Sopelem for Taylor Hobson 145mm-f4.5

[Nenad Stupar]

Hello there,

Can anybody help to find out about the above mentioned lens,which I came across.I have purchased mint BLACK Rank Taylor Hobson tle lens in C mount 145mm-f4.5 , with label that lens was made by Sopelem. I scrolled thru ebay,google and metabrowser,a nd all I could find was the old silver alu version,not a single trace of the lens I have.I have even contacted some auction houses,and some collectors,but avail noone have ever heard or saw one. Kindly asking anyone who might know was it preproduction lens,prototype, or whatever.Highly appreciate any info given to me.Regards to all.

[Charlie Peich]

Hello Nenad!

 

Here's a link from a previous forum message that may give you an idea.....

 

http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=10117

 

"SOM/Berthiot was a French state-owned company linked to the weapons industry and it was re-organized in the 70's into the SOPELEM, which kept producing those nice lenses for a while. Furthermore, Sopelem made a deal with Rank Taylor Hobson, who distributed their zoom lenses ("Montal" range) in the UK : again, the same as the SOM Berthiot lenses (17-85, 12-120,...) but generally better, since they are more recent."

 

You could contact Cooke and ask them...

 

http://www.cookeoptics.com/u/contact.html

 

 

There is a poster in here named Erkan Umut (respectfully, Professor Umut) that collects paper (catalogues, sales brochures, price lists, parts lists, manuals, etc) on all types of Cinemachinery. Contact him, he might have some info or history on the lens. If he doesn't, I'd be surprised!

 

Good luck with your search!

Charlie

[Charlie Peich]

I found this spec sheet for the R.T.H. Monital Zoom Lens. Date on the sheet is 1/1971.

 

The red arrow points to a 'Sopelem' label on the Monital lens.

 

 

Then below the zoom lens, there's a picture of Beaulieux and Pathe cameras.

 

You'll notice on the Beaulieux, there's the Monital Zoom, and above it is a Sopelem 145mm

tele lens in Black. The red arrow points to the Sopelem label on the lens. Is that your lens?

 

 

Does that say 'Kinetal' on the lens barrel just above the '145mm'?

 

However, 145mm was not a focal length in the RT.H. 16mm Kinetal line. 150mm was. Did R.T.H. make this focal length for Som Berthiot / Sopelem exclusively?

 

Ooooops, I just found this in a 1972 S.O.S. equipment catalogue.

 

 

Hope that helps!

 

Charlie

 

 

[Patrick M P Donnelly]

Just bought a 17  to 130mm Monital Sopelem zoom for 50 Euro, incl postage to Australia. From $895.... not a great hedge against inflation! Seller did not mention any of the magic words.... only bidder.