"commercial" astragon lens?

[ed kang]

I have just bought a lens marked 210mm Commercial Astragon.

Questions:

1) Who made this lens? 2) What is center and edge sharpness for this particular lens? 3) What year was this lens made? 4) Is this lens achromatic?

I can't find ANY information about this lens on the web, other than some vague i nfo about its image circle (which is not worth a whole lot to me).

Please help me, thank you.

[david clark]

Hi Edward, I think you got yourself a Japanese Congo. I think they are Tessars or Kodaks. On SK Grimes site under links you can find your way to the Congo Lens company. Although some folks don't like them, I don't know why they are any worst than any other Tessar design. I have a 240mm in Copal 3, it seems to work; I'm not a sharpness maven like some, and a Copal 3 is kind of a big shutter for 240mm, but the price was right, the shutter is reliable, and I can use 52mm filters with it. Best, David

[ed kang]

thank you david. Your help is appreciated VERY much!!

[Bob Salomon]

Astrogon and Commercial Astrogon lenses were a private lable line from, I believe, Strling Howard in NY in the 50s and early to mid 60s.