Aetnar 105mm f/3.8 Anyone Familiar With this?

[Punkinhed7]

Never seen one before, can't find any info on it anywhere. Exakta mount (I think). No maker identified on the lens. Made in Germany, "HH" mark on the Bezel. Came with a Taylor Hobson lens cap which I'm assuming isn't original (since the lens wasn't made in England). Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Edit: The photos dont seem to be displaying (at least to me). Here's an imgur album showing the lens. http://imgur.com/a/c8kBY

Edit-edit: seems to be fine now (aside from the incorrect rotations...follow the imgur link if it'd help to see them in the proper orientation)


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[Punkinhed7]

do I need multiple replies on my account to make images/links display?

Edit: It seems that I do

[Lloydy]

Yes, pictures don't show on your first post, it's an anti spam measure to stop posting by bots.

And I know nothing about your lens, sorry.

[pdccameras]

Interesting lens - not even listed in the vape mecum. Could have been made by a small house brand. Your assumption that the lens cap was from another lens is right on - the lens is definitely not a Taylor Hobson. Even the speed and focal length is a bit odd. The only other 105mm f/3.8 I can think of is the Ross Xpress mounted on an Ensign folder. Definitely shoot with it and post your results!

Best,

P.

[uddhava]

Very interesting, hope it performs well.

[Pancolart]

Might be rangefinder lens initially.

[Eddie46]

Judging the lack of information,especially on t'internet etc,it must be worth Millions!

[tb_a]

Aetna Optix was a US distributor of photo supply, already active in the 1950s. They also distributed Exakta cameras and lenses.
Most probably this lens has been rebranded as "Aetnar". However, I couldn't find any original Exakta lens from any German manufacturer like the lens shown here. Maybe it was only made for the US market. I don't know.
The only Exakta lens in 105mm/F3.8 is the Steinheil Cassar, but it's looking totally different.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Lens for 6x9 mounted on a fairly crude tube/helicoid to enable use on a 35mm camera. Such lashups were common in the early 50s, produced in small batches to fulfil orders from the larger photo dealers. Mostly likely a 4/3 tessar type, or maybe a 3/3 triplet. It will probably be pretty sharp, but contrast will be medium to low, no telling what the character will be as that depends on how well corrected it is for things like spherical aberration.

[Punkinhed7]

All the other Aetna lenses I've ever come across have been clearly labeled "Aetna" along with the lens model (actinar, coligon, etc.). I'm wondering about that 'HH' mark on the bezel though. I found an image of an Aetna Actinar that also has it, with similar construction and also made in Germany. Both the Coligons I have were made in Japan though.

[16:9]

It's likely that the maker of your lens is Steinheil, although the typography and tooling and very reminiscent of A. Schacht lenses of the 1950s. However, Steinheil made a range of lenses called 'Actinar' for folding cameras in the 1930s.

Aetna Optix were rebranding Musashino Koki lenses in the 1950s as Macro Actinars, and a handful of Steinheil-made models identified by the 'Made in Germany' or 'Germany' marking. Exakta was a common mount for bellows use, and was a standard 'optional extra' for the Macro Actinars, but I've not seen one with a helicoid like this before, or one labeled Aetnar.

[PBFACTS]

[Alun Thomas]

I posted some time back on another thread about an Aetna Telagon badged lens which is a Schacht Travegon 135/4.5 lens. It has the same HH symbol on the name ring. As mentioned then, Aetna/Schacht seemed to be playing a bit loose with naming similar or the same as other brands lenses.