Surprise lens: pre-1900 E. Krauss Anastigmat on 5D

[Spotmatic]

This certainly is my surprise lens of the year. I bought it for 15 euros, sight unseen, because I wanted to own a brass lens. You cannot go wrong with 15 euros, right?

When I received it I immediately noticed how small it was, but also that the interior was completely hazy. Fortunately, this cleaned up perfectly. Even the diaphragm is smooth and dry...

So what did I get? The name, as found on the lens, is:

Anast.-Zeiss 1:8 f-136m/m Bte Sede E. Krauss & Cie Paris No. 24017.



As per the Vademecum, this lens was designed by Zeiss and made in licence by E. Krauss in Paris. Based on the serial number the lens dates to somewhere around 1896-1898, making it my oldest lens. But by no means the worst! Imagine my disbelief when I went on a walk tonight and returned with the images below. Everything was shot wide open, with the Krauss taped to a M42 bellows, which in turn was mounted on the Canon 5D.



This experience was a real eye opener for me. Will it be the same for you?

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


8.


9.


10.


11.


12.

_________________
Peter - Moderator

Pentax K-5 + Pentax 645 + Canon 5D + Bessa RF 10,5cm Heliar, and a 'little' bag full of MF lenses. The lens list is * here *.
My fast 80s: Asahi-Kogaku Takumar 83mm f/1.9 - Super-Takumar 85mm f/1.9 - FA 77mm f/1.8 Limited - Cyclop 85/1.5 (Helios-40 innards) - Komura 80mm f/1.8 - Meyer Görlitz Primoplan 7,5cm 1:1.9 - Carl Zeiss Jena 80mm f/1.8 Pancolar - Canon 85mm f/1.8 S.S.C. - Canon 85mm f/1.2 S.S.C. Aspherical

[kds315*]

WOW, I'm blown away - did the lens designers sleep the 100 years since then???

But since I know you and your work a bit now, a coke bottle bottom would deliver great results in your hands...
_________________
Klaus - Moderator

"S'il vient à point, me souviendra" [Thomas Bohier (1460-1523)]

http://www.macrolenses.de for macro and special lens info
http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos for UV Images and lens/filter info
http://photographyoftheinvisibleworld.blogspot.com/ my UV diary


Currently most FAV lens(es):

Hypergon f11/26mm
Zeiss UV-Planar f4/60mm
Lomo Уфар-12 f2.5/41mm
Nikon UV Nikkor f4.5/105mm
Zeiss UV-Sonnar f4.3/105mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f4.1/94mm
Pentax Quartz Takumar f3.5/85mm
Rodenstock UV-Rodagon f5.6/60mm
Pentax Ultra-Achromatic Takumar f4.5/85mm
Voigtländer Apo-Macro-Lanthar f2.5 125mm SL

[Bob van Sikorski]

i asking myself same quasetion. over 110 years and such pictures
_________________
Vivitar 50/2.0, MD Rokkor 45/2.0, MC Rokkor-X PG 50/1.4, Porst Color Reflex MC Auto 55/1.2, Jupiter 37A 135/3.5; Pentax K200D

[Attila]

Dang! Never seen this superb quality from this area! Many thanks for sharing!
_________________
Attila - admin
Items on sale on Ebay


35mm: Konica A4, Konica IIIA, Konica FC-1
MF: Konica Pearl I,II,III 6x4,5 Konica Semi Pearl
Film: Foma,Kodak, Fuji DIY development C41, FOMA LQR
Scan: Epson V500, scanassist (http://www.scanassist.org)
Shutter tester: LCD tester from member vfmoto
Digital: Panasonic G1, Sony Nex-3, Samsung NX100
Lenses: Konica Hexanons,Carl Zeiss,Carl Zeiss Jena,Meyer-Optik,Minolta MD,Yashica ML,Nikon,Olympus OM
DIY E-6,C41 and B&W

[Laurence]

Completely over the top! It's fascinating and rewarding to see this lens in "action". Your images are easily on a par with modern lenses, at least at these web sizes. Magnificent lens indeed!
_________________
Had nature any outcast face,
Could she a son contemn,
Had nature an Iscariot,
That mushroom,—it is him

Emily Dickinson - Nature

Cameras and Lenses in Use:

