fototel ( old delft )

[KarelDH]

Hi,

anyone any experience whit this lens ?.

http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/Objectif-ancien-pour-appareil-photo-/320696933519?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_23&hash=item4aab06dc8f

thanks

[Spotmatic]

Never heard of it (although I am a Dutchman ) but it seems that it's a mirror lens with a reflex mirror built in. Sort of like the Leica Visoflex. Maybe it has a Leica 39mm mount too. Must be very rare...

[KarelDH]

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/4401415

its rare alright.

[luisalegria]

Old Delft was a high quality Dutch lens-maker.
They had SLR lenses in many mounts, particularly Exakta and Alpa.
Also a range of industrial and large format lenses, etc.
It seems they made only small quantities though.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Very interesting mirror lens. I guess the price is due to rarity.

Wonder how the IQ compares to a Russian mirror lens?

I'm guessing the reflex mirror in there is because it's for use with Leica rangefinders and such a camera wouldn't be able to focus through the viewfinder with this monster mounted on it?

[luisalegria]

I suspect this lens was supplied with several camera mounts and therefore would not necessarily be able to fit on the Leica Visoflex and whatever contraption Zeiss had also. So they made the lens with its own reflex finder to avoid the problem.

[KarelDH]

hi

There seems to be not alot of intrest in this lens.

Atm i got the bid.

Do u guys think i can use this on my olympus e-620 ?
(looks like an m39 mount)

Thank you

[luisalegria]

You got a real bargain. This is a very interesting collectors piece.

I have come to a different conclusion as to how this was designed to work. I think it is a combination spotting scope/camera lens, and not quite a combo-replacement for the Leica Visoflex. I think the cable just switches the view from telescope eyepiece to the camera.

As to whether this can be mounted on your Olympus - it all depends on the camera mount supplied, which the vendor does not say.

[KarelDH]

auction ended.

i got it for 120 euro.

Now hoping i can use it :p

[iangreenhalgh1]

[KarelDH]

[hanskerensky]

Hi Karel,

Very nice and rare find !

If you received that lens would it be possible to publish some photos of it in Flickr group : http://www.flickr.com/groups/camerawiki/

I would be very happy to add this item to the Old Delft page of Camera Wiki : http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Old_Delft

Regards,
Hans

[exaklaus]

I own an Old Delft DELCA TD50 f=50cm 1:6,3 in Exakta mount. Bit slower, but to my knowledge, even rarer. Never saw another one. A pity is, that I can't use it on my 5DII, because of the pretty thick bayonet flanges, protuding to far into the camera and blocking the mirror.


Klaus

[KarelDH]

hi

Klaus, indeed yours is even more rare, as far as i have read and found it was only a Prototype version .

( here you go an other one sorry to spoil it for you)

(on the bottom of the page)
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/RF-Nikkor/Contax_RF/ContaxRF50cmf8.htm

[exaklaus]

No problem, mine is different! Without reflex viewer! And I have the paperwork for it, too.Already tried to find in my archives, but..... just to much to locate it right now.

Klaus

[KarelDH]

hi

Klaus is it this one ?

http://collectiblend.com/Lenses/Old-Delft/50mm-f6.3-Delca-%28Exakta%29.html

sorry

For more lenses
http://collectiblend.com/Lenses/search.php?param=old+delft

[exaklaus]

No, mine is different, does not show this plate on top, to cover the opening for a reflex finder.

Klaus

[KarelDH]

hi,

i asked the seller (before the auction ended) if there were any faults/dents ext. just got an answer, that the mechanism ( the cord sticking out i think) is blocked.

would this be repairable ? ,

i am going go and take a look anyhow ( 2 hour drive tho ).

[luisalegria]

Anything is repairable, the question is how much effort is needed.

I believe the cord is for flipping the mirror to switch between telescope and camera mode.

[exaklaus]

[KarelDH]

[KarelDH]

hi,

well i got my fototel today.

Its an m39 so it fits my Olympus , i can get infinity,
The outside of this lens is very nice not allot of scratches, glass has no scratches too.

the view mechanism is stuck in camera mode, so i can test it on my camera
focusing smooth.

but ( there is always a but :p) the big chamber (mirror and glass) is infested with fungus. don't know jet if i would clean it or let it be cleaned.

but if i would do it myself, the glass is not a problem, but the mirror, is it fragile ? ( like extremely fragile ?-).

there is not allot of sun

i will post test shots soon.

[hanskerensky]

Nice lens Karel,

Pity about that fungus. When it would be on a glass surface it probably could be removed without too much harm. On a mirror is a different story of course. These surface mirrors a generally speaking quite vulnerable. The mirrors in my rangefinder cameras i allways clean very very gently. I normally use ROR (kind of optical lens cleaner) and first try that out on a corner to see how the surface deals with it.

A generous dose of UV-light (sun or special UV-lamp) would probably stop that fungus from spreading but then again you have to remove the fungus remnants. If i was you i would get in touch with amateur astronomers as these sometimes build themselves mirror telescopes and surely would know how to clean or resilver mirrors.

[KarelDH]

hi,

first thoughts are a bit divided, it has some good sharp areas an some soft spots.

I think its because of the fungus an the dirt inside.
( and i think its around f7 instead of an f5 because of it).

ill let u decide. ( there was medium light, oh and windy ).


(at some parts the hairs are very good visible (first three +1 sharpening on camera).

[dickb]

I recently got a copy of this lens. It had a problem with some residue on the glass on the inside surfaces. Luckily it was quite easy to clean, and it works quite well now:


The same oystercatcher chick as seen by the Leitz Telyt 560/5.6, this time obviously with the lovely catadioptic bokeh..