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View Full Version : G. Leitmeyr Munich V Weitwinkel Anastigmat???



Nick Morris
11-Aug-2005, 17:14
Hello.
I have in my possesion a f6.8 105mm G. Leitmeyr Munich V Weitwinkel Anastigmat lens. I got it with a 4x5 Crown Graphic outfit, and assume it will cover 4x5. Its mounted in a Prontor-S shutter that is not working. I can't get the shutter to open.
Does anyone know anything about this lens? I will probably sell it, but I was curious to know what people thought about it, are they considered good lenses?
Thank you

Dean Tomasula
11-Aug-2005, 17:47
You sure it's not a 108mm lens? The 108s cover 5x7 and are considered wide angle on those cameras.

Nick Morris
11-Aug-2005, 17:54
Dean, thanks for the reply, but it is a 105mm.

Dean Tomasula
11-Aug-2005, 19:21
I wasn't questioning your eyesight. :-) I just couldn't find anything in the Lens Vade Mecum for the 105mm. The 108 was in a Prontor shutter and sold with the Graphics in the 1920s. Seems very close to what you have.

Nick Morris
11-Aug-2005, 19:53
Dean, you'd be right to question my eyesight! But this shutter is newer than the twenties and the fonts of the writing around the lens has a very post war look, maybe the 60's or so. The shutter does not appear to be original anyway, the aperture scale begins at f4.5. I'm no expert, but the glass has a "wide field" look to it, like my 100mm Wide Field Ektar. I know its German, but is this lens considered to be a good lens? I'm not familar with the company, or other of their products. If it will cover 5x7, I will likely keep it and get the shutter repaired.

Ole Tjugen
12-Aug-2005, 03:28
There isn't much I've been able to find out about G. Leitmeyr and his Weitwinkel Anastigmats, but...

I have a 121mm f:6.8, coated and in good condition. The Prontor shutter came with a bag of loose parts when I bought it, but I had a Press-Compur #0 which it fit right into (the shutter came with a 90mm Angulon where the lens elements were toast).

It's a fine little lens, very similar to the Angulon in construction and coverage. The 121mm covers 5x7" but not much more, so I doubt the 105mm will cover much more than 4x5".
I'll be trying it out over the next week, in competition with the far heavier 121mm f:8 Super Angulon. I'll get back with any conclusions.

Jim Galli
15-Aug-2005, 08:14
It's important for these to be coated (single coated) as they are a double gauss type with 4 elements in 4 groups=8 air / glass interfaces. Similar to a Kodak Wide field Ektar. I had a 105mm a while back and it was VERY sharp on 4X5. It would just cover 5X7 but the corners were weak. Best as a wide field lens on 4X5.

Ole Tjugen
15-Aug-2005, 09:57
Jim - my G. Leitmeyr Weitwinkel Anastinmat is a "reverse Dagor", identical to the Angulon: Six elements in two groups.

Nick Morris
15-Aug-2005, 20:39
Thanks guys. It looks like a good lens and does look alot like my 100mm Wide Field Ektar - the size and shape of the elements - but I haven't tried to count the surfaces . I'm sending it to Frank Marshman to have the shutter repaired, and will sell it with my Super Graphic, together with a 250mm Tele-Optar.

myoptic
7-Feb-2011, 18:38
I just wanted to add something to this very old thread, but there seem to be 2 versions of the Leitmeyr Munchen Weitwinkel 105mm. One is a f/6.8 and the other an f/6.3. I also noticed that the 105/6.8s that I have seen seem to have a V designation, while the 6.3s do not.

105/6.8

Link (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebanator/4286631242/)


105/6.3

http://www.galerie-photo.com/images/objectifs-6x9-v2-part-2_h025.png

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_V_XSy7owF9I/TQv0AMZiw8I/AAAAAAAAIP0/iLT0YUH3Rmg/Weitwinkel105.jpg

Ole Tjugen
7-Feb-2011, 23:52
Is it possible that one version is the double Gauss, and the other the reverse Dagor type? Reflection count, please!

myoptic
8-Feb-2011, 05:36
Hi Ole,
I actually counted them in an oder thread, but mine has 4 reflections in the front, and 4 reflections from the back.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showpost.php?p=662022&postcount=33

David

(I will be trying the lens once I can locate a 0 Compur retaining ring/flange)

Arne Croell
8-Feb-2011, 11:39
Is it possible that one version is the double Gauss, and the other the reverse Dagor type? Reflection count, please!
Possible, but I am not sure. My coated 90mm/6.8 below has 4 distinct reflections on each side, none of them faint. However, one of them seems to be a shallow concave surface as seen from the front, just based on the way the reflections move when you tilt the lens. That would be more in line with a Dagor or reverse Dagor construction - if it weren't for the fact that those reflections are much stronger than the ones from the cemented interface in an Angulon. If Leitmeyr used glasses with widely differing indices of refraction, enhancing the reflectivity at cemented interfaces, it could be an Angulon setup.

