Voightlander & Sohn Euryscop Lenses

**Colin Myers** · 13-Oct-2006, 07:56

Hello,
I wonder if Ernest or one of our other experts on older lenses can shed some light on the above. They are an old type brass lens, with the inscribed name, followed by a su number suffix, typically 3, 4, 5 or 6. What type of lens are these and do the numbers have some relationship to format size or focal length?
Colin Myers

**Ernest Purdum** · 13-Oct-2006, 09:41

Voigtlander made at least eight series of lenses with the Euryscop (also known as Euryscope) name. Each series differed in aperture and/or other characteristics from the others. Like "Raptar" or "Ektar", the name doesn't tell the whole story. Adjectives like "Portrait", "Extra Rapid" and "Wide Angle" were used to differentiate the series. My guess is that the first three series were Petzval types and series four through six probably Rapid Rectilinears (Aplanats). Series seven and the "supplementary series" were wide angle lenses, probably based on the Rapid Rectilinear design, dreastically modified for extra coverage, but with small maximum aperture.

You are right in thinking that the suffix numbers indicated the focal length, but unless you know which series you are dealing with, you only know that a higher number is longer than a lower number.

**Sven Schroder** · 13-Oct-2006, 13:32

Hi Colin
Search ebay for Voigtlander/Darlot catalogue 1890, I 've got one on a CDR, don't have it with me but it has engravings of each lens series etc. If you have any particular lens post a pic and I'll dig out the CDR.
Thanks and regards
Sven

**Jon Wilson** · 13-Oct-2006, 17:22

If it helps, I picked up a Voightlander & Sohn Euryscop No. 4 and it calculates (based on my tests) to be a 15 inch f5.6 barrel lens. I also have two Voightlander & Sohn #3 lens and they calculate to be 12 inch f5 barrel lens. Hope this helps shed some light.....

. I personally like the images these lens can produce. There are a couple of pictures linked in this apug classified I have listed. Hope they give you an idea at least as to what the #3 can produce.

http://www.apug.org/classifieds/show...cat=500&page=1

JW

**Colin Myers** · 14-Oct-2006, 00:28

Thanks Ernest, Sven and Jon. Very helpful advice. Sven, I did try your e-bay lead, but the no luck. If time permits, I would be grateful if you could perhaps fill in the gaps from your old catalogue.
Colin

**Uli Mayer** · 14-Oct-2006, 01:33

According to Hartmut Thiele ("Datensammlung historischer Objektive") all Voigtländer Euryscope lenses from Series II to Series VII were of an 4 elements / 2 groups design.

**Sven Schroder** · 14-Oct-2006, 04:50

Hi Colin

The Ebay seller doesn't have any items listed at the moment, which explains your search results, for future reference seller Id = u-mecking.
Right the catalogue starts with "-first series- Regular Portrait-lens" which looks like a regular petzval sizes marked as 3B to 7B.

The "second series Portrait Euryscope, short focus. ratio 1 to 4 or F4" these are RR's/aplanat's and size marked 3 to 7.

The "Third series Portrait Euryscope Longer focus ratio, F 4.5 again RR ".

The "Fourth Series Extra Rapid Euyscope size marked from 0 to 9 and max ap of F6" I have number 5 and the barrel is marked IV.

The " Fifth Series Rapid Wide-Angle Euryscope F6 Angle 80 degrees, size marked 0 to 5 with special Jena Glass.

The " Sixth series Rapid Euryscope F7 angle 60/70 degrees size marked 0A to 7A".

The "Seventh series Wide angle Euryscope, size marked 0 to 8 no F stop given or angle of coverage."

Also New Quick working Wide angle single landscape lens made with special glass size marked 0 to 10

From the illustrations wide angle euryscope are marked as such on the barrel but not all series Six are, I know series four are marked IV.The first series appears to be the only Petzval in fact they stress the portrait Euryscope's cemented construction.
Hope this helps
Thanks and Regards
Sven