Can you tell me more about these lenses?

Kirk Anderson · May 31, 2009

So, these just happen to fall from the sky and end up in my hands. They have definitely been sitting for over 20 years. I blew them out with a rocket and cleaned them up. I looked all over and searched and couldn't find any information about the mount or what camera they were used for.

I'm guessing filmo or mitchell.

So here are some questions:

What mount are these?

Are they decent lenses?

Could they be converted to PL mount and used today?

Are they worth anything?

Just a little research before deciding if I want to keep them. I mostly used super8 and 16.

Thanks in advance!!!

Lens #1

Cooke Deep Field Panchro 100mm 4 inch lens Taylor Hobson

Lens #2

Elec Cooke Speed Panchro 50mm

Lens #3

Cooke Speed Panchro 50mm (doesn't say "elec" on this one"

Lens #4

Bell and Howell 75mm 3 inch lens (says "for 35mm" on it, different mount)

&!!!!

and here's a bunch of other stuff, are these gates?

Anything anyone might need?

I think those are also 2 90 degree viewfinders

Thanks for all you help!!

Kirk Anderson · May 31, 2009

sorry try these links...

Lens #1

Cooke Deep Field Panchro 100mm 4 inch lens Taylor Hobson

lens 1 on flickr

Lens #2

Elec Cooke Speed Panchro 50mm

lens 2

Lens #3

Cooke Speed Panchro 50mm (doesn't say "elec" on this one")

lens 3

Lens #4

Bell and Howell 75mm 3 inch lens (says "for 35mm" on it, different mount)

lens 4

&!!!!

and here's a bunch of other stuff, are these gates?

Anything anyone might need?

I think those are also 2 90 degree viewfinders

extra stuff

Thanks for all you help!!

Stephen Williams · May 31, 2009

sorry try these links...

Lens #1

Cooke Deep Field Panchro 100mm 4 inch lens Taylor Hobson

lens 1 on flickr

Lens #2

Elec Cooke Speed Panchro 50mm

lens 2

Lens #3

Cooke Speed Panchro 50mm (doesn't say "elec" on this one")

lens 3

Lens #4

Bell and Howell 75mm 3 inch lens (says "for 35mm" on it, different mount)

lens 4

&!!!!

and here's a bunch of other stuff, are these gates?

Anything anyone might need?

I think those are also 2 90 degree viewfinders

extra stuff

Thanks for all you help!!

Beautiful lenses from Cooke, released in the 1940's & still used by many prople when rehoused today. They have been discussed many times here before so do a search.

http://www.cookeoptics.com/cooke.nsf/history/1940s.html

Kirk Anderson · May 31, 2009

Beautiful lenses from Cooke, released in the 1940's & still used by many prople when rehoused today. They have been discussed many times here before so do a search.

http://www.cookeoptics.com/cooke.nsf/history/1940s.html

Thanks Stephen! I saw that on their website, but I still wonder.

What mount is this?

Are these Series I or II?

Any idea on the B and H lens?

Stephen Williams · May 31, 2009

Thanks Stephen! I saw that on their website, but I still wonder.
What mount is this?

Are these Series I or II?

Any idea on the B and H lens?

Hi Kirk,

Having had another look, the 50mm lens's are Series 1 (F2). Series 2 always say Ser II on them and F1.7 I think. The Series 1 are much less sharp. The Deep Field Pancro is later and still a very good lens. The 75mm is possibly a Cooke badged as B+H. The Ser II are always very yellow due to coatings decay, however this is a S1.

Stephen

Kirk Anderson · June 1, 2009

Cool, I can't find a ballpark price for series I 50mm Cookes.

The deep focus looks like it could be worth over a grand if it had a new mount.

Haven't been able to find anything like the B&H online.

Anyone know of a mitchell enthusiast group online?

I don't really have any use for the film gates etc.

Anyone wanna make a gesture of worth? I need some lights and I don't have a 35 cam.

Thanks!

Kirk

Stephen Williams · June 1, 2009

Cool, I can't find a ballpark price for series I 50mm Cookes.
The deep focus looks like it could be worth over a grand if it had a new mount.

Haven't been able to find anything like the B&H online.

Anyone know of a mitchell enthusiast group online?

I don't really have any use for the film gates etc.

Anyone wanna make a gesture of worth? I need some lights and I don't have a 35 cam.

Thanks!

Kirk

Hi Kirk,

The Series 1's not much, I would put them on ebay with an opening bid of $100 & no reserve, with luck some people will bid high thinking they are worth a lot more.

I know someone who recently bought some Mitchell junk on Ebay for £450, 1 x BNCR, 1 x Newall plus some cooke SII's the SII's he sold on ebay for £700.

Stephen

Hal Smith · June 2, 2009

.............The 75mm is possibly a Cooke badged as B+H. The Ser II are always very yellow due to coatings decay, however this is a S1.

Ken Stone sold a 75mm Series II on eBay about two months ago. It was as clear as distilled water. I asked him about it and he said it had never been exposed to UV light. So there's at least one 75mm in the world that isn't yellow and a different theory as to why they yellow. My personal 75mm SII color tests almost exactly as if it were a #85 filter!

Patrick Neary · June 2, 2009

What mount is this?
Are these Series I or II?

Hi-

They are either Mitchell standard or B&H 2709 mounts, the 2 are very similar, (but not interchangeable as I understand). My bet would be on 2709 as the little angle finders came from either a 2709 or Eyemo turret.

The 75mm might be a eyemo mount, it's hard to tell from the pix.

Tim Carroll · June 2, 2009

Ken Stone sold a 75mm Series II on eBay about two months ago. It was as clear as distilled water. I asked him about it and he said it had never been exposed to UV light. So there's at least one 75mm in the world that isn't yellow and a different theory as to why they yellow. My personal 75mm SII color tests almost exactly as if it were a #85 filter!

That whole coating thing is really weird. My Speed Panchro Ser II and Ser III set is pretty good, the 25mm Ser III and the 40mm Ser II are crystal clear, the 18mm Ser III and the 75mm Ser II have a very light straw tint, and the 32mm Ser II and the 50mm Ser II have a noticeable straw tint.

It's about the same with my Kinetal set. The 9mm is noticeable straw, the 12.5mm is pretty clear, the 17.5mm is faintly straw, the 25mm is a little less straw than the 9mm, and the 37.5mm is noticeable straw. The reason I don't have the 50mm in the Kinetal set is that I've never found one that is not an #85 or even darker, and I've looked at quite a few of them. Really a shame because they are really sharp lenses.

Best,

-Tim