Dan Fromm
8-Feb-2011, 13:23
I just checked my 105. It is f/6.3, not f/6.8 as stated in my lens diary. It still has four strong reflections from each cell and no weak one(s).

Arne Croell
8-Feb-2011, 13:36
Possible, but I am not sure. My coated 90mm/6.8 below has 4 distinct reflections on each side, none of them faint. However, one of them seems to be a shallow concave surface as seen from the front, just based on the way the reflections move when you tilt the lens. That would be more in line with a Dagor or reverse Dagor construction - if it weren't for the fact that those reflections are much stronger than the ones from the cemented interface in an Angulon. If Leitmeyr used glasses with widely differing indices of refraction, enhancing the reflectivity at cemented interfaces, it could be an Angulon setup.
An update, I just compared my Leitmeyr to a coated Meyer-Optik 100mm Weitwinkel-Aristostigmat, a known double Gauss lens. The reflections look practically the same and move in the same way when the lens is tilted, so my 6.8 90mm Leitmeyer is double Gauss.

myoptic
8-Feb-2011, 16:56
Strictly for reference purposes, I'm listing the searches I have done for Leitmeyr here on LFF (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/search.php?searchid=4514073), on APUG (http://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=site:apug.org+leitmeyr), on Photo.net (http://photo.net/search/?cx=000753226439295166877:0gyn0h9z85o&cof=FORID:11&ie=UTF-8&section=all&q=leitmeyr&filter=0&sa.x=0&sa.y=0&sa=Search), and on Google (http://www.google.ca/#q=leitmeyr+lens&hl=en&prmd=ivnsfd&ei=TNZRTfyiLcrogAfqrPWsCA&start=0&sa=N&fp=10fb244524c2f03e)...
Seems like a lot of work for such an obscure company, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Hopefully this will be helpful for when others have questions in the future.

Mark Tweed
9-Feb-2011, 08:56
Gents, double gauss or reverse dagor aside, I've always been curious about the quality of the glass in these lenses. How sharp are they in comparison to their similarly compact counterparts, the Angulons, Wide Field Ektars, and Wide Raptars? I assume their coverage is similar.

Opinions, reviews?


Mark

banjo
9-Feb-2011, 14:09
hey all
I too have doing a lot of searching trying to find out more about
G. Leitmeyr Munich Weitwinkel Anastigmat and about all that I
have come up with is Weitwinkel must mean "wide angle"
but on one site (that I can't find Now) they said that it's a better
lens then the Angulon but not the SuperAngulon
as of now I have a 65mm 6.8 a 90mm 6.8 & a 105mm 6.8
G. Leitmeyr Munich Weitwinkel Anastigmat
Now I have not yet tested all of my lens as of yet BUT just looking
on the Ground Glaass they do look better then the Angulon do!?!
I have shot some with the 65mm 6.8 G. Leitmeyr Munich and at the
same time some on my 65mm 6.8 Angulon AND its hard to say who
the best AS they both are really GOOD & I have not yet tried to make
any thing larger then a 5x7 yet!! but when I try to do some thing like
a 20x24 I mite then see who's the best!

Banjo

banjo
9-Feb-2011, 15:03
hey all
I was just sating here thanking about that web site that I can't find
if I am rembering it right they said that the G. Leitmeyr Munich
Weitwinkel Anastigmat 105 would cover a 5x7! I just got out my 5x7
to see AND it will cover a 5x7 Now how great I don't know as I am
just looking on the Ground Glass right now !! AS it Colder then all
getout out side & I am in the Basement and not that much light!!
I had in on a lens board for my Century 23 to play with !
so all I can say if mite work OK on a 5x7
so what about my 90 it DON'T cover a 5x7!!!
it seams like that I saw that G. Leitmeyr Munich Weitwinkel Anastigmat
also made a 108mm

Banjo

myoptic
9-Feb-2011, 19:42
hey all
I too have doing a lot of searching trying to find out more about
G. Leitmeyr Munich Weitwinkel Anastigmat and about all that I
have come up with is Weitwinkel must mean "wide angle"
but on one site (that I can't find Now) they said that it's a better
lens then the Angulon but not the SuperAngulon
as of now I have a 65mm 6.8 a 90mm 6.8 & a 105mm 6.8
G. Leitmeyr Munich Weitwinkel Anastigmat
Now I have not yet tested all of my lens as of yet BUT just looking
on the Ground Glaass they do look better then the Angulon do!?!
I have shot some with the 65mm 6.8 G. Leitmeyr Munich and at the
same time some on my 65mm 6.8 Angulon AND its hard to say who
the best AS they both are really GOOD & I have not yet tried to make
any thing larger then a 5x7 yet!! but when I try to do some thing like
a 20x24 I mite then see who's the best!

