Meyer-Optik Orestor 100mm f2.8

[caerwall]

I guess there is only one way to become an expert - do it!

I might eventually become knowledgeable on the pretty little Meyer-Optik 100mm f2.8,but right at the moment I am confused.

There seems to be at least 3 very different M42 versions of this lens - possibly more, and I am not even talking about the later rebadged Pentacon version. I have three "Meyers" now and they are all different. One seems to be the very small zebra version with 14 (?) aperture blades and the aperture ring at the front of the lens. The other two have six bladed apertures and the aperture ring at the camera end. One being of similar shape, marking and length to the "14 blader" but much wider, the other tapers towards the front and only has one "zebra" ring.

The first is obviously the older design and has no auto-diaphragm control whilst the latter two has both side press lever and rear pin activation.

I am not overly concerned, just curious. I have not been able to find any help on the web on this matter and all the talky-talk seems to revolve around the specifications of the first version mentioned although the other two bearing the same name are obviously not quite the same. There is no differencing of the name or model on any of these lenses and they are freely promoted on the web as if they are all one and the same.

Does anyone know the history of this lens?

Tom

[Mos6502]

Optically they are probably all the same. Meyer changed barrel styles as camera styles changed, most of their lenses inhabited several different styles of barrels over the life of production. Look at the Oreston for instance it had many different barrel styles over its long life, but it was so far as I know always the same lens, even under the Pentacon brand.

[caerwall]

Thanks MOS, I am sure that the lens configuration did not change, but the size of the lens did and the number of blades on the aperture are certainly different and highly noticeable.

Usually talk is about the 100mm f2.8 Meyer Orestor with "Zebra" attached as a modifier (presumably the 14 blade version).

For the purpose of this discussion they are all "Zebras" - I will describe them:

"Zebra" - the apparent original with aperture setting at the front of the lens - 14 blade aperture - no auto diaphragm pin or side actuating lever - two "zebra stripes"
"Fat Zebra" - possibly the next (transitional?) variation - aperture setting now at rear of lens - 6 blade aperture - diaphragm pin at rear and also side actuating lever - also has two "zebra stripes" as above and is a noticeably larger diameter lens
"Half Zebra" or "Tapered Zebra" - last Meyer version? - presumably morphed into the Pentacon 100mm f2.8 - clean tapered front barrel part except for a silver trim ring at the end - all black focus ring - single "Zebra" aperture ring at rear of lens - 6 blade aperture - diaphragm pin at rear and also side actuating lever - seems more complex at rear of lens than the Fat Zebra ("electric"?). Is a smaller lens than the "Fat Zebra" but larger than the original Zebra.

Obviously the latter two are physically quite different from the first lens in many ways. I also think that the Pentacon badged lens is probably much the same as the Meyer "Half Zebra". So are many buying Orestor 6 blade lenses on the reputation of the original 14 blade example? Or are they all equally good?

I am also interested to see if there are any other variations on this lens - it seems well respected but there is not a lot of information on the discrete model variations. Surely the 6 blade versions are reasonably different from the 14 blade one?

I also have 6 blade Takumar 105mm f2.8 which is of a very similar size to the "Zebra" Orestor. So I can do a photographic comparison of the four lenses.

Tom

[Minolfan]