Lens Inquiry

[Dan Fromm]

Matt, its been a long time since I saw it, and of course I didn't bookmark it, but I believe I've seen a page on an Austin Community College site by H. Lynn Jones in which he discussed lenses he commissioned from Ilex while a VP at Burleigh Brooks. I have one of them, a 65/8 Acugon which is a very nice wide angle. Of relevance to you, the Acuton, if I recall correctly, was a plasmat type and was convertible. Look around, you'll find discussions of the 215/4.8 Ilex Caltar (= Acuton) that praise it highly. And its convertible.

If my little Acugon provides any basis for comparison at all, your 180/4.8 Acuton should be fully competitive with contemporary glass from Schneider and Rodenstock. Their good lenses from the '60s are pretty competitive with the current equivalents on everything except, perhaps, coverage. When, that is, they're in good condition.

I don't know why you think your Acuton isn't coated. Perhaps you meant single-coated. My little Acugon is certainly coated. Nearly all lenses made after WWII were coated.

If I were you, I'd be happy that I had such a treasure. I think you'd be better off, especially for color work, investing in a better meter (and learning to use it well) than in a newer lens.

Cheers,

Dan

[Ernest Purdum]

You can resolve any question as to whether or not it is a Tessar type by closing the diaphragm as far as it will go, then looking at the reflections in the glass from a single small light. If they are the same front and back, the lens is some sort of symmetrical design, definitely not a Tessar.

[John Kasaian]

Hello Matt,

What has me curious is that the consensus is that your Acuton is a very usable lens while you feel that it is lacking in sharpness and contrast compared to more recently produced lenses.

Assuming that you're focusing with the aid of a loupe and using some kind of shade for your lens, and that the glass is in good condition, you're using a sturdy tripod, and your camera locks down securely, we can eliminate those as being the culprit.

You say that your Acuton is in a copal shutter. My recollection is that most every Acuton I've seen has been in a seiko(sorry I can't spell the rest of the name) shutter. Maybe I'm wrong---others more knowlegable than I can jump in here---but perhaps your lens was reshuttered somewhere along the way and the job wasn't done correctly.

This is just a thought. While I don't have an Acuton, I agree that when Ilex made a top of the line lens, they actually are 'top of the line' and the difference between single coated and multi coated glass(and I do use both kinds)---for my flavor of photography anyway---isn't worth upgrading.

You might consult SK Grines if you suspect the shutter job is the source of your dissatisfaction.

Good luck!