Banjo

Yes, Weitwinkel=Wide Angle. There is a lot of helpful information in these threads:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=14413&highlight=leitmeyr

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=662026&highlight=leitmeyr#post662026

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=641041&highlight=leitmeyr#post641041

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=555911&highlight=leitmeyr#post555911

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=508579&highlight=leitmeyr#post508579

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=412368&highlight=leitmeyr#post412368

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=410341&highlight=leitmeyr#post410341

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=310728&highlight=leitmeyr#post310728

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=304255&highlight=leitmeyr#post304255

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=297089&highlight=leitmeyr#post297089

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=241668&highlight=leitmeyr#post241668

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=160009&highlight=leitmeyr#post160009

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=109608&highlight=leitmeyr#post109608

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?p=6411&highlight=leitmeyr#post6411

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=1180&highlight=leitmeyr

Take your time.....

David

Jim Galli
9-Feb-2011, 20:22
Hi David.

My Leitmeyer Weitwinkel is in Oregon in a 4X5 case with an old Burke and James that I took up there for my daughter to use. I should bring that stuff home. She no longer has a dark room or time to mess with it.

Keith Fleming
9-Feb-2011, 21:43
Just to add to the data, I have what appears to be a re-badged example of the lens in a non-working Pronto shutter (speeds of B and 1/25 through 1/200). Mine is single coated, and labeled "Weitwinkel Anastigmat 1:6.8 f105mm Spiratone Hamburg." Older members of the forum will remember the now-defunct Spiratone company in New York for its low-cost lenses and myriads of other photo gear.

Keith

Mark Tweed
10-Feb-2011, 09:39
Dang, out of all of those links David kindly provided, there was only one description as to the resolving qualities of these compact Leitmeyr wide angles. There were many accounts of owning one or reference to their coverage, but little in terms of reporting on their ability to produce sharp and contrasty images.

Again, I curious how these Leitmeyrs stack up against their vintage wide angle counterparts, the Angulons, Raptars and Wide Field Ektars.

Any others with experience in shooting with them?


Mark

myoptic
10-Feb-2011, 11:06
I just ordered a retaining ring, after meeting up with a LFF member who had a 0 copal I could test (I was too cheap to spend $20 shipping and $30 for one from SK, although they will be doing some machine work for me soon).
Once I have the retaining ring in a week or so, I promise I'll take the lens out for a spin and show what it does.

btw Jim G - if you get it back, perhaps you can add to the performance evidence some people seem to want. I'm grateful I got one of these tiny lenses, before they suffer LFF price inflation.... they don't seem to turn up with great frequency.

cyberjunkie
12-Feb-2011, 13:08
I just ordered a retaining ring, after meeting up with a LFF member who had a 0 copal I could test (I was too cheap to spend $20 shipping and $30 for one from SK....

.... they don't seem to turn up with great frequency.

Just a small bit of informations, there are nice retaining rings on Ebay, from a chinese vendor (if i recall), that go for about 10 dollars with free (or very cheap) shipping. Unfortunately they are available only in #00, #0 and #1 versions.
No #3, and no rings for small/midrange american shutters. Just one vendor who sells one for Ilex #5. I purchased one, it's nice, competently made, and reasonably priced, a lot less than all the other offers that i have routinely found on the bay and on the forum; the other rings for standard shutters are very nice as well.
It goes without saying that if you need a retaining ring, it much better to spend a little time doing a search, than having the work done from a machinist. Of course if you're not in hurry... at least here in the EU getting a cheap parcel from China needs plenty of time, nearly two months sometimes! :(

Back to the Leitmeyrs.
I own a f/6.8 90mm example. I don't remember if it has the "V", and i can't check now because i still have to get it back. It was in a shutter with broken leaves, a strange Compur-like item, without any brand on it: if the leaves can't be replaced i will fit the cells in another #0, i got a lot of them coming from a repair shop.
Sooner or later i want to pit the Leitmeyr against a 90mm Angulon that came with my Technika III made in the fifties... before the Technika goes on sale, so i could understand if the Leitmeyr could be a worthy substitute for the Schneider lens.

I would be very happy to find a longer Weitwinkel Anastigmat, with 8x10" coverage, but i have not seen on this forum any reference to focals longer than 121mm. My memory could fail, i am not sure at all, but i think i have seen a 165mm on the bay. Anybody could confirm or deny?
Last question, with chances of a satisfying answer close to nil: who made the lenses for Leitmeyr? Any german lens collector (better if Munich based) out there?

have fun

CJ

Arne Croell
13-Feb-2011, 05:18
Last question, with chances of a satisfying answer close to nil: who made the lenses for Leitmeyr? Any german lens collector (better if Munich based) out there?

have fun

CJ
Georg Leitmeyr made his own lenses. If I remember correctly from one of Thiele' books, they closed shop in 1958.

Sevo
13-Feb-2011, 05:40
Georg Leitmeyr were incorporated from 1911 to 1958 - but the register does not tell whether he was operating as a individual before or whether the staff and property was absorbed by some other company.