6X6 equivilent of early elmar

[vfrazz]

...the Leica Elmar photos that I have seen display a certain signature to me--a little flat, lovely tones, quiet contrast (in part caused by uncoated glass, yes?)...can you suggest a lens or type of lens or a fixed-lens camera (probably an early folder?) that displays these features...has to be 6 X 6...or how about the early Hasselblad lenses?...

 

[Crazy Fedya]

That would be uncoated Tessar on a multitude of 6x6 folders, that are available on Ebay, here in the marketplace, and other online shopping venues.

 

[Swift1]

...the Leica Elmar photos that I have seen display a certain signature to me--a little flat, lovely tones, quiet contrast (in part caused by uncoated glass, yes?)...can you suggest a lens or type of lens or a fixed-lens camera (probably an early folder?) that displays these features...has to be 6 X 6...or how about the early Hasselblad lenses?...

I'm guessing an early Tessar or Xenar equipped Rolleiflex might be close to what you're after.

 

[vfrazz]

...oh, I should have mentioned: black and white film, and I am referring to the pre-war Elmar 50mm photos I've seen...

 

[Brian Legge]

I'd wager most 6x6 folders would have similar behavior. Most were tessars and from the same period from a coating standpoint.

 

[mfogiel]

As said above, you want an uncoated or at most single coated tessar. Plentiful on TLR's.

 

[Dan Daniel]

You probably want an uncoated Tessar-type lens. Tessar, Xenar, Skopar... I forget Agfa's name for the 4 element, 3 group Tessar-type design.

I am assuming that the pre-war Elmar was similar to the post-war Elmar, which was of the Tessar-type design.

By the way, a lot of pre-war folders used triplet lenses, not Tessar-type lenses. Look over those type and see if they give oyu the look you want.

Early Hasselblads used a Kodak Ektar lens. Not sure if it was the Tessar-type or Heliar-type.

A pre-war uncoated Tessar off of a Zeiss Ikonta 6x6 (mounted on a post-war Minolta Autocord body, but that's a different story)

 

[Swift1]

Here's a couple of shots I took using my friends Rolleiflex Automat with uncoated Xenar, on Tmax 400.

 

[CMur12]

The Agfa equivalent of the Tessar was the Solinar.

- Murray

 

[NeeZee]

Virtually all prewar 6x6 folders or TLR's will have a lens with the character you're describing. From my experience the state of the camera and lens is MUCH more important than being a 3- or 4-element design. Be aware that when buying a prewar camera that has never been serviced you can be 95% sure that the leaf shutter is not working correctly at all speeds. Also even the slightest amount of haze in a lens can ruin its performance.

 

[Ernst Dinkla]

...the Leica Elmar photos that I have seen display a certain signature to me--a little flat, lovely tones, quiet contrast (in part caused by uncoated glass, yes?)...can you suggest a lens or type of lens or a fixed-lens camera (probably an early folder?) that displays these features...has to be 6 X 6...or how about the early Hasselblad lenses?...

The earliest Elmar was an Elmax
http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fotografici/50mm_Leica_a_telemetro/00_pag.htm

After that the design became more like a Tessar but the diaphragm stayed behind the first element where most Tessars and clones have it behind the second element. Whether that influences the image quality in a significant way is unlikely, I have not seen a reference to that difference when image quality is discussed. I would expect some lens design deviations from a normal Tessar if the diaphragm is shifted more to the front.

I do not know a MF 4 element 3 group lens design with a similar diaphragm placement but it might exist.

The earliest Hasselblad SLR lenses were Kodak Ektars that could be Tessar or Heliar (5 elements) designs. The Kodak Anastigmat Specials are Tessar designs too and might suit your taste too. Most not unit focusing but front cell focusing so unlike an Elmar. On folders and some other camera types.
http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/cameras/kodak.html

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

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