Fast dialytes f3.5?

[monkeymon]

Ok, i was asking this under the dialyte blur post but got no replies. So i'm asking again if someone has used one of these seemingly rare lenses? I have now seen two f3.5 dialyte lenses, Euranyr 135mm f3.5 and Laack Rathenow Dialytar 150mm f3.5.

I'm interested in theses lenses compared to fast f3.5 tessar type lenses. Mainly interested on the sharpness these lenses can deliver wide open. Trying to decide if they would make a good universal lens, and maybe even get one and send it to be coated, if they are worth it.

Mainly interested on user experience.. but all information is appreciated.

[Jan Pedersen]

Despite it's name, i am almost certain that the Laack Rathenow Dialytar is not a Dialyte lens design. Don't know about the other lens but you might want to research that a bit to.

[monkeymon]

I'm under the impression that dialytar was made in two versions, one 4 element symmetrical dialyte and other was 4 element with 2 groups.

But as I wrote, I'm mostly interested on _user_ experience.. and not exactly just in these two lenses. They were just examples.

[IanG]

I had intended to get my Eurynar coated and fit it to one of my Patent Etui's but the shutter was far too large.

It's a sharper lens than a Tessar at wider apertures but can suffer flare & lack of contrast because of the 8 air/glass surfaces. My tests showed it would be worth coating, but as I have too many 135/150mm LF lenses it'll sit where it is :D

It appears some were made after WWII and factory coated. I found a very reasonable price for coating via Mick Fagan, there's a thread about it on APUG. Mick had used the company a few times.

Ian

[monkeymon]

I think arax (www.araxfoto.com) coats lenses pretty cheaply. So it is an 4 element dialyte and sharper than a tessar as I suspected. Do you have any sample photos made with it? And maybe willing to sell it cheap? ;) I have a patent etui, it came with a schneider's jaconar 135mm f4.5 (dialyte).. i swiched it to 90mm raptar to make it a pocket wide angle camera.

[Jan Pedersen]

Araxfoto did unfortunately stop their coating service, i contacted them last year when i had a lens element that needed a re-coating.
Focal Point in Colorado does an excelent job but it is not exactly cheap.

[Dan Fromm]

Monkeymon, don't forget TTH's Aviar.

Also don't forget that not all lenses in a design family are equal. It is not the case that a tessar is a tessar is a tessar.

AFAIK, Arax has discontinued their lens coating service.

[IanG]

Do you have any sample photos made with it? And maybe willing to sell it cheap? ;)

Mine's not for sale it's sat on another 9x12 camera, but my 9x12 work is on hold as it's all bar 1 Patent Etui in the UK, flying restricts what I can travel with. Unfortunately I have no negatives or scans with me.

Dan's right about Tessars, in the mid 30's quality control wasn't always brilliant and Zeiss were making huge numbers of Tessars. I use a 50's 150mm f4.5 T* CZJ Tessar which is superb and extremely sharp and very heavily coated, but a 30's 135mm f4.5 Tessar isn't as good far less contrasty, softer at the corners etc. But my 1919 165mm f6.3 Tessar is not too far behind the 50's version in terms of sharpness and it's contrast is far better than the later 30's version.

Tessars were re-designed as newer optical glasses became available.

Ian

[monkeymon]

I know tessar is not a tessar that is a tessar where they might be a tessar and who is this tessar anyway.:) I just haven't seen many f3.5 tessars ... just tessars (zeiss) and xenars (schneider). I know there are differences... but i assumed everybody knows this. Just needed something as a reference point.

Shame if they have stopped coating, my master plan is crumpling away..