Uncommon, Rare, and Collector's Delights.

Correct. And the fact that this is the only 35mm lens that does this to my knowledge. For example Canon went a completely different way and added elements to the rear doublet making it 3 (Canon 35/1.8) or even a crazy 4 (Canon 35/1.5) elements. One could argue that Nikon went a sort of similar path with their 35/1.8 but they used a different base-design (Xenotar type)...
 
TenEleven, I was just looking at the lens schematics in Peter Kitchingman's book on Canon lenses. He shows the 35/1.5 as 8 elements in 4 groups, 2-2-3-1. The same book shows the Canon 35/1.8 as 7 elements in 4 groups, 1-2-3-1. I dont have a jpg of the schematics handy, but will look for one. It seems that the major design differences of the two lenses is that the 1.5 has an overlay of a thin lens element in front of the thicker one in the first lens group
 
I think this is interesting because of the overall complexity/ridiculousness of this finder, a Canon twin turret zoom finder. I do not know when this finder was made, but I am guessing late 1950s. I have used this finder a few times, and while functional, it is a lot of stuff to be hanging off your camera, and very likely to be snagged on camera straps, sweaters, etc. That said, the view through this finder is quite bright and framing is accurate. The smaller turret has click stops for 50, 45, 40 and 35mm. If you attach the separate lens for 21 to 28mm to the smaller turret, these same click stops provide framing for 28, 25 and 21mm. The second turret provides views for 85, 90, 100, 105, 110, 125 and 135. The shoe of the finder has a lever for parallax adjustment from 3.5 feet to infinity. Lastly, the finder and 21-28 attachment have fitted leather cases lined in thick blue velvet. At 6.5 cm long and about 5cm tall it is a chunky finder, and weighs 140g/4.9 ounces



I missed the focus on the last pic, but losing enough sunlight to re-take the photo.
 
BTW, the background for a lot of my pics in this thread is a tee shirt from Central Camera Co., Chicago. When I worked in downtown Chicago in the 1990s I used to drop in once a week to gawk at the impressive display of vintage gear. It got so bad I almost bought an Exacta Varex IIa. Good thing I was kinda broke at the time.
 
dexdog said:
It got so bad I almost bought an Exacta Varex IIa.
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Better a IIa than a IIb. And once somebody figures out how to use a Varex IIa to shoot a zombie movie, you'll be sorry you didn't buy one so you could cash in on the buying frenzy... [inside joke from another thread]
 
Cascadilla said:
Not that exotic, but these are my two contributions: 18 cm f/6.3 CZJ Tele-Tessar K and 3.5 cm f/4.5 CZJ Orthometar, both overhauled by Henry Scherer. Within the limits of uncoated lenses i have found them to be good performers.
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I have those 2 lenses, too! https://www.flickr.com/photos/furcafe/tags/carlzeissjena18cm63teletessarkc193435/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/furcafe/tags/carlzeissjena35cm45orthometarc1937/
Don't have a need to use telephotos, so I've used the Orthometar much more often than the Tele-Tessar.
 
dexdog said:
My biggest and heaviest lens by far, the CZJ 18cm f2.8 Sonnar. Often referred to as the "Olympic Sonnar" due to its use at the 1936 Olympic games, my lens is part of a batch of 100 completed April, 1937. I had this lens cleaned last year and attached the Flektoscop to my Sony a7iii last summer, or the other way around given that the lens weighs several times what the camera does.
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Nice, I've often thought about picking up the direct mount version, but in contrast to my Tele-Tessar, I can't justify getting 1 to only use once or twice a year.
 
furcafe said:
The focus helical on my 3.5cm/2.8 Biometar completely seized up due to that great Eastern Bloc build quality, so I may have the optics taken out to be put into a compatible LTM barrel.
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I serviced mine and it's buttery smooth*. Are you sure that the helical is actually seized?

I agree that the fit and finish of the Jena post-war lenses is not as high as pre-war, but I wouldn't call it "eastern block" or bad for sure. The grease they use turns into a solid sort of wax which can give the impression it's seized up. And as someone who services lenses I can tell you I vastly prefer that over the runny grease the Germans use which gets absolutely everywhere which makes serving anything a major undertaking.

Oh and you can also use this lens in an Amedo adapter without remounting it, by the way. The rear part is juuust short enough for that to work on my Orion C/L Adapter, I assume Amedeo is the same.

*meaning I can focus the lens with the razor wheel on the camera without it hurting my finger - the way it should be. People make the judgement of the utility of that wheel on cameras and lenses that are super gunked up.
 
TenEleven said:
I serviced mine and it's buttery smooth*. Are you sure that the helical is actually seized?

I agree that the fit and finish of the Jena post-war lenses is not as high as pre-war, but I wouldn't call it "eastern block" or bad for sure. The grease they use turns into a solid sort of wax which can give the impression it's seized up. And as someone who services lenses I can tell you I vastly prefer that over the runny grease the Germans use which gets absolutely everywhere which makes serving anything a major undertaking.

Oh and you can also use this lens in an Amedo adapter without remounting it, by the way. The rear part is juuust short enough for that to work on my Orion C/L Adapter, I assume Amedeo is the same.

