What is this lens? More Info?

[justtorchit]

I just found this lens on my local craiglist. The seller has no idea what it is other than that he got it from his father. I went ahead and picked it up (at what I think is probably a good price), if nothing else, it'll look awesome on the camera shelf, assuming I get a bigger wall unit...

The lens says Century Tele-Athenar and appears to open up to f/5.6. I found a "1000mm" on it as well. It has a 20 blade aperture. I have found one article through google that claims these century lenses were originally for motion picture work. I don't know a whole lot beyond that. Anyone have any more info or idea of what these typically sell for? I also think I am going to need a mount for the back in order to get a camera on this (if I can even use it like this).

Any help would be much appreciated!


By justtorchit at 2010-10-07


By justtorchit at 2010-10-07


By justtorchit at 2010-10-07


By justtorchit at 2010-10-07

[fatdeeman]

[OM]

According to this page it was a cine lens with either a C-mount or a T-mount:

http://edgehill.net/Misc/photography/2-23-08-tele-athenar/pg2pc7

A little more is available here if you scroll down (it's alphabetical):

http://web.archive.org/web/20021101165753/medfmt.8k.com/third/table1.txt

If it's a T-mount it's easily adaptable to DSLR but you'll need a big tripod

Sounds like a bit of a beast

[fatdeeman]

American company, now owned by Schneider.

Apparently a lot of these lenses belonged to the DOD.

Seems the lenses were for 35mm Cine but still photographers started buying them because they were very sharp.



http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=sY2neBqnpTwC&pg=PA160&lpg=PA160&dq=%22Century+tele-athenar%22+1000mm&source=bl&ots=3gDONf17sH&sig=c1mrg_mm8yLfuu95MBKWhnL_tZ8&hl=en&ei=ZTmuTJZ-x8qMB4vsxFs&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Century%20tele-athenar%22%201000mm&f=false

I would have to guess it is worth some money, F/5.6 is pretty fast for 1000mm. I would love to see some samples, I saw some moon shots taken with the 800mm version once and they were tack sharp!

Apparently the company still provides lenses factory direct for people with enough money!

[luisalegria]

The Century optics had a great reputation.

These were certainly not consumer-grade, as said, these were marketed and sold as professional or industrial( and military) instruments.

Very expensive items when new, and often get rather high resale value today.

I have a 200mm that was at one point modified to Nikon mount I need to test properly and post on when I get some time.

[justtorchit]

Thanks for links! After more looking I think I got this for a steal. It looks to be in awesome condition seeing as all the optics are fully intact and everything looks clean and clear. I am vexed by the rear mount which measures 5.5 cm in diameter with pretty fine threading. What mount is this? or is this a proprietary/arbitrary size for which I am missing some part that then has a T-mount on it?

[luisalegria]

"or is this a proprietary/arbitrary size for which I am missing some part that then has a T-mount on it?"

Yes, it appears so. I have a similar arrangement on mine.

I don't know if there was some sort of standard mount interface on the Century products. Some other makers of long multi-use lenses like Kilfitt had standard interfaces and standard adapters. In any case, even if these adapters existed it would be very difficult to find one of these loose on ebay.

If it is truly 55mm you could try a do-it-yourself adapter based on, perhaps, a 52-55 step-up ring. Add a reverse adapter and extension rings as needed. Its cheap to try one of these standard rings.

I would not force it though. If it doesn't fit you should look into getting a custom adapter machined, easiest would probably be M42, which is not only easy to machine but can be adapted to anything. I think your piece is valuable enough to justify this job.

[justtorchit]

Luis -

Are there any optics in your mount adapter? I am realizing, when I hold a camera behind this lens, the image does not appear to focus even after adjusting the focus. Was there any glass beyond the rear filter?

[luisalegria]

Mine has an element close to the mount, but that doesn't mean anything.
Mine is a 215mm f/3.5, a very different optical design I am sure.

I doubt yours had one, as it looks like there is a drop-in filter slot there at the rear, which is common on very long and large lenses.

I would guess that whatever adapter you need may need to be fairly long; if you are putting your camera right up to that mount you may be going way beyond infinity.

I would test thus - set that thing up on a tripod where you have a distant view, and set it to infinity. Hold your SLR without a lens behind it and move it slowly from flush with the mount backwards, trying to keep it parallel. I am thinking that you will get a sharp view within an inch or two.

[martyn_bannister]

Might be worth posting something in the cine-lenses sub-forum. I bought an antique video camera the other day with what looked like cracking lens on it. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a c-mount, with a register distance of something like 18mm. Unusable on anything other than a micro 4/3 body if you want infiinty focus.

You could trying checking the table HERE to see if anything matches your lens mount dimensions.

[nemesis101]

This is likely not the case with your lens, but i had a lens many many years ago that seemed not to focus at all - then by chance (this was pre internet) I chanced upon a magazine that was talking about aero lenses, and discovered that this lens was used for aerial spotting duties, and has an optimum focus of.... three MILES...

Ooops


Doug

[cheekygeek]

Amazing Craigslist find!

[justtorchit]

@luis - I think you're right. There are no elements beyond the filter slot and in more looking I think I just need the correct adapter. I contacted the seller to see if he can root around for more parts he may not have been aware belonged to this item.

@martyn - The problem is that the lens sort of just "ends" with this seemingly arbitrary thread. It had no recognizeable mount but I have read these lenses all originally were made to utilize T and C mounts. So I know there is a piece I am missing. This can be a good thing too since as Luis suggested, if I cannot find an adapter, I do still have the room behind the lens to have a part specially made leaving room for whatever registration distance the lens requires to focus on my DSLR. Ill check out the cine-lenses sub-forum! thanks!

@nemesis - haha! wow that's incredible. did you ever get in a plane or to the mountains to try it out?

[justtorchit]

Update! I emailed Schneider Kreuznach (who now owns Century) with the above images and questions. They replied today that surprisingly this lens is apparently only 10-15 years old. Also they do have the part I need to convert this to a T-mount ($125) as well as the filter holder! So I will most likely have this on its way soon!

Also, I worked a little more with holding the camera behind the lens and actually got crystal clear images. I may have just had some extraneous light coming in that I was unaware of or flare or something. So I will have some example images out as soon as I get the part! Thanks for all the help guys.

[SkedAddled]

After viewing the pictures and reading the subsequent comments, I am most impressed, and interested to learn more.

If I may be so bold, David, can I ask what you paid for this lens?

[justtorchit]

@ SkedAddled - I paid $150. I didn't have a lot to give and the seller and I agreed he could make more probably if he waited for the right buyer but sounded like he needed to make the deal now so I was fortunate enough. Seeing as how neither of us seemed to know what we were looking at, it seemed fair and safe should the lens turn out to be completely unusable.

[Pancolart]

Jesus, that is like getting a Benz for a two beers. Congratulations you definitely made it to hall-of-fame best bargains !

[justtorchit]

haha thanks pancolart! I can't wait to try this thing out!

[walter g]