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Anyone Ever seen this Lens before? If so What is it?
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:53 am    Post subject: Anyone Ever seen this Lens before? If so What is it? Reply with quote
I found what I think is a Really cool Aluminum zoom lens. I took it apart and it looks hand made but I am probably wrong. The lens has 2 cemented elements. Looks like a flat piece and a convex front, about 1" thich. In pencil it has 7474 written on the side of it I have to assume this is come sort of measurement in optics.


It had a piece of tape marking the aperture stops from 5.6 to f45. I make little marks in the alum with a pantograph engraver, so I have reference when I restore this baby.

The aperture is like an old preset Takumar but the blade design is way different. it Has 12 blades.
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The lens element does appear to have a slight coating on the rear of the optic, however the front it seems to of been worn off.



The mount looks like an old Leica screw mount (m39 I think)but not sure. I am thinking this is a old Cine lens, again just guessing. I know it has no value to anyone but me. I love old stuff like this. The craftsmanship is wonderful, They dont make stuff like this anymore.



I held it in front of my D70, Olympus e-1 and my 7d. It must be for 35mm it registers clear and focused images with the lens in almost the same position as the original factory lenses.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 10:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Where did you find it? How much id you pay for it? I think it looks pretty cool. Now give it to me. Wink Congrats!


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks like some prototype.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'd say that was an early TV camera lens.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks a DIY item, I saw several item here locally and I have one too with same finish of barrel.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
Looks a DIY item, I saw several item here locally and I have one too with same finish of barrel.


Is that a Zenit m39 mount then?


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 2:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Is there any glass on the other side of the diaphragm ?
If not its most likely a 2-element anastigmat. These were often used as log focal length lens designs as they can be very sharp in the center, with poor edges, but thats less signifcant if the design just uses the center of the coverage circle.

If the mount is M39 it may have been intended for a Leica Visoflex reflex mount.

There were a lot of military optics re-purposed as camera lenses by hobbyists in the 1950's. I have a couple of these myself, made apparently from artillery sights.

http://forum.mflenses.com/what-the-heck-is-this-thing-200and-f-5-lens-t6488,highlight,penntar.html

http://forum.mflenses.com/homemade-lens-200mm-f-5-6-former-military-item-t11103,highlight,%2Bhomemade.html

One of these at least probably came from this -

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t6367.html

I have seen others; as one can expect these are all unique. The most common mount seems to be Exakta, which makes sense as that was THE slr of the 1940's-early 50's. I have also seen M42. M39 Visoflex on one of these would be a new one to me, but not unlikely.

Yours is much better made than the ones I have. Someone with a proper machine shop and good skills made yours.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
newton wrote:
Where did you find it? How much id you pay for it? I think it looks pretty cool. Now give it to me. Wink Congrats!

5 Bucks, is what I paid. It only had a single doublet in the front, I will make a video showing its complete tear down and show you what it is exactly.

@ luisalegria
it is a 2 element lens with 7474 in pencil on the side. The total element is around 1" thick, it sits in front of the aperture. It has a thin convex element cemented on what appears to be a flat cylinder. No concave rear elements just flat.

The rear of the elements looks to be coated. If the lens mounts up ok to my dlsr, (have some m30 to m43 adapters on the way) I want to have the lens polished, it has lots of rub marks not actual scratches but you can see where it has been cleaned lots of times.

The center of the images looking thru, just held up to my Nikon d70 is tac sharp at 5.6. Cant imagine what f 45 looks like, lol


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It is not a "zoom" lens. It may be a telephoto, but that doesn't make it a "zoom".


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
Is there any glass on the other side of the diaphragm ?
If not its most likely a 2-element anastigmat. These were often used as log focal length lens designs as they can be very sharp in the center, with poor edges, but thats less signifcant if the design just uses the center of the coverage circle..


luis,

You cannot correct astigmatism with two elements.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ooops !

I meant Achromatic.

Like a refracting telescope lens.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 1:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I still say it could be an early TV camera lens, I have seen similarly homemade seeming lenses at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford, very thick, solid plain aluminium barrels like that. No idea what the optic formulas were but they were usually a small number of elements and were designed for max sharpness in the centre of the frame wide open as early TV cameras were very insensitive, they didn't care about corner sharpness.

Last edited by iangreenhalgh1 on Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:06 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 3:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice piece, whatever it is! Very Happy A lot of work in the design and in the making, but doesn't look like any lens I know. The front isn't coated? Do you think the lens group is reversed, that the coating should be front?


PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I still say it could be an early TV camera lens, I have seen similarly homemade seeming lenses at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford, very thick, solid plain aluminium barrels like that. No idea what the optic formulas were but they were usually a small number of elements and were designed for max sharpness in the centre of the frame wide open as early TV cameras were very insensitive, they didn't care about corner sharpness.


Why would someone DIY an early TV-camera lens? Were the cameras DIY too? Smile Wink


PostPosted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
No, not saying they were diy made but that they had a crude look to them like that lens has.
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