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Thread: Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

  1. #1
    Alex Timmermans
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    May 2008
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    Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

    Hi all,

    i have this lens already for a longer time ( haven't used it yet though)
    I can't find anything on the internet about it.
    It looks very similar to a Plasticca lens to me.

    this is written on it :

    portrait objectiv "kronar" 1;4 500mm no 15707 oscar simon dresden

    does anyone has some info about this lens ??

    thanks

    Alex

    "You dont take a picture, it's given to you"

    www.alextimmermans.com
    www.collodion-art.blogspot.com
    email : collodion-art dot onsmail dot nl

  2. #2

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    Re: 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lnes

    It is a variant of the Plasticca. Oscar Zwierzina seems to have left Dresden in a hurry in the 30's (guess why!) and Simon started this production at the same time. A small production started in (guess where!) The Netherlands at the same time. Simon made smaller sizes for "amateur use" at the same time. Gandolfi has one, I think.
    Treat it carefully please!
    Search for kronar here!

  3. #3
    Alex Timmermans
    Join Date
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    Re: 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lnes

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven Tribe View Post
    It is a variant of the Plasticca. Oscar Zwierzina seems to have left Dresden in a hurry in the 30's (guess why!) and Simon started this production at the same time. A small production started in (guess where!) The Netherlands at the same time. Simon made smaller sizes for "amateur use" at the same time. Gandolfi has one, I think.
    Treat it carefully please!
    Search for kronar here!
    Thanks Steven,

    Lol, so it might be made in Holland ???
    I will treat it carefully and give it a try on wet plate.
    Expensive lens ???? It was on a camera i bought a long time ago, so it was collecting dust and forgot about it.........

    alex
    "You dont take a picture, it's given to you"

    www.alextimmermans.com
    www.collodion-art.blogspot.com
    email : collodion-art dot onsmail dot nl

  4. #4

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    Re: Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

    I think the dutch versions are made by someone else - I have lost my VM to drive degradation at the moment!
    It was a dirt cheap soft lens in its time, but it suffers from soft focus/pictorialism inflation. There are not many around. Plasticca/Kronar are hard to value - a very special lens and few of them. I can beat your 500mm with a 600mm Plasticca!
    500mm would be very useful length for many people.

  5. #5
    Alex Timmermans
    Join Date
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    Re: Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

    thanks steven,

    i was just curiuous.
    Mine is not for sale.

    and there are always people with bigger.............

    LOL

    Thanks for the help

    Alex
    "You dont take a picture, it's given to you"

    www.alextimmermans.com
    www.collodion-art.blogspot.com
    email : collodion-art dot onsmail dot nl

  6. #6

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    Re: Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

    Gandolfi and, I think, Galli, have posted results and commented focussing.
    Gandolfi has the Kronarette (smaller size name) but has access to a Kronar.

  7. #7

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    Re: Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven Tribe View Post
    Gandolfi and, I think, Galli, have posted results and commented focussing.
    Gandolfi has the Kronarette (smaller size name) but has access to a Kronar.
    true - one of my friends has a Kronar (350mm I think).

    As Steven said, I have a 305mm Kronarette in a studioshutter.

    Shitty lenses! can't focus!! DIRT CHEAP, so sell it to me....

    http://www.antiquecameras.net/softfocuslenses3.html

    half way down...

  8. #8
    Alex Timmermans
    Join Date
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    Re: Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

    Quote Originally Posted by gandolfi View Post
    true - one of my friends has a Kronar (350mm I think).

    As Steven said, I have a 305mm Kronarette in a studioshutter.

    Shitty lenses! can't focus!! DIRT CHEAP, so sell it to me....

    http://www.antiquecameras.net/softfocuslenses3.html

    half way down...
    i have seen the focus "problem" before somewhere..
    what is the problem with focussing with this lens ??
    to narow DOF ?

    alex
    "You dont take a picture, it's given to you"

    www.alextimmermans.com
    www.collodion-art.blogspot.com
    email : collodion-art dot onsmail dot nl

  9. #9

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    Re: Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

    Have a look at image threads where the results have been posted and you will some idea. It is not the depth of field which is the problem - it is more trying to understand what is going on with respect to chromatic/spherical aberration ( and goodness what else!) on the Ground Glass and extrapolating to how it will look with silver etc.

  10. #10

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    Re: Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

    The friend mentioned above her is now ready to part with his 300mm F4 Kronar....

    As there's so little information out there (and so few sales on record) I am at a loss on what the value might be...

    I am not intirely sure we can just compare it to the Plasticca (value wise), but if any have an idea about, I'd be grateful to know...

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