toddao Vintage Todd-AO 35 spherical cinema lenses 35mm T1.5 + 125mm T1.7 Mitchell BNCR

Daniel J. Fox · April 4

Unlike the majority of Todd-AO 35mm lenses, these are spherical prime lenses on Mitchell BNCR mount, with greater than FF/135 coverage.

Both are marked with serial no: 2001 and the branding "Ultra-Fast". They have integrated gears, 90mm frontages, they do extend during focusing and they have dual Tstop and Fstop scales.

The 35mm T1.5 is a rehousing of the first generation Nikkor-N 35mm f1.4. This was easy to confirm as the characteristic 9 bladed aperture was retained and optics had yellowed considerably due to thorium decay. The glass was treated with UV by TLS as part of the servicing and the colour balance is now correct.

The 125mm T1.7 is a bit of a mystery. It has been suggested the lens uses rehoused projector optics, which would make sense as Dr. Richard Vetter did provide projector optics to Ed DiGiulio of Cinema Products, to create additional focal length for Kubrick based on the Zeiss Planar 50mm 0.7.

I've seen some suggestion these lenses were later Todd-AO 65mm lenses, but both are marked "Todd-AO 35" and to my knowledge Mitchell BNCR was never used on any 65mm camera system.

Optics for both lenses are bright and clean, with minimals cleaning marks. The housings are in decent condition for their age and both have been recently serviced by TLS in the UK.

The 35mm has some intermittent oil on the blades, this has been cleaned twice and comes back over time.

A Skype / Teams call is possible to view the lenses and answer any questions a potential buyer may have.

The lenses sell as pair only and ship from the UK at cost (buyer pays all shipping and necessary insurance).

Price: £22,000 (ono)

The lenses will be shipped in a padded Peli-case for extra protection in transit.

Daniel J. Fox · April 4

Given their age, the optics of both are these lenses are close to perfect.

More and specific images available on request.

Daniel J. Fox · July 6

Price dropped to: £20,000

Daniel J. Fox · July 6

More images available. Comment or DM.

Daniel J. Fox · July 6

More images available. Comment or DM.

David Mullen ASC · July 6

I did not know there were 35mm spherical Todd-AO lenses made, just 65mm spherical and 35mm 2X anamorphic. I just tested the 65mm set refurbished by Zero Optik for the ASC, now for rent at Keslow Cameras. I used some 35mm Todd-AO anamorphics on "Westworld" Season 2.

https://www.keslowcamera.com/gear/asc-todd-ao/

Daniel J. Fox · July 6

33 minutes ago, David Mullen ASC said:

I did not know there were 35mm spherical Todd-AO lenses made, just 65mm spherical and 35mm 2X anamorphic. I just tested the 65mm set refurbished by Zero Optik for the ASC, now for rent at Keslow Cameras. I used some 35mm Todd-AO anamorphics on "Westworld" Season 2.

https://www.keslowcamera.com/gear/asc-todd-ao/

I've been told there are at least a couple more 35mm in existence and I know of a Todd-AO Varifocal zoom 35-100mm T2.8, which is simply a rehoused / modded Konica lens. I spoke to someone who worked at the company, but these were made before his time. Must have been very early 70s - due to the thorium optics inside the 35mm.

The Cinelens Manual lists these two lenses as high speed lenses made for 65mm - but I don't know of any 65mm cameras that used BNCR mount. The 35mm being a Nikkor-N "might" cover 65mm... the 125mm, (which I'm sure is a rehoused projector lens), should easily cover 65mm.

The Zero Optik rehoused set looks lovely - such a great range of lenses, but also interesting some of the inventive solutions they came up with to make a set of lenses. The 18mm is my favourite, I believe being a reworked Carl Zeiss Jena.

Edited July 6 by Daniel J. Fox
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