Aero Ektar 343mm / 13.5" / F3.5 Info

[brandonium]

Hello all,

I recently scored one of these lenses removed from the electronic shutter assembly prior to ownership. I have been talking to SK Grimes regarding a barrel to join these two elements together but they have ZERO data on this particular lens and I am not able to find anything specific to this focal length Ektar when scouring the web. Has anyone here ever owned one of these that could shed some light on this lens? SK is needing to know what the length of the original shutter was in order to proceed. I was able to reach out to an ebay seller that has one of these (the only one on ebay) to see if he could measure his shutter assembly but I am not sure I can trust the measurement that was provided.

I see other Aero Ektars in similar shutters but I cannot make assumptions on those since they don't house this particular lens. The shutter that this was mounted in was a K-19 Army Corps night shutter. Only data I can find is on the K-19b which housed the 12.5" / f2.5 Ektar.

Any advice or pondering that could be tossed my way would be great! :)

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-Brandon

[Mark Sampson]

I've never even heard of this lens before- but I can tell you that by the serial number, it was made in 1942. Best of luck in your search!

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

About 20 years ago I pulled a (big) box of four of them out of a dumpster next to a camera store (somewhere in Queens) that had closed, along with a few other choice items. Two were marked Eastman Anastigmat, and two Kodak Aero-Ektar. There were minor differences between them.


One Kodak Aero-Ektar had discolored (yellowish orange) elements similar to the "radioactive" Kodak Aero-Ektars, this lens was mounted like yours
Two of the lenses (one Kodak Aero-Ektar and one Eastman Anastigmat) were mounted in barrels (aluminium I think) with no iris or opening for stops, one of these also had a hood and lens caps that matched the barrel.
One of the lenses (Eastman Anastigmat) was mounted in a barrel with an iris (marked f3.5-32)


All of these lenses were 13.5" f3.5, and all had the same design: Five elements in three groups, which kind of reminds me of a Zeiss Sonnar. I found reference that it was intended to cover 9x9 film, like the 12" f2.5 Aero-Ektar. I also wrote in my notes that the spacing for the 13.5" and 12" lenses are identical, so (some) 12" Aero-Ektars screw right into the barrel of a 13.5" Eastman Anastigmat.

I ended up keeping the best Eastman Anastigmat elements and the barrel with iris, caps, and hood. I have it mounted on an 8x8" lens board (I don't know if it would fit on anything smaller) but have rarely used it.

Here is a drawing I made of the design, no promises for the accuracy of the measurements. I am not sure why I made it. It will take me a while but I will try to make measurements of the barrel for you and post them here. Feel free to nudge me if I forget or take too long.
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[Tracy Storer]

I just took a quick measurement of the shutter of my 12" f/2.5 Aero Ektar. It's a tough measurement to make, so, I am probably off by a few thou', but I got 3.867"

[brandonium]

Look at you providing what the internet cannot. :) Looking forward to seeing what you come up with when you measure the barrel. And thank you so much!

SK Grimes is looking at placing waterhouse stops in the barrel for this lens but were surprised when they came up empty on any design records for this particular lens.


About 20 years ago I found a (big) box of four of them in the dumpster next to a camera store (somewhere in Queens) that had closed. Two were marked Eastman Anastigmat, and two Kodak Aero-Ektar. There were minor differences between them.


One Kodak Aero-Ektar had discolored (yellowish orange) elements similar to the "radioactive" Kodak Aero-Ektars, this lens was mounted like yours
Two of the lenses (one Kodak Aero-Ektar and one Eastman Anastigmat) were mounted in barrels (aluminium I think) with no iris or opening for stops, one of these also had a hood and lens caps that matched the barrel.
One of the lenses (Eastman Anastigmat) was mounted in a barrel with an iris (marked f3.5-22)


All of these lenses were 13.5" f3.5, and all had the same design: Five elements in three groups, which kind of reminds me of a Zeiss Sonnar. I found reference that it was intended to cover 9x9 film, like the 12" f2.5 Aero-Ektar. I also wrote in my notes that the spacing for the 13.5" and 12" lenses are identical, so (some) 12" Aero-Ektars screw right into the barrel of a 13.5" Eastman Anastigmat.

I ended up keeping the best Eastman Anastigmat elements and the barrel with iris, caps, and hood. I have it mounted on an 8x8" lens board (I don't know if it would fit on anything smaller) but have rarely used it.

Here is a drawing I made of the design, no promises for the accuracy of the measurements. I am not sure why I made it. It will take me a while but I will try to make measurements of the barrel for you and post them here. Feel free to nudge me if I forget or take too long.
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[Tracy Storer]

I'll be curious to see whether Jasons and my measurements agree. (see my previous post above, #4 in this thread )

[brandonium]

I am curious also. I wish I had one to measure myself but I found this guy on the cheap, the seller thought it was two separate lenses and ruined due to the yellowing. Hard to pass up @ $75 but was so surprised at the lack of info. You would think this shutter / lens combo would be listed under all the other Fairchild shutter combos but NOPE!


I'll be curious to see whether Jasons and my measurements agree. (see my previous post above, #4 in this thread )

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

I will check this weekend! Just noticed another note from about the same time which said that the 610mm Aero Ektar (F6?) also has the same barrel size. This might be a hallucination, but I can measure that one too.