*meaning I can focus the lens with the razor wheel on the camera without it hurting my finger - the way it should be. People make the judgement of the utility of that wheel on cameras and lenses that are super gunked up.
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I sent it to Skyllaney (along w/a Tokyo Optical 5cm/1.5 Simlar that needed fungus removed) when I couldn't budge the Biometar's focus & they're saying it's seized up so bad that they can't separate the focus mechanism, but if you know a better way to disassemble it, I would be happy to pass the info along to them.
 
I didn't know that you already had it at Skyllaney - I assumed you were making this assessment externally which is difficult. I trust Vita if he says that it's completely seized and he can't get it apart.

I had a wartime Sonnar 135/4 in LTM like that - I got it apart eventually. It was not pretty but I drilled two holes in the seized parts (one for each part) and then inserted the biggest driver I had and gave it a good twisting. Amazingly the lens works super smooth still despite its helical receiving this brutal treatment.

However if my memory serves the Biometar helical is much shorter and there's really no place to drill and lever in it without having to drill straight through the other part as well.

Edit: Surgery Scars, also uncomon in LTM
Image from iOS(26).jpgImage from iOS(25).jpg
 
Also seizing up is more a property of an aluminum helical - my certainly not 'Eastern Block' Steinheil Quinon did it too. The Russians, if anything made the designs much more sensible and streamlined. I'll take a Jupiter-xx focus mount over its German LTM equivalent any day.
 
TenEleven said:
In keeping with the folders with odd names theme, here is a "SCW PressVan". A triple strut folding camera with a coupled rangefinder. The left knob advances the film the right knob focuses. It has on-camera-body focus like a Plaubel Makina. Automatic film spacing for both film formats. Yes, both! It takes 120 and 35mm film. It has a fold-out sports-finder integrated into the camera. The rear part in the cold shoe can be removed to fit a flash or other accessories.

To top it all off it comes with a very good Pentax 75mm f3.5 lens - when they were still called Asahi Kogaku. Despite its heavy weight it's one of my favorite 120 folders and I have shot it quite a lot. I will admit that I have yet to try shooting 35mm film in it beyond verifying that that does in fact work.

filedata/fetch?id=4768994&d=1643506072
filedata/fetch?id=4768995&d=1643506090filedata/fetch?id=4768996&d=1643506103
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I've also have Image from iOS(23).jpg - Click image for larger version Name: Image from iOS(23).jpg Views: 0 Size: 327.4 KB ID: 4768994 Image from iOS(23).jpg - Click image for larger version Name: Image from iOS(23).jpg Views: 0 Size: 327.4 KB ID: 4768994 had a passion for 120 folders for quite some time after buying a Zeiss Super Ikonta IV from a local architect which belonged to his Dad. It was in "Like New" condition,with working
and accurate meter, which I still have today. With that being said, I started looking at Japanese folders, after acquiring my first Mamiya IV, and eventually stumbled upon the Minesix Super 66.
It's the first and maybe only rangefinder folder which had a built in light meter. Top Seikosha shutter, B-500 and also an Asahi Kogaku 7.5CM/F3.5 Takumar lens. From all indications from what I've read, it is of three element construction. Love the camera and it's choices of 645 or 6x6 image size. This photo is my third example I own of this camera and I also have an earlier Minesix IIF and a couple of Minesix IIIS, which had a Zuminor 7.5CM/F3.5, no doubt a collaboration with either Ofunar or Zunow. Great, solid, not so often seen RF folders.
 
hilltime: I've been pleasantly surprised by my Olympus Chrome Six with 75mm f2.8. Really beautiful rendering and very sharp. Now you have me looking for a Minesix, which I'd never heard of until now!
 


The Capital Gang.

Retina 1B- flood cleaned shutter;
Retina IIC- replaced cocking Rack;
Retina IIIC- replaced front lens group. Bought dirt cheap as front group was missing. The "Matching SN" on the front group, rear group, and shutter- more to keep Schneider and Rodenstock lenses together.
 
bluesun267 said:
hilltime: I've been pleasantly surprised by my Olympus Chrome Six with 75mm f2.8. Really beautiful rendering and very sharp. Now you have me looking for a Minesix, which I'd never heard of until now!
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I also have an Olympus Chrome Six with the 75/2.8. Beautiful camera as well and one of the few which has F/2.8 vs the standard F/3.5 from most. The Minesix's come up every so often on Ebay, but like many cameras of the mid 50's the selenium meters don't work. It took me three times to find this one pictured, with a seemingly working and accurate meter.
 
The two Kallo Wides pictured are very nice compact cameras with the superb Kowa 35/2.8 Prominar lens. The regular W is not all that rare from 1955 area but the later Kallo WF with the built in meter and bottom advancing lever is rarely seen in the US. I bought this one directly from Japan as I had only encountered a couple in 15 yrs of looking. The interchangeable lens, Kowa 35/2.8 Prominar is for the Kallo (Kowa) 140, and is claimed to be of the same optical formula as the lenses built into the Kallo W cameras. I have a couple of 140's and the other accessory lens, the 85mm/F3.5 is much easier to find than the 35/F2.8.
Kowa also made this same lens for LTM which is extremely rare, as many years ago I was bidding on one on Ebay, thinking it would be a nice addition to my collection. It ended up going for about $1100 and I contacted the winner of the auction who was in Japan and asked why he had paid so much. He told me he felt lucky to have won it for what he paid as even in Japan this Prominar was extremely rare. Have never seen another for sale......

Kallo W.JPG
Kowa Prominar 35-2.8.JPG ​​​​​​​
 
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