What is the significance of the designations used on older Lf lens, of the word series? example: (Tessar series 2a) or (Cooke series 5)
What is the significance of the designations used on older Lf lens, of the word series? example: (Tessar series 2a) or (Cooke series 5)
Michael, This had me really baffled when I first got into photography and needed to buy a lens. "Series" refers to size filter the thing takes, usually (I think that is the only reference - maybe someone will correct me if I am wrong.) "Tessar" is lens design. Several companies made a tessar. Other designs you will see are optar, raptar, anastigmat, aviar, xenar, angulon and many others. Cooke was a manufacturer- or was it also a formula? Hmm. I am still seeking a comprehensive list of lens formulas/manufacturers that will clearly display the pros and cons of each design. If you find one let me know where it is. Erik Ryberg
According to "Applied Photographic Optics", Sidney F. Ray, Cooke was a company in York (England), and the Cooke triplet was originally developed by Harold Dennis Taylor (1865-1915) of Cooke. The Tessar design came from Paul Rudolph (1858-1935) of Zeiss.
Historical developments of lenses are fascinating, but I doubt that they can provide real guidance to comparative quality.
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