S16 Zeiss/Opton lenses - differences between generations

[Theofanis Kavvadas]

Hi all,

I just purchased a set of Oberkochen Opton S16 lenses, all T1.3. Body says: Made in West Germany. From the looks of them, it seems almost like they were never actually used. Now, I can't find any information about these lenses online or how they differ from their newer siblings - or are they even regarded as Zeiss?

Furthermore, the set has 9,5mm, 12mm, 16mm and 25mm but is there also a wider than 9,5mm or longer, like a 50mm lens, to be found from that same generation?

Thanks in advance,
Theo

[Philip Reinhold]

I remember we had a rental in Berlin which owns Oberkochen S16 optics. I used them and mixed them a lot with Zeiss MK2/3 on student projects. I was told that there are Zeiss optics and only named Oberkochen for political reasons in the divided Germany in the early 80s.

 

[Dom Jaeger]

I think the Oberkochen Opton name was used to brand West German Zeiss lenses when sold in the East Block, to avoid copyright disputes with the East German Zeiss Jena. So the lenses should be the same as normal Zeiss Super Speeds produced up until re-unification.

Do yours have the triangular iris? If so there was a 50mm also made for S16, but no wider high speed focal length exists. 

[Philip Reinhold]

1 minute ago, Dom Jaeger said:

West German Zeiss lenses when sold in the East Block, to avoid copyright disputes with the East German Zeiss Jena

Exactly.

[Theofanis Kavvadas]

Thanks for quick responses!

The lenses I bought have a regular iris. So which generation are they comparable with?

[Philip Reinhold]

Hmm the MK1 have 6 blade hexagon iris. Only meter or feet scale, different Front Diameters and arri-B mount (Possibly adapted to PL & upgraded with 0.8 Focus Gear) I own a set & love them.

Mk 2-3 have Triangular Iris, 80mm Front Diameter. MK2 still got Arri B Mount and 0.8Focus Gear MK3 have PL Mount and 0.8 Gear on Focus & Iris.

[Theofanis Kavvadas]

1 minute ago, Philip Reinhold said:

Hmm the MK1 have 6 blade hexagon iris. Only meter or feet scale, different Front Diameters and arri-B mount (Possibly adapted to PL & upgraded with 0.8 Focus Gear)

OK, I guess these are then MK1 since they all had different fronts, small "rabbit ears" to control focus and ARRI-B mounts before I got them fitted with 80mm fronts, PL-mounts and gears.

[Philip Reinhold]

yes that's mk1.