LENSES FOR LARGE FORMAT CAMERAS

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MPP were not lens makers and normally agented lenses from leading makers.

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LENSES FOR LARGE FORMAT CAMERAS

Initially these were secondhand pre-war items and then were from leading English makers as these became available. They did have problems as shutters were hard to obtain and different makers did vary in performance. But with the MkV1 camera onwards, lenses were mainly from Schneider, as offering the type of high performance, consistency and reliability that a professional demanded.

Note that the progressive development of lenses set MPP some problems, as later types such as the 90mm f5.6 Super Angulon were too bulky to fit MicroTechnical cameras. Some items noted have been:

SCHNEIDER

  • Xenar 135mm f4.7 Compur shutter, XM sync £21.50 (1958)

  • Xenar 135mm f4.7 Compur, Sync for electronic only £14.75 (1958)

  • Xenar 150mm f4.5 Compur, same £33.25 (1958)

  • Xenar 180mm f4.5 Compur, XM sync £48.75 (1958)

  • Angulon 90mm f6.8 Compur, XM sync £44.85 (1966), £23.10 (1958)

  • Angulon 65mm f6.8 XM CS £31.6 (1966)

  • Angulon 120mm f6.8 XM CS £48.00 (1966)

The Angulon was slowly displaced by the better corrected Super Angulon types, both being listed in 1966. Angulon was deleted by 1974 lists, and replaced by the Super Angulon series as follows:

  • Super Angulon 90mm f8.0 in Copal or EX Compur shutter, £74.25 (1966)

  • Super Angulon 75mm f8.0 in Copal or EX Compur £70.60 (1966)

  • Super Angulon 65mm f8.0 in Copal or EX Compur £55.50 (1966)

  • Symmar 135mm f5.6 Compur shutter, XM sync £30.25 (1958)

  • Symmar 150mm f5.6 Compur XM sync £46.50 (1958)

  • Symmar 180mm f5.6 Compur XM sync £52.50 (1958)

  • Symmar 210mm f5.6 Compur XM sync £60.50 (1958)

  • Tele-Arton 240mm f5.5 Compur shutter, Electronic sync only £71.50 (1958)

  • Tele-Arton 270mm f5.5 Compur Electronic sync only £81.1 (1958)

  • Tele-Xenar 360mm f5.5 Compur Electronic sync only £73.30 (1958)

There were also accessories such as filters, lens hoods, etc. These are rather scarce and desirable as of high quality and the filters are normally coated. They are often in ex-M.o.D.outfits.

Production Dates (All Schneider Lenses)

As an aid to dating cameras the following serial number milestones are listed. It must be remembered that a lens is always older than the camera it was supplied with due to transport and storage factors.

Schneider Lens Serial Numbers v Production Dates
30,000 - Dec 1919

40,000 - May 1920

50,000 - Jan 1922

100,000 - Jan 1925

200,000 - Jun 1928

300,000 - Feb 1929

400,000 - Apr 1931

500,000 - Jun 1932

600,000 - Aug 1933

700,000 - Oct 1934

800,000 - Sep 1935

900,000 - May 1936

1,000,000 - Nov 1936

1,200,000 - Dec 1937

1,400,000 - Nov 1938

1,600,000 - Sep 1939

1,800,000 - Jun 1942

2,000,000 - Sep 1948

2,200,000 - Jul 1949

2,400,000 - Oct 1950

 2,600,00 - May 1951

2,800,000 - Nov 1951

3,000,000 - May 1952

4,000,000 - Oct 1954

5,000,000 - Feb 1957

6,000,000 - May 1959

7,000,000 - Feb 1961

8,000,000 - Mar 1963

8,500,000 - Feb 1964

9,000,000 - Feb 1965

9,500,000 - Sep 1965

10,000,000 - Jan 1967

10,500,000 - Oct 1967

11,000,000 - Nov 1968

11,500,000 - Jul 1970

12,000,000 - 15/9/1972

12,500,000 - Mar 1974

13,000,000 - Dec 1976

13,200,000 - Sep 1977

13,400,000 - Oct 1978

 13,600,000 - Oct 1979

13,800,000 - Jan 1981

13,946,602 - 3/8/1982

14,000,000 - Oct 1983

14,100,000 - Jan 1985

14,200,000 - Aug 1986

14,300,000 - Nov 1988

14,400,000 - Jan 1991

14,460,000 - Feb 1992

14,480,000 - Jan 1993

14,510,000 - Jan 1994

14,520,000 - May 1994

14,540,000 - Jan 1995

14,560,000 - Apl 1995

14,590,000 - Jan 1996

14,600,000 - Apl 1996

14,620,000 - Nov 1996

WRAY

  • Wray Wide Angle 89mm f6.3 Epsilon shutter, F.X.sync. £20.75 (1958) also in plain barrel mount £13.25 (c.1950)

  • Lustrar 135mm f4.8 Epsilon shutter, F.X.sync. £23.60 (1958)

TTH (Taylor, Taylor Hobson - Now Cooke Optics)

  • Wide angle 3.25in (82mm approx) (no shutter) £15.08 (c.1950

ROSS

  • Ross Wide Angle Xpres 5in f4.5 Epsilon shutter,F.X.sync. £37.10 (1958)

KODAK

  • Kodak Ektar 203mm f7.7 (not listed for MPP but often fitted to period cameras).

The same lenses remained in the lists over long periods, being carried over from the Style A cameras to the Microtechnical MkV1 and then the MkV11, but it must be said that in practice MkV1 and MkV11 outfits seldom contain English lenses, and that MPP were selling Schneider lenses as a main product. The last big fitment on British lenses was probably the S92 sale to the M.o.D.

Some other "new" postwar lenses were Voigtlander ApoLanthar and Heliar f4.5 lenses, and possibly the Voigtlaender Telomar: sometimes British lenses included the Dallmeyer f4.5 Serrac and Ross f4.5 Xpres.

The early MicroTechnical cameras probably made do with secondhand lenses to judge from the number of 135mm f4.5 Zeiss Tessars and 165mm f4.5 Graphlex Optars (ex Graphics) on them.