5 elements, 5 groups

[Hibbs]

I am awaiting delivery of a Tokina made Vivitar that has 5 elements in 5 groups.

Could someone share with me what type of lens this may be? Is it a Heliar formula? Would this relatively low element count excel at low light?

Lastly, which sites are best for researching the various formulas and their history.

Thanks

 

[zeitz]

You don't give the focal length or camera mount. Wide angle, normal and telephoto lenses have significantly different designs. Also rangefinder vs SLR lenses have different designs in the wide angle range.

 

[former member]

"Photographic Lenses", Neblette, 1965 edition (best) 1973 edition- latter is available for free download.

 

[Hibbs]

You don't give the focal length or camera mount. Wide angle, normal and telephoto lenses have significantly different designs. Also rangefinder vs SLR lenses have different designs in the wide angle range.

SLR lens 35mm 3.5

 

[dexdog]

Is this the lens you are interested in?

https://lens-db.com/vivitar-wide-angle-35mm-f35/

If you scroll down the page and look at the blue link under Lens Construction you will find the lens diagram. The page does not appear to categorize the lens formula.


Doing some quick searching, the 5 element heliar designs all use a 2-1-2 arrangement

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

I am not familiar with the Vivitar lens you reference but the 35mm f/3.5 Asahi Takumar lens is a 5 element 5 group design and is very well regarded. S-M-C/Super/Auto Takumar 35mm F3.5 Reviews - M42 Screwmount Wide-Angle Primes - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database My copy is filthy inside but still produces decently sharp images.

 

[former member]

The Schneider Retina Reflex Curtagon 35/2.8 was a 5/5 I believe. Later versions for other cameras were 6 elements. The Nikon series E 28/2.8 original Nikon Af-Nikkor 28/2.8 was also 5/5.

 

[Hibbs]

I have the Curtagon in DKL. Is the one you are meaning?

 

[former member]

I have the Curtagon in DKL. Is the one you are meaning?

Yes- the 35/2.8 is a 5/5.

 

[Prest_400]

Not a 35mm format lens, but 6x9 to the equivalent FoV of 39-40mm.



The Fujinon has always appeared interesting to me because there aren't cemented groups, nor it's a 6 element design much more common in Double Gauss derivatives. In RFF there is this fantastic thread that focuses on such types of lenses developed towards faster variations: A Short History of Fast Normal Lenses

 

[Ernst Dinkla]

Not a 35mm format lens, but 6x9 to the equivalent FoV of 39-40mm.

View attachment 4856990

The Fujinon has always appeared interesting to me because there aren't cemented groups, nor it's a 6 element design much more common in Double Gauss derivatives. In RFF there is this fantastic thread that focuses on such types of lenses developed towards faster variations: A Short History of Fast Normal Lenses

Is this the lens you are interested in?

https://lens-db.com/vivitar-wide-angle-35mm-f35/

If you scroll down the page and look at the blue link under Lens Construction you will find the lens diagram. The page does not appear to categorize the lens formula.


Doing some quick searching, the 5 element heliar designs all use a 2-1-2 arrangement

More or less Tessar based retrofocus wide angle SLR lens then, with the rear group separated. Quite similar to the first versions of that type like the Angénieux 35mm 2.5 but with fewer elements and no groups.

 

[Ernst Dinkla]

Not a 35mm format lens, but 6x9 to the equivalent FoV of 39-40mm.

View attachment 4856990

The Fujinon has always appeared interesting to me because there aren't cemented groups, nor it's a 6 element design much more common in Double Gauss derivatives. In RFF there is this fantastic thread that focuses on such types of lenses developed towards faster variations: A Short History of Fast Normal Lenses

Fujifilm also has a range of 35mm SLR lenses that have no cemented groups in the design. Both in the M42 and X-Fujinon range. Sometimes its catalog info describes them as having groups but taking them apart shows that while close fitting that group can not be cemented, curvatures too different. Common types: reversed and straight Xenotar/Unilite designs like your example and the Unar type.
Even in the Fuji compact models with fixed lenses that trend is noticeable.

X-Fujinon 55mm 1.6 DM (EBC) optical diagram. Transferred from another thread.

Lovely images! Which version are you using; the bayonet-mount one, or the M42 one? Both are fairly rare. Both versions have an uncommon formula (Xenotar-type, 5e / 4g), but the M42 version is essentially reversed, and it creates the weirdest bokeh wide open in my recent memory. Hopefully you've...

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