Who knows : 500 mm f4 kronar portrait lens

[alex from holland]

Hi all,

i have this lens already for a longer time ( haven't used it yet though)
I can't find anything on the internet about it.
It looks very similar to a Plasticca lens to me.

this is written on it :

portrait objectiv "kronar" 1;4 500mm no 15707 oscar simon dresden

does anyone has some info about this lens ??

thanks

Alex

http://upload.pbase.com/image/131748228/original.jpg

[Steven Tribe]

It is a variant of the Plasticca. Oscar Zwierzina seems to have left Dresden in a hurry in the 30's (guess why!) and Simon started this production at the same time. A small production started in (guess where!) The Netherlands at the same time. Simon made smaller sizes for "amateur use" at the same time. Gandolfi has one, I think.
Treat it carefully please!
Search for kronar here!

[alex from holland]

It is a variant of the Plasticca. Oscar Zwierzina seems to have left Dresden in a hurry in the 30's (guess why!) and Simon started this production at the same time. A small production started in (guess where!) The Netherlands at the same time. Simon made smaller sizes for "amateur use" at the same time. Gandolfi has one, I think.
Treat it carefully please!
Search for kronar here!

Thanks Steven,

Lol, so it might be made in Holland ???
I will treat it carefully and give it a try on wet plate.
Expensive lens ???? It was on a camera i bought a long time ago, so it was collecting dust and forgot about it.........:D :eek:

alex

[Steven Tribe]

I think the dutch versions are made by someone else - I have lost my VM to drive degradation at the moment!
It was a dirt cheap soft lens in its time, but it suffers from soft focus/pictorialism inflation. There are not many around. Plasticca/Kronar are hard to value - a very special lens and few of them. I can beat your 500mm with a 600mm Plasticca!
500mm would be very useful length for many people.

[alex from holland]

thanks steven,

i was just curiuous.
Mine is not for sale.

and there are always people with bigger.............

LOL

Thanks for the help

Alex

[Steven Tribe]

Gandolfi and, I think, Galli, have posted results and commented focussing.
Gandolfi has the Kronarette (smaller size name) but has access to a Kronar.

[Emil Schildt]

Gandolfi and, I think, Galli, have posted results and commented focussing.
Gandolfi has the Kronarette (smaller size name) but has access to a Kronar.

true - one of my friends has a Kronar (350mm I think).

As Steven said, I have a 305mm Kronarette in a studioshutter.

Shitty lenses! can't focus!! DIRT CHEAP, so sell it to me....:rolleyes:

http://www.antiquecameras.net/softfocuslenses3.html

half way down...

[alex from holland]

true - one of my friends has a Kronar (350mm I think).

As Steven said, I have a 305mm Kronarette in a studioshutter.

Shitty lenses! can't focus!! DIRT CHEAP, so sell it to me....:rolleyes:

http://www.antiquecameras.net/softfocuslenses3.html

half way down...

i have seen the focus "problem" before somewhere..
what is the problem with focussing with this lens ??
to narow DOF ?

alex

[Steven Tribe]

Have a look at image threads where the results have been posted and you will some idea. It is not the depth of field which is the problem - it is more trying to understand what is going on with respect to chromatic/spherical aberration ( and goodness what else!) on the Ground Glass and extrapolating to how it will look with silver etc.

[Emil Schildt]

The friend mentioned above her is now ready to part with his 300mm F4 Kronar....

As there's so little information out there (and so few sales on record) I am at a loss on what the value might be...

I am not intirely sure we can just compare it to the Plasticca (value wise), but if any have an idea about, I'd be grateful to know...

[Geoffrey_5995]

Have a look at image threads where the results have been posted and you will some idea. It is not the depth of field which is the problem - it is more trying to understand what is going on with respect to chromatic/spherical aberration ( and goodness what else!) on the Ground Glass and extrapolating to how it will look with silver etc.


There is a thread I posted showing results with this exact lens but can't locate it.

[Steven Tribe]

Emil, I reckon you can equate the Kronar and the Plasticca - more or less.

At this degree of specialisation, it's very much a question of how many people , working in a particular format which is right for the focal length, want it!

I think I have seen very little of these for sale recently, so there could be quite a build-up of desparate people.

[Emil Schildt]

Emil, I reckon you can equate the Kronar and the Plasticca - more or less.

At this degree of specialisation, it's very much a question of how many people , working in a particular format which is right for the focal length, want it!

I think I have seen very little of these for sale recently, so there could be quite a build-up of desparate people.

actually the seller has now suggested to swap this lens for one of my images... which is beyond cool....

then I can make some interesting comparisons: Plasticca/Kronar/Kronarette.... so we all can see whether they are similar or not....

Stay tuned...

[goamules]

I was going to suggest you offer 500 Kroner, but that's even better!

[Emil Schildt]

:D...