crop on Photoshop -

This is on my bellows a couple of months ago -

On the bellows the thing was flaring like crazy. It really needs a hood.

I like this lens, it is quite good for its age, very light and of course very pretty.

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

this is a beautiful lens Luis and the result are really top.
One more for my list

Richard_D · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 2378 Location: Faversham Kent UK

Not bad at all. Looks very pretty too!

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Very nice result! I have one stop faster brother that is also a very sharp beautiful lens.