[brandonium]

Here is a better view of what I have. I am guessing this in intact or am I missing anything besides the barrel?

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[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

That looks right to me. How much staining in the rear element?

[brandonium]

Honestly it is not that bad. I think my 7" was worse and I was able to get it all out with a 3 month light session. I have not attempted to bleach the staining out of this guy yet.


That looks right to me. How much staining in the rear element?

[Tracy Storer]

I have a customers 24" Aero Ektar here and will check the barrel length if I can to see if they are the same. At the moment, the front cell is resisting removal.
(and yes, it is f/6.0)

[brandonium]

Curious what you come up with. What type of work are you doing to the lens?


I have a customers 24" Aero Ektar here and will check the barrel length if I can to see if they are the same. At the moment, the front cell is resisting removal.
(and yes, it is f/6.0)

[Tracy Storer]

I'm only mounting it on a lensboard for the 16x20 camera I'm building for him. He'll be shooting wetplate, portraits.
I am thinking I'll build myself a sturdy 8x10 with no front movements for my 12" 2.5.


Curious what you come up with. What type of work are you doing to the lens?

[brandonium]

I am building a custom 5x7 Press Graflex that I will use this lens on. Oddly wanting to shoot 5x5 square on this beast with the option to open it up for 5x7 when the mood strikes. :)


I'm only mounting it on a lensboard for the 16x20 camera I'm building for him. He'll be shooting wetplate, portraits.
I am thinking I'll build myself a sturdy 8x10 with no front movements for my 12" 2.5.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

My Eastman 13.5" f3.5 barrel measures 3.8705" (just a hair under 3 7/8"), so the same as Tracy's 12" f2.5 shutter. A caveat: My calipers are cheap and my technique is poor. But I have two sets of calipers and the measurement was consistent.

My 610mm (24") f6 lens barrel is the same size and has the same threads. However, my version is a Bausch & Lomb AeroTessar, it is not not branded Kodak Aero-Ektar. Maybe they were the same manufacturer, either B&L or Kodak?

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[Mark Sampson]

It's quite possible that both companies were working to the same contract, or identical contracts, in order to produce the numbers of lenses needed. In 1942 they were in a hurry for optics like these (among other things). (In those days, Kodak's optics plant, Hawk-Eye, was just a mile down the street from the B&L factories, btw.)

[brandonium]

This is great! So the barrel length is the same as the 12" / F2.5. Do you thing the threads are the same as the 12" as well?


My Eastman 13.5" f3.5 barrel measures 3.8705" (just a hair under 3 7/8"), so the same as Tracy's 12" f2.5 shutter. A caveat: My calipers are cheap and my technique is poor. But I have two sets of calipers and the measurement was consistent.

My 610mm (24") f6 lens barrel is the same size and has the same threads. However, my version is a Bausch & Lomb AeroTessar, it is not not branded Kodak Aero-Ektar. Maybe they were the same manufacturer, either B&L or Kodak?

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[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

This is great! So the barrel length is the same as the 12" / F2.5. Do you thing the threads are the same as the 12" as well?

I don't know, sorry, I don't have a 12" lens to try...

[brandonium]

I don't know, sorry, I don't have a 12" lens to try...

Ah, for some reason I thought you did. :)

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

I will happily take one!

[Tracy Storer]

The threads of the 12" and 24" Aero-Ektars are the same. (I still haven't freed the front cell of the 24" Extar to measure spacing)

[Tracy Storer]

Fairchild made the shutters, so B&L and Kodak would have had to make all their lens cells to fit. My 12" f/2.5 is in a "Night Photo Shutter" which does not have an adjustable aperture, it is always wide open.


It's quite possible that both companies were working to the same contract, or identical contracts, in order to produce the numbers of lenses needed. In 1942 they were in a hurry for optics like these (among other things). (In those days, Kodak's optics plant, Hawk-Eye, was just a mile down the street from the B&L factories, btw.)

[brandonium]

Same as mine. I am having SK Grimes make waterhouse stops for it.


I will happily take one!


Fairchild made the shutters, so B&L and Kodak would have had to make all their lens cells to fit. My 12" f/2.5 is in a "Night Photo Shutter" which does not have an adjustable aperture, it is always wide open.

[brandonium]

I took a measurement of my 12" / F2.5 as well (recently acquired) and the barrel length appears to be the same as previously stated here. I came across a post where people were arguing that the 12" weighs in at 40 lbs. I can assure you that it does not. I think once barreled it may clock in at 17 lbs give or take depending on material used.

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[Tracy Storer]

IIRC, the lens cells together weigh 10lbs and the shutter weighs 8lbs. When I make a new aluminum barrel I'm sure it will weight less and be less bulky(which is the real goal).


I took a measurement of my 12" / F2.5 as well (recently acquired) and the barrel length appears to be the same as previously stated here. I came across a post where people were arguing that the 12" weighs in at 40 lbs. I can assure you that it does not. I think once barreled it may clock in at 17 lbs give or take depending on material used.

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[Tin Can]

I like heavy lenses, as I have several

love the one you are with

I was promiscuous

once upon a time

'The Weight"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XciJsGeboos

[erian]

I have nothing to add but to say: what a story!