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Agfa M3525 lens (ca. 50 mm f/2.8, prototype?)
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 10:39 pm    Post subject: Agfa M3525 lens (ca. 50 mm f/2.8, prototype?) Reply with quote

As I've already mentioned here and also in our article on Agfa enlarging/projection/industrial lenses (https://deltalenses.com/index.php/2022/03/21/agfa-enlarger-lenses/) I have a couple of tiny Agfa lenses without any real body or a proper inscription. I still think that they might be prototypes or custom made lenses for a particular application or customer.

One of those is labeled "M3525 6/3" and while it appears to be a simple triplet, it's one of my favorite lenses by Agfa and quite capable as a macro lens:

Got handed a lemon. Tried to make the best of it! by simple.joy, on Flickr

Rad color! by simple.joy, on Flickr

Pearly gates by simple.joy, on Flickr

Dan Delight by simple.joy, on Flickr

Wide open its rendering reminds me a bit of the Trioplan (creating some bubbles), stopped down it gets incredible smooth... perhaps a bit like the Primoplan, but sharper in its preferred magnification range. The focal length is probably close to 50 mm and the maximum aperture something like f/2.8. The lens doesn't look like much - it's just a threaded barrel with an unmarked metal aperture ring. It's really tiny, similar to a microscope objective but of course with way bigger glass elements.

A lens? Basically just a cylinder by simple.joy, on Flickr

Even though Agfa had a patent for a three-element enlarging lens (DE000001026986A) I'm not aware of any lens like that, they ever mass-produced.

So the origin and purpose of that lens still remains a mystery. If you happen to know anything about it, or know someone who might, please let me know - I'm very curious to find out more about it.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like it is a very capable little lens. Congrats


PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

calvin83 wrote:
Looks like it is a very capable little lens. Congrats


Thanks! I certainly think so and like it a lot, which is the reason why I'm so interested to know if and where Agfa used that simple lens design and if they didn't, why?

Feel the pain... and brush it off! by simple.joy, on Flickr

No one else wanted it... now it's Robert‘s! by simple.joy, on Flickr

Winter is over... white everywhere! by simple.joy, on Flickr

Open house in hell by simple.joy, on Flickr

Spring... ting... ting! by simple.joy, on Flickr