AkArette / AkArelle lenses and what to do with them

[SimonSawSunlight]

http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/AkArette
http://www.ukcamera.com/classic_cameras/aka1.htm

I've recently been given one of these (an AkArelle version I think, not sure which version, will check later when I'm at home) with lens in very good condition (although the transport mechanism is still a bit sticky)

the Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 2.8/50 it features is tiny! the 'inverted' screw mount is kind of cool, but can I adapt this thing to M39 or Leica M without too much hassle? Any ideas, suggestions, comments are welcome!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

You would need to transplant the optics module into a Focus mount, set the collimation for the RF cam to agree with the actual focus. It might be possible to use a J-8 mount, but cannot tell until the size of the lens is measured.

These look like rare cameras, might want to keep them together.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

You would need to transplant the optics module into a Focus mount, set the collimation for the RF cam to agree with the actual focus. It might be possible to use a J-8 mount, but cannot tell until the size of the lens is measured.

These look like rare cameras, might want to keep them together.

and if I didn't need the RF-coupling? I was thinking about a temporary, not permanent solution maybe. I will try and find out the distance to film plane, post a few photos of my specimen and ask Tom A. for his opinion on the camera, since they seem related to the Robots in some way, and I remember him using a Robot Royal. The AkA's were rather expensive at the time, it seems.


thanks for your reply, Brian!

 

[sevo]

Schneider seem to have re-used the optical designs they used for Robot lenses - they had a Xenagon and Tele-Xenar for the Robot as well. But the corresponding Robot lenses are proportionally shorter (given a 24x24 frame) and have a much better finish (stainless steel or heavily chromed brass rather than aluminium), so that relationship is not particularly deep.

IIRC Aka bayonet lenses have rather a short register, which might make it hard to adapt them elsewhere - but they are full featured, only the shutter was body side, so you won't need a extra focusing mount or aperture to go with them.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

Schneider seem to have re-used the optical designs they used for Robot lenses - they had a Xenagon and Tele-Xenar for the Robot as well. But the corresponding Robot lenses are proportionally shorter (given a 24x24 frame) and have a much better finish (stainless steel or heavily chromed brass rather than aluminium), so that relationship is not particularly deep.

IIRC Aka bayonet lenses have rather a short register, which might make it hard to adapt them elsewhere - but they are full featured, only the shutter was body side, so you won't need a extra focusing mount or aperture to go with them.

yes, the only concern is the distance to the film and a good way to keep it where it belongs. I might also look for a Schneider 2.0/50... the small size of these interchangeable lenses is very impressive!

btw, this article states that Dr. Eugen Armbruster, one of the two founders of AkA, participated in the development of the Robot, Voigtländer Bessa II and Brillant cameras. the Aka's look like distant relatives of the robot and are, sorry for repeating, also quite compact.

edit: aaand I already find myself looking for info on the Akarex III. 😀

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

I was wrong about the lens; it is a Xenar but 2.8/45 and not the 50mm, it is small but heavier than my 21mm LTM Skopar for example, doesn't feel like aluminium to me. I successfully convinced the film transport to work properly now and cleaned the viewfinders. she's a pretty lady now!

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

here's what the lens would (more or less) look like on an M body:

I could buy an old defective AkArette/relle body for cheap and try to take out the 'bayonet' part and adapt it to the M bay at the right distance, seems feasible to me...

 

[Mablo]

The Xenar 45mm/2.8 can be found in some Retinas. At least IIF and IIS has it. It's a good lens, true to the high Xenar (Tessar like) standard found in Rolleicords for example.

Very nice and rare camera that Akarelle by the way.