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F&B CECO aka MITCHELL / SUPER SPEED BALTAR LENSES


Ignacio Aguilar

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Hello,

 
We are considering the sale of an extremely rare set of lenses. These were designed in the 1970's mainly for VistaVision VFX photography, so they cover the Full Frame 24x36mm format, with a diagonal circle of image around 43-45mm. They were also used together with Bausch & Lomb Super Baltars on BNCR mounted cameras, so sometimes people referred to them as "Super Speed Baltars". The glass inside is japanese, Nikon or Canon. They are very close in look to Canon K35 lenses or Panavision Ultra Speed MKII's. Needless to say these lenses perform great on HD cameras, with a very nice look, soft yet detailed, and great flares. More Cooke than Zeiss in character, just like K35's.
 
When they were manufactured, they were sold to different companies, which ordered the lenses with their brands engraved to them. F&B CECO, an old camera rental house, was one of them. Some other sets were engraved as MOBILE OPTICS Hi Speed, or Mitchell Camera Corporation (Mitchell Hi Speed Lenses).
 
Focal lenghts are:
 
28mm T1.8
35mm T1.3
55mm T1.1
85mm T1.7
 
All lenses have excellent glass, with very minor marks if you look very very closely. All have been recently serviced and all are marked in FEET.
They have PL MOUNTS, a common front of 95mm, and the 28-35-85mm have rotating fronts. They all have focus gears, and the 55mm T1.1 also has iris gears.
 
If I sell them it's just because I need some money to buy other stuff and because I already own another set of this rare lenses. They rent extremely well and are also Full-Frame ready. To compliment our other set, we use 14mm, 100mm, 135mm and 200mm Canon FDs rehoused to PL by Optex, Kim Camera, PS Technik, TLS, Eastern Enterprises, etc. Canons match these lenses just nicely.
 
Here's a couple of videos shot with my other set of lenses, which are clones in performance:
 
[video=vimeo;216307539]
 
[video=vimeo;270515597]
 
And here's a picture of the set. More available upon request from SERIOUS buyers. Please don't waste my time or yours if you don't want to buy them!
 
full-frame-11.jpg
 
Those just looking for info should check the following links:
 
SALE PENDING for the four lenses. We won't split them.
Shipping Worldwide (not included)
0% VAT offered for EU VAT Registered companies
PM me or Email: info at harmonicarental dot com
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  • 3 weeks later...

Here's a fresh coverage test, just made in an ARRI ALEXA LF Open Gate, which has a 1.43:1 native aspect ratio. 
All lenses cover it once you frame to a standard aspect ratio such as 1.78:1 or 16/9.
Here's the link to the frames: https://imgur.com/a/IM9UfL1

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