Carl Zeiss UV-Planar 4/60mm

[kds315*]

Well, I'm sure that is not for the everyday user and not for the faint-hearted especially.

Let me present you a lens which was thought to have gotten lost but now it finally made it here:
The extremely rare (5 or so ever made;mine is #4) Carl Zeiss UV-Planar 4/60mm lens.





A lens made for UV Photography and enlarging which consists of quartz and special glass. Symmetrical Gauss design, 6 lenses in 4 groups.

If anyone wonders about the lens coating: Zeiss has applied a special lens coating which transmits UV light, thus it does not look like a normal multicoated lens.

Full data is here:
http://www.macrolenses.de/ml_detail_sl.php?ObjektiveNr=374

[Attila]

Congrats!! Why this extremely low production run ?

[kds315*]

Zeiss serial number range #258xxx stands for special order lenses, prototypes etc. So I guess
there must have been a special requirement to make such lens. Even the Zeiss files do not have that lens listed.

Rodenstock made a similar one, the UV-Rodagon 5.6/60mm where only about 25 were ever made.
Tech. data is very similar, but it is a slower lens f5.6. There must have been some demand for such
lenses at that time (70ies). Most likely for AZO enlarging on UV sensitive paper etc. but both are also
excellent taking lenses.

Even Rodenstock staff doesn't know why these type of lenses were ever made or for what. I found some
old document which mentioned these types of UV sensitive photo paper but also recording on microfilm.



This is the Rodenstock master reference lens; their internal quality standard.

[kds315*]

Talking about UV-Rodagons, I finally after many years of "lens hunting" got the three brothers together!





The 105mm and 60mm lens were the Rodenstock master reference lenses; their internal quality standard; both serial numbers end with xx889 - coincidence?
Rodenstock has also applied a special lens coating which transmits UV light, it does not look like a normal multicoated lens, but golden.

[Orio]

Congrats Klaus. These are more similar to artworks than to serial production. A dream for many collectioners for sure.

[kds315*]

Thanks Orio! Well I use mine for my UV photography but of course you are right, they are (very) precious collectors pieces also and I use them with utmost care.

[kievuser]

Klaus, Many thanks for sharing.

[kds315*]

Most welcome!