Kodak Anastigmat 21 1/4"

[robert_4927]

Can anyone tell me when Kodak started coating this lens? Has anyone done a comparison with the coated and uncoated versions? Thanks in advance.

[Mark Sampson]

Kodak started coating their lenses in the early 1940's. Some, not all, had a capital L in a circle on the nameplate ring, signifying "Lumenized", their trademark for lens coating. I believe that some prewar uncoated lenses (then called Anastigmats) were issued postwar as (coated) Ektars, Ektanons, etc. If your lens has a serial# with two letters at the beginning, you can use the CAMEROSITY (1-10) scale to learn the year of manufacture. If not, it's probably prewar, as that numbering system began in 1940. In general, an uncoated lens will have lower contrast than a coated version of the same lens, but resolution should be the same.

But despite my working in the building where your lens was made, and having used and enjoyed many different Kodak lenses, I've never seen one of these, so my comments are not specific to your lens. If you look in the "classic lenses" part of this page, you'll find a lot of information on the Kodak lenses.

[John Kasaian]

I'm not 100% sure its the same type lens, but I had a Kodak in the same focal length, as I recall it was 'lumenized' (single coated) , cost me next to nothing and was fiercely sharp. The downside was that it was huge and very heavy. I might have been able to put a packard shutter on it if my lensboard was big enough ( it wasn't)

IMHO, it would have worked out nicely on one of those old studio cameras with a cast iron base. I hated to see it go(it was the second or third LF lens I'd ever bought) It eventually got replaced with a 19" RD Artar in a Acme shutter---a much smaller package and easier on the front standard.

[John D Gerndt]

I have the coated version. It throws a nice 24 inch circle at infinity. I have heard reports that the older version throws a larger circle but I cannot confirm. If ever I find one I will probably buy it just to check. I got my coated version for $40. It is very sharp and can be front mounted to a Ilex #5.

Cheers,