E. Suter basel lens

[mindaugas]

Hello,
maybe someone have information or catalog of E. Suter basel lens?
I have one lens: E. Suter basel Rapid Aplanat No.3
I can't find information of years , etc.

Please help

[Steven Tribe]

There is plenty of information here in several threads. Do a search using "Suter".

There is also some information about their active period in Lens VM. Apart from the quality aplanats, they made a copy of Goerz's Dagor and early Plasmats.

[mindaugas]

not enough for me what i found here

[Steven Tribe]

There are 28 threads - so I am surprised!

Basically there are 2 series of aplanat, the A and B. A is much faster (less coverage) than the B. Later (ca.1900?), Suter gave up the A and B and identification is best by working out the modern F.

There is no guide to serial numbers available, but there are lists of focal lengths of the various series posted here.

[mindaugas]

Not only these Aplanats A and B.
My lens just Rapid Aplanat no.3 i know that lens is 380mm

Thanks LF_rookie_to_be for this information:

About 1900 the list still had non-anastigmat type lenses:
Rapid Aplanat f5.0 for 60°.
Rapid Aplanat f6.0 for 60° 5.25-36in.
Aplanat Type B f8.0 This was seen as a No 3 lens of about 10in focus, U.S. stops at
No2040x.
Aplanat Casket sets These were made for 13x18cm with 5 cells but no details of the type are
available: it was probably based on the f8.0 series. Also see above.
Wide Angle Aplanat f12
Rapid Portrait Lens f3.2 6.75-14in This was probably a Petzval.
Rapid Portrait Lens f3.75 This was probably also Petzval.

Still searching for the guide/catalog

My lens
120872

[Steven Tribe]

This data is from the Lens VM, which is a bit vague about Suter. The full description has been reproduced in an earlier Suter thread.

Another source (also available here) lists the following data


"Rapidaplanat f/5: 20, 27, 38, 42, 50, 65 and 80cm.

Rapidaplanat Serie A f/6: 13, 21, 24, 30, 42, 48, 55, 65 and 90cm.

Aplanat Serie B f/8: 13, 17, 23, 28, 36, 48, 55, 65 and 75cm."

If the aperture scale is the old US scale, then it matches with the fast F5 version. Just under 2 of the US scale is equivalent to modern F5. Other scales used 1, 2, 4 etc. Unfortunately, the 1, 2, 4.... scale was popular.

Measure the aperture opening and devide this into the focal length - to be certain.