Zeiss protar series IIIa- any experience?

[Steven Tribe]

This is the F9 variant with 2 + 2 glass. There is quite a lot of discussion here about the series VII (a) protars - but little about this semi-wide competitor to Goertz's series III. I have gotten hold of a 150mm and a 172mm series IIIa F9 anastigmat (pre-protar labeling with 4 and 5 digit serial numbers). Does anyone here have any experience with coverage and performance (and etc.) of these? They should be OK for 4x5 and 5x7, respectively. These were the days when Zeiss still stamped serial numbers on flanges as well as the lens rims!

[Bernard Kaye]

By time that November, 1902 Carl Zeiss, Jena Photographic Objectives catalogue was issued, only the Series IIa, IIIa & V anastigmats were listed and by 1910 only the IIIa and V remained though from about 1901, they were Protar named and the Series VII or Double Protar (convertible) was in the November, 1902 catalogue.
Yours survived because it was satisfactory regardless that there were not many glass types available for them.
IIIa had about 97 degrees coverage; 150mm. suitable for 9 x 12cm. & 172mm. suitable for 12 x 15cm. (196mm. suitable for 13 x 18cm. (5 x 7 ") (Zeiss catalogue)
(Kingslake, "A History of the Photographic Lens," page 83.

Enjoy them.

Bernie Kaye