Exaktar 55/1.4 M42 (from Cosina made Exakta Twin TL)

[luisalegria]

This is actually a "Frankenstein" assembled from the good parts of two Exaktar lenses that came with a pair of non--operational Exakta Twin TL bodies. I have had this for at least five years, but I'm just getting around to posting it.

PJCT2544 by luisalegria, on Flickr

PJCT2540 by luisalegria, on Flickr

The cameras were a regular Exakta Twin TL in Exakta Real mount, and the other a Twin TL 42, M42 of course. The lenses were in nearly as bad a way as the bodies, with scratches, separation and etc., but there were enough good parts to assemble one fully functional lens with good glass throughout.

This is not a unique type of lens by any means. It is, I am certain, a clone of the generic type of the same specs found in Ricoh, Mamiya, Cosina and other second-line SLR makers of the mid 60's-mid 70's. Its optics are identical, for instance, to the Rikenon 55/1.4. It is the same seven-element Double Gauss design, with as far as I can tell by inspection, entirely compatible, substitutable elements/groups. I am sure that I could have used a Ricoh, Mamiya, etc. as a parts donor.

The Twin TL was a Cosina-made camera and its lenses were, I strongly suspect, also sourced from Cosina. The cameras, as far as I could see from their mechanical design after a teardown, extremely similar to the Ricoh/Sears TLS, so obviously a Cosina design, with various detail changes.

They were made for the West-German Ihagee Kamerawerk AG, also known as Ihagee WestBerlin. This was an enterprise that had the "western" trademarks for Ihagee through the prewar shareholders and heirs of the company. The German-made camera they marketed was unsuccessful, so like so many other failing cameramakers (Argus, Alpa, Petri, Miranda, etc.) they ended up simply rebranding something made by the ubiquitous Cosina.

Some links on various aspects of Ihagee West, the Exakta Real and the Exakta Twin TL.

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Exakta_Twin_TL
http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/exaktatwintl.htm
http://www.exakta.org/orgarticles/orgrealaguila.html
http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/exaktareal.htm

Anyway, this thing is a completely conventional lens of that very familiar type, a large, heavy solid thing, with a M/A switch and standard M42 auto mount on the M42 variant, a unique focus grip design and the appropriate name ring. It has excellent close focus abilities, interesting bokeh (of course), center sharpness to rival a Super-Takumar, and not terribly good corners, but for this sort of lens who cares. Flare is actually rather well controlled and contrast seems excellent.

Pictures taken over several years, some with Pentax K-x, others with K30. I tried to get bokehlicious shots but you guys are the masters here. No bird, sorry. Their contract is quite firm about minimum focal length. 80mm is a hard stop.

PJCT2218x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP2684x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP2639x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP0998 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP1006 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP0994 by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP1296x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP1310x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP0799x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP0820x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP2604bw by luisalegria, on Flickr

PJCT2367x by luisalegria, on Flickr

IMGP0788x by luisalegria, on Flickr

[jamaeolus]

I have a Schneider 135mm in Exakta Real mount that is new in box. I have the mount from the front of a Twin camera that I hope one day to (if I ever get around to it!) fab amount for that lens. If so there are quite a few good lenses floating around out there cheap as they are not easily adapted to other systems.

[sergtum]

[Pancolart]

Very nice. Grip is really cool with this series.

[Oldhand]

The results are very good Luis.
You should be pleased to have created the lens from the parts and the images that came from it.

Tom

[Minolfan]

You made nice pictures with that lens!

[D1N0]

My Porst looks just like that


https://www.flickr.com/photos/randomdump/albums/72157631349294882

[kryss]

Great project luis and you coaxed some great shots from it,I really like the green Turtles/Tortoise.

[kds315*]

WOW, excellent work, pics and presentation Luis!

[Lloydy]

Once again Luis gives us education and entertainment, some excellent images to accompany his passion for researching the history of the lens. And an interesting history it is...