Doble objetivo

ROLLEI TLR 6X6 LENSES

TESSAR Carl Zeiss: f4,5-f3,8-f3,5/75mm, 4 elements, 3 groups, 54º, focusing 1m to infinity (Rolleiflex Original, Standard, Automat, New Standard); (3,5X; 3,5 A MX; 3,5B MX EVS sharing with Xenar Schneider 3.5/75), T up to 1973(recomputed version). It was used for Rolleiflex cameras from 1928 to 1973, treated with “T” lens coating from 1949, the Tessar lens quality helped very much to the Rolleiflex fame. It was called Zeiss OPTON Tessar from 1946 if made in CZ Oberkochen during some years and afterward OPTON Tessar and OPTON (OPTische Werke OberkocheN) for some countries due to trademark issues with Carl Zeiss Jena
TESSAR Carl Zeiss:f2,8/80mm, 4 elements, 3 groups, focusing 1m to infinity, “T” lens coating (Rolleiflex 2,8 also known as A, December 1949 to August 1951).
XENAR Schneider Kreuznach: f 4,5/75 (300 units made in December 1947 for Rolleicord II only, the rarest standard lens for a Rollei TLR), f3.5/75, 4 elements, 3 groups, Tessar copy ( Rolleicord II sharing with Triotar Zeiss 3,5/75, III sharing with Triotar Zeiss 3.5/75 , IV, V, Va, Vb, from 1947 to 1977); (Rolleiflex 3,5X; 3,5 A MX; 3,5B MX EVS sharing with Tessar), Rolleimagic and Rolleimagic II; Rolleiflex T from 1973 to 1976; the Xenar 3.5/75 was used on Rollei TLR cameras from 1947 to 1977, lenses coated from November 1949.


TRIOTAR Carl Zeiss: f 4,5-f3,8-f 3,5/75mm, triplet: Rolleicord I “art Deco”, Rolleicord I, Rolleicord Ia, Rolleicord Ia Polizei, Rolleicord II Phillips, Rolleicord II lasts versions sharing with Xenar Schneider, Rolleicord III first versions sharing with Xenar Schneider 3,5/75. Lens cheaper than Tessar and Xenar, used on Rolleicord cameras from November 1933 up to about July 1953 and coated from November 1949.
The Triotar name was used for the 1984/85 F Platinum special edition viewing lens.

BIOMETAR Carl Zeiss Jena: f 2,8/80mm, 5 elements, 4 groups, 53º, “T” coated, focusing 1m to infinity, used for the Rolleiflex 2.8B only from February 1952 to March 1953; Carl Zeiss Jena could not produce this excellent lens according F&H needs and only 1250 cameras were manufactured, being the Rollei TLR rarest standard lens after the Xenar 4,5/75, the design was used for several very good lenses at Eastern Europe during the Cold War and the similiraty with the Xenotar Schneider 2,8/80 five elements design is obvious.
XENOTAR Schneider Kreuznach: f 2,8/80mm, 5 elements, 4 groups, coated, 53º, focusing 1m to infinity. This famous lens was used on the Rolleiflex 2,8 C for the first time from December 1952 sharing with the Planar Zeiss 2.8/80 from March 1954, other models that received this lens were: Rolleiflex 2.8D, Rolleiflex 2,8/E, Rolleiflex 2.8E2, Rolleiflex 2,8E3, Rolleiflex 2,8F, sharing with the Planar Zeiss 2.8/80 for these cameras; Rolleiflex 2,8F Aurum 1983 special edition.

XENOTAR Schneider Kreuznach: f3,5/75mm, 5 elements, 4 groups, coated, 54º, a lighter, cheaper and less fast version than the 2.8/80, excellent lens too (Rolleiflex 3,5 C or E, Rolleiflex 3,5 E2 sharing with the Planar 3,5/75 5 elements for these cameras). It was used from October 1956 to July 1961


XENOTAR Schneider Kreuznach: f3,5/75mm, 6 elements, 4 groups, coated, 54º, the fourth element was split into two parts and cemented, the lens became 6 elements; according some very good sources, the lens was cheaper and easier to manufacture this way, keeping the same quality regarding the 5 elements version (Rolleiflex 3,5E3 from July 1961 to January 1965 sharing with the Planar 6 elements for this model, Rolleiflex 3,5F third version from 1965- sharing this year with the Planar 3,5/75- to December 1976, anyway there are evidences about small no regular batches up to 1980).
PLANAR Carl Zeiss Oberkochen: f 2,8/80mm, 5 elements, 4 groups, coated, 53º, this lens became excellence synonymous: from March 1954 Rolleiflex 2,8C, Rolleiflex 2.8D, Rolleiflex 2,8/E, Rolleiflex 2.8E2, Rolleiflex 2,8E3, Rolleiflex 2,8F, sharing with the Xenotar 2.8/80 for these cameras up to 1973, it was called OPTON for the Eastern countries. Carl Zeiss built a limited Planar 2,8/80 five elements series -it had been discontinued in 1972- for the 2,8F Platinum special edition in 1984/85, this lens received the HFT (T*) multicoating process becoming the only standard Rollei TLR lens with multilayer coating. This Planar 2,8/80, manufactured by Rollei under CZ license, was used for the Rolleiflex GX models and Rolleiflex FX from 1987 to 2009.