Contax AX w/ Yashica ML 24/2.8, Yashica ML 50/2,
Tamron 28-70/3.5-4 (Thank you Carsten),
Orestogon 50/1.8 (Thank you Carsten),
Tamron 70-210/3.5-4.5,
Yashica Mat 124 w/ Yashinon 80/3.5,
Revueflex 3003 w/ M42 lenses,
Takumar 55/1.8,
CV Apo-Lanthar 90/3.5SL, (Thank you Klaus),
Zeiss Sonnar 180/2.8,
Super Tak 300/6.3,
Tamron SP 80-200/2.8 LD in C/Y mount,
Vivitar f:4.5 100-300, ,
Pentax ZX-5n with M42 adapter
Pentax 645 with various Pentax-A lenses
Bronica SQ-A with 150/3.5 and 110/4 lenses
Konica TC-X with Vivitar 55/2.8 Macro

[Spotmatic]

Thanks everyone! The real surprise, to me, was that the pictures really were this contrasty. I think it has everything to do with the lens being only f/8, so there are no large glass surfaces causing light scattering. Remember, guys, these pictures were shot wide open! The last picture was shot into the sun (although not directly; I used my hand as a sun shade).
The story would have been completely different with a f/2 lens of the same length, I think.

I really liked the experience and would like to use the Krauss a bit more...

@Klaus: I had a laugh because you are not the first to note that I could get good results with any lens. But I cannot make treasure out of trash, so the kudos should go to the Krauss this time
_________________
Peter - Moderator

Pentax K-5 + Pentax 645 + Canon 5D + Bessa RF 10,5cm Heliar, and a 'little' bag full of MF lenses. The lens list is * here *.
My fast 80s: Asahi-Kogaku Takumar 83mm f/1.9 - Super-Takumar 85mm f/1.9 - FA 77mm f/1.8 Limited - Cyclop 85/1.5 (Helios-40 innards) - Komura 80mm f/1.8 - Meyer Görlitz Primoplan 7,5cm 1:1.9 - Carl Zeiss Jena 80mm f/1.8 Pancolar - Canon 85mm f/1.8 S.S.C. - Canon 85mm f/1.2 S.S.C. Aspherical

[poilu]

congrats spot! at this size, it is indeed impressive

[F16SUNSHINE]

Astounding!
_________________
Moderator

[no-X]

Remember, at that times, lenses were designed for photographers. Not for reviewers
_________________
(almost) complete list of Helios lenses

[Spotmatic]

[Orio]

[patrickh]

I hope I perform as well at that age!
Peter, you really do make the lenses hum


patrickh
_________________
DSLR: Nikon D300 Nikon D200 Nex 5N
MF Zooms: Kiron 28-85/3.5, 28-105/3.2, 75-150/3.5, Nikkor 50-135/3.5 AIS // MF Primes: Nikkor 20/4 AI, 24/2 AI, 28/2 AI, 28/2.8 AIS, 28/3.5 AI, 35/1.4 AIS, 35/2 AIS, 35/2.8 PC, 45/2.8 P, 50/1.4 AIS, 50/1.8 AIS, 50/2 AI, 55/2.8 AIS micro, 55/3.5 AI micro, 85/2 AI, 100/2,8 E, 105/1,8 AIS, 105/2,5 AIS, 135/2 AIS, 135/2.8 AIS, 200/4 AI, 200/4 AIS micro, 300/4.5 AI, 300/4.5 AI ED, Arsat 50/1.4, Kiron 28/2, Vivitar 28/2.5, Panagor 135/2.8, Tamron 28/2.5, Tamron 90/2.5 macro, Vivitar 90/2.5 macro (Tokina) Voigtlander 90/3.5 Vivitar 105/2.5 macro (Kiron) Kaleinar 100/2.8 AI Tamron 135/2.5, Vivitar 135/2.8CF, 200/3.5, Tokina 400/5,6
M42: Vivitar 28/2.5, Tamron 28/2.5, Formula5 28/2.8, Mamiya 28/2.8, Pentacon 29/2.8, Flektogon 35/2.4, Flektogon 35/2.8, Takumar 35/3.5, Curtagon 35/4, Takumar 50/1.4, Volna-6 50/2.8 macro, Mamiya 50/1.4, CZJ Pancolar 50/1,8, Oreston 50/1.8, Industar 50/3.5, Sears 55/1.4, Helios 58/2, Jupiter 85/2, Helios 85/1.5, Takumar 105/2.8, Steinheil macro 105/4.5, Tamron 135/2.5, Jupiter 135/4, CZ 135/4, Steinheil Culminar 135/4,5, Jupiter 135/3.5, Takumar 135/3.5, Tair 135/2.8, Pentacon 135/2.8, CZ 135/2.8, Takumar 150/4, Jupiter 200/4, Takumar 200/4
Exakta: Topcon 100/2.8(M42), 35/2.8, 135/2.8
C/Y: Yashica 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 135/2.8, Zeiss Planar 50/1.4, Distagon 25/2.8
Hexanon: 28/3.5, 40/1.8, 50/1.7, 52/1.8, 135/3.2
P6 : Mir 38 65/3.5, Biometar 80/2.8, Kaleinar 150/2.8, Sonnar 180/2.8
Enlarg: Rodagon 50/5,6, 80/5,6, 105/5.6, Vario 44-52/4, 150/5.6 180/5.6 El Nikkor 50/2,8,63/2.8,75/4, 80/5,6, 105/5.6, 135/5.6 Schneider 60/5.6, 80/5.6, 80/4S,100/5.6S,105/5.6,135/5.6, 135/5.6S, 150/5.6S

