High Resolution WILD Metric 8/100mm Biogon

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Anyone having a bit more info on that lens? It seems to be diffraction limited from measurements we took on an optical bench with a friend and the results are outstanding.

The max. error that lens produces is given in literature as plus/minus 4 micron over the full covered field. Coverage is mentioned to be 4x5" (102x127mm). It was part of the WILD metric camera system P31, has an integral built in shutter (Hasselblad-like) has variable aperture f/8-22, bajonet lock UV filter (400nm) and a matching rectangular sunshade. It has been mounted professionally on a lensboard (Sinar?).

I have it sitting around unused, so any proposals for its use or more info about it out there?

The lens looks like the one on top left of this picture:
http://foto.hut.fi/opetus/260/luennot/8/mittakamera_Wild_P31.jpg
Image (c) foto.hut.fi

[Peter K]

The lens is mentioned in "Photogrammetrie" by Karl Regensburger, Berlin 1990 together with the "Wild Universalkammer P 31" as lens for the WA measuring chamber. Focussing for shorter distances as infinity where made by distance rings. With older measuring chambers from Wild the Aviotar and the Aviogon and the Super-Aviogon was used, also designed by L. Bertele.

[Terry Hayden]

This lens, and it's camera, were designed for close range
( non aerial ) photogrammetric applications.

The lens itself is designed to minimize radial distortions, just
as the camera back was designed to provided an ultra flat
film plane.

A Wild rep ( Wild was bought out by Leica and still makes aerial
cameras - now all digital ) once told me that the design of this
lens was based on the center portion of their famously high res.
aerial camera lens.

All photogrammetric cameras from Wild came with a factory
calibration report showing image distortion characteristics as
well as other critical measurements ( principal point offsets,
etc.).

It is a great lens - do you have the camera as well?

Unfortunately, being designed for such a niche market, it was a real
pain in the butt to use in terms of regular photographic applications -
but technically it was superb.

Regards,
Terry
www.terryhayden.com

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Thanks guys, very helpful information!

I have the lens only and planned on using it (one of these projects which never materialized...). This is how it looks like, found the photo of it:

http://www.macrolenses.de/bilder/Wild_P31_1.jpg

So since it is just sitting around unused in my protected lens cabinet, which is a darn shame for such an excellent piece, most likely I will offer it...

[wfwhitaker]

It would be great for Halloween.

[Bill_1856]

I thought it was the other way around -- Wild bought Leitz?
Incidentally, I had a wonderful WILD microscope during medical school, it was far better and with it's metal cover (which looked like an artillery shell) was about half the size and weight of my friends' Nikon and Leitz 'scopes.

[Terry Hayden]

Bill,

It was actually a merger.

I have mainly dealt with what is now Leica Geosystems. If you follow this link

http://www.wild-heerbrugg.com/History.htm

It's got the whole convoluted history.

It really reads like a maze of modern corporate expansion.

Unfortunately, as a Leica Geosystems client, I never had a chance
on any "deals" on the commercial Leica cameras...

Regards,
Terry
www.terryhayden.com

[Sevo]

It was actually a merger.


Well, Will bought Leitz straight away - but as they wanted to transfer the name, they "merged" a few years after they bought them.

Sevo

[Arne Croell]

Bill,

It was actually a merger.

I have mainly dealt with what is now Leica Geosystems. If you follow this link

http://www.wild-heerbrugg.com/History.htm

It's got the whole convoluted history.

It really reads like a maze of modern corporate expansion.
www.terryhayden.com
As an interesting aside to that page, the founder Heinrich Wild, worked for Zeiss for 11 years before he founded his own company: http://www.wild-heerbrugg.com/heinrichwild.htm

[Terry Hayden]

Yeah, Zeiss, Wild, Jena ( the east german zeiss ), Kern,
etc, etc, all had various tie ins.

I remember a Wild technician back in the 80's told me about the
post wwII Wild being funded by a Schmidheiny family that made
it's fortune in postwar cement sales.

Lots of intertwining going on there.

Terry
www.terryhayden.com