PLANAR Carl Zeiss Oberkochen: f 3,5/75mm, 5 elements, 4 groups, coated, 54º, a lighter, cheaper and slower version than the 2.8/80, excellent lens too (Rolleiflex 3,5C or E, Rolleiflex 3,5E2 sharing with the Xenotar Schneider 5 elements for these cameras; Rolleiflex 3,5 F first and second version and third version firsts cameras. It was used from 1956 up to about the beginning of 1961).


PLANAR Carl Zeiss Oberkochen: f 3,5/75mm, 6 elements, 4 groups, coated, 54º, this time the second element was split into two cemented parts, the lens became 6 elements with a similar diagram regarding the Xenotar 6 elements; according some very good sources, the lens was cheaper and easier to manufacture this way, keeping the same quality regarding the 5 elements version (Rolleiflex 3,5E3 from July 1961 to January 1965 sharing with the Xenotar 6 elements for this model, Rolleiflex 3,5F third version from about the beginning of 1961 to 1965, sharing this year with the Xenotar 3,5/75, anyway there are a few samples with Planar from 1966 to 1973).

SONNAR Carl Zeiss: f4/135mm, 5 elements, 33º , coated. This special lens for the Tele-Rolleiflex was used on the model from 1959 to 1975. The minimal focusing distance is 2,6m and then it’s necessary to use the dedicated Rolleinars for closest focusing distances (up to 1,35m with the Rolleinar 0,35 and up to 0,93m with the 0,7).

DISTAGON Carl Zeiss: f4/55mm, 7 elements, 71º, coated, wide angle. This special lens was used for the Rolleiflex Wide from 1961 to 1967, the minimal focusing distance is 0,6m. (up to 24cm with the dedicated Rolleinar).


TELE XENAR Schneider Kreuznach: f4/135mm, 33º, HFT multicoating, made by Rollei under Schneider license for the new Rolleiflex FT based on the FX. This lens allowed 1,5m minimal focusing distance without auxiliary lenses. A few FT units were made from 2007.


SUPER ANGULON Schneider Kreuznach: f4/50mm, 7 elements in 6 components, 75º wide angle lens, HFT multicoating, made by Rollei under Schneider license for the new Rolleiflex FW based on the FX, manufactured from about 2004.


Four main auxiliary lenses were made for the Rollei TLR cameras:


MAGNAR: The Carl Zeiss Jena "Magnar" was an astronomical telescope 4x for the taking lens, it was attached to the finder lens for framing and viewing. 6x6 7,5cm lenses became 30cm focal lenght and 4x4 6,0cm lenses became 24cm focal length, it was made from March 1939 to July 1941, the number of  units manufactured did not reach 500. It required f22 for a full frame sharp image, the image was sharp at any aperture using the Rolleikin.


DUONAR: It provides a 3x increase in focal length-- a 75mm lens becomes an effective 150mm, while an 80mm lens becomes a 160mm lens, this lens produces a sharp image circle with a diameter of 43mm in the center of the picture for the 6x6 cm frame. 2,000 of them were made by Zeiss in Jena from October 1952 through 1955. It was sold in the USA market only.


MUTAR 0.7x: Carl Zeiss Oberkochen made this wide angle auxiliary lens for the Rollei TLR cameras from March 1963 to 1967, it was corrected for a full frame sharp image from f 4 and smaller f stops according Zeiss (f5.6 according Rollei), 69º, a 75mm lens became 54mm focal length and a 80mm lens became 57mm focal length, 1000 units were made. Original BII mount for lenses with 45mm separation, adapters for other bayonets size and for 42mm lenses separation too.



 MUTAR 1.5X: Carl Zeiss Oberkochen made this tele auxiliary lens for the Rollei TLR cameras from March 1963 to 1967, it was corrected for a full frame sharp image from f 4 and smaller f stops according Zeiss (f5.6 according Rollei), 38º,  a 75mm lens became 110mm focal length and a 80mm lens became 116mm focal length, 1000 units were made. Original BII mount for lenses with 45mm separation, adapters for other bayonets size and for 42mm lenses separation too.

cmfreaza@yahoo.com.ar
cmfreaza@gmail.com

Note: My blog about the Rolleiflex SL 35 system: http://rolleiflexsl35system.blogspot.com/2011/06/rolleiflex-sl-35-system.html

Labels: biometar, carl zeiss, Distagon, Planar, rolleiflex, schneider kreuznach, Sonnar, Superangulon, tele xenar, tessar, triotar, Xenotar

posted by Carlos M Freaza @ 5:08 AM