[scsambrook]

[quote="Spotmatic"]Thanks everyone! The real surprise, to me, was that the pictures really were this contrasty. I think it has everything to do with the lens being only f/8

Exactly - "Moderate Aperture + Care in Computation + Precision Manufacture = High Quality"

It really does look very good indeed, and the pictures themselves are lovely to look at. Maybe we should add "+ An Eye for a Picture" to the equation !
_________________
Stephen


I use: Pentax K10D Super and Tamron 90mm f2.5 and 135mm f2.5 lenses: Leica M2 and M8 + 21/35/50/90/135 lenses. For old times' sake I keep a Vito B and a Retina IIc. And for medium format I have a Bencini Comet S and a Kodak Brownie 127.

[SkedAddled]

I'll echo the "Gee, wow!" sentiments already given.

Who'd have thought such an archaic lens would produce such lovely
and sharp results?

And that's a very elegant mount solution you've come up with, Spot.
_________________
Craig

Of course I'm all right! Why? What have you heard!?

Canon Digital EOS 40D
Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 EX AF - Canon 18-55 f/3.5 IS AF - Tamron 18-200 f/3.5-6.3 HF - Vivitar 28 f/2.8 OM - Zuiko 50 f/1.8 OM - Tamron SP 28-80 f/3.5 AD2 - Hanimex 70-140 f/3.8 M42 - Hanimar 135 f/3.5 M42 - Soligor 135 f/2.8 T4 - Tamron SP 60-300 f/3.8 AD2 - Soligor 75-260 f/4.5 M42 - Soligor 400 f/6.3 T4 - Addiction Growing!

This is us -- We drive these -- We're named these

[Screamin Scott]

I'm blown away by the results ! Truly inspiring results from this old lens...
_________________
Cameras-Nikon D70s,N2000,FE2,FTN ,FT2,N90s &N70
Nikkor AF Zooms=28-105/3.5D,18-55/3.5GS,28-70/3.5D,35-135/3.5
Nikkor AF //50/1.8,//Nikkor MF//50/2ai,50/1.8ais 50/1.4ai,24/2.8ais,28/2.8ai,28/3.5ai,55microAis/2.8,105/2.5ai,200/4ai,300/4.5ai35-135/3.5Ais
Kiron /Kino madelenses//70-210/4ai,28-105/3.2ai,30-80/3.5ai,Viv 28/2ai,35-85/2.8aiVivS1,105/2.8AisDine,24-48/3.8ai VivS1,50-150/3.8aiViv,28-85/2.8aiViv,100/2.8Nai Viv,70-210/3.5Nai Viv,28/2.5ai VivKomine made Viv//24/2Ais,135/2.8aiCF,28-50/3.5ai,28-90/2.8ai Viv S1,80-200/4.5aiCosina made Viv 19/3.8 Ais...Also Sigma 24/2.8 Ais Tokina made24/2.8ai VivAF Sigma 21-35/3.5,& other lenses