Zeiss Distagon history....

Rachel Oliver · August 23, 2004

Hi;

Can anyone tell me about Zeiss Distagon mark 1 primes, ie when these lenses were produced and how they stand up to other modern lenses. I'm used to my very well kept set of last generation Kern Switar primes but thinking of upgrading after finding a great deal on a set of Distagons, what could I expect? I'm looking for sharpness to make the best out of the S16 format.

Thanks for all your advice

Olly

PS will the 9.5mm cover S16?

Sam Wells · August 24, 2004

If this is for a Bolex I'd stick with the Switars, they were designed for Bolex reflex prism system, Superspeeds are not.

-Sam

Rachel Oliver · August 24, 2004

Good point! Had not even considered that. Just wish my 10mm diddn't vignette but I get away with it for TK stuff.....

Olly

Michael Yaroshevsky · August 24, 2004

You could go with a set of standard speed 35mm primes (no use in fast lenses since you can't be any wider than about 3.2f with "non-rex" lenses on the Bolex).

Of course to achieve the focal length you require you would have to use a 10mm Zeiss. This is an absurdly large lens for a Bolex but I have used it with my PL mount adapter from Les Bosher. The image is remarkable -- you are using only the centre area of the lens (I believe someone referred to it as the 'sweet spot')-- a super sharp 10mm (in S16) image. Nevertheless, it's difficult to support such a set-up as the lens outweighs the Bolex body almost 2:1. Other primes are ideal (perhaps not the VPs...).

M.Y.

Sam Wells · August 25, 2004

Good point! Had not even considered that. Just wish my 10mm diddn't vignette but I get away with it for TK stuff.....
Olly

Oh if it's S16 -- I've wondered why Kern didn't try and re engineer the 10mm Switar.... I guess they want to concentrate on selling the 12.5-100 with the Aspheron... which is a nice lens, but..... I don't know what the solution is.....

-Sam

Sam Wells · August 25, 2004

Wel once you're into Zeiss Variable Primes it might be time to question why you're using a Bolex.... for me the subversive charm would be lost even with an Ultra Prime.

Using 35mm format glass - & the sweet spot as you say - hmm. What you don't want is an

exit pupil too close to the film plane. More so the case than putting an f 3.2 limit on aperature, so says "St. Dennis"

Long ago I used a Kinoptik 9mm on a Bolex Rex, it worked fine although I don't think I tried to focus at infinity. Nor do I know for sure it would cover S16 (but doesn't that new Swedish S16 camera use a 9mm Kinoptik ? -- the small 9mm not the 9.8 Tegea)

-Sam

Michael Yaroshevsky · August 25, 2004

Bolex is of limited use; however, certain m.o.s. shooting situations suit a small, wind-up camera very well. I've used it with a range of 35mm lenses: Zeiss, Cooke, Optex and the results are plainly superior to S16 lenses. Charm isn't always subversive.

Sam Wells · August 25, 2004

Whatever.......

-Sam

Rachel Oliver · August 25, 2004

Long ago I used a Kinoptik 9mm on a Bolex Rex, it worked fine although I don't think I tried to focus at infinity. Nor do I know for sure it would cover S16 (but doesn't that new Swedish S16 camera use a 9mm Kinoptik ? -- the small 9mm not the 9.8 Tegea)

-Sam

Sam;

Is that 9mm (swedish cam) a new lens? I can never seem to find info on it.....

PS since my 1st post I think your right about sticking with Kern, they are really sweet, someday though it would be nice to have the choice of modern and retro.

Thanks for the replys guys

Olly

Nathan Milford · August 26, 2004

Ahh yes, the A-Cam: http://www.ikonoskop.com/index.asp

The site says: Kinoptik 9 mm f/1.5 cine lens. No other info though....

Sam Wells · August 26, 2004

I didn't mean to be short about this but.... you do have to think of the scale you are going to work at.

If cost size etc no object you can shoot 35mm too...

-Sam

Rachel Oliver · August 26, 2004

I'm personally acutely aware of that fact thanks!

Olly

Sam Wells · August 26, 2004

Everyone's aware of it !

Use what you can and make it look better than it is; when you've done so don't have to tell them.

Kinoptik have been around forever - but never caught on much in the US although Karl Heitz the US distributor was in Long Island for a long time. I don't know if they stil are.

(Well the 9.8 and 5.7mm Tegea lenses were popular at one time as they were very wide angle solutions for shooting in 35, now there are newer options.....)

-Sam