Kodak Portrait Lens 305mm (12in.) f/4.8, questions

[buggz]

Questions:
- Did Kodak actually manufacture their own glass?
- How do you know that the glass you have is correct?

On the front of mine is a "small wall clock" sized shutter.
Showing:
NO. 5 UNIVERSAL SYNCHRO SHUTTER
MADE IN U.SA. BY ILEX OPTICAL CO. FOR
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, ROCHESTER, N.Y.

There a "ring/hood" attached to the front of the shutter, showing:
Kodak Portrait Lens 305mm (12in.) f/4.8 R0171, then an encircled capital L
This "ring/hood" is easily unscrewed.
On top of the "ring/hood" is a plain, polished? aluminum? cap that fits with a felt liner.
- The R0171 is the serial number ?
- If so, is there a document that would tell me the date?

On the rear is the lens, there are no ID marks found on mine.
The entire lens screws off the shutter.
However, the individual lens/group, does not seem to be able to be removed.
I see nothing along the edges of the lens for ID, etc.
- How do I really know this the correct glass ?

[cowanw]

1.You should be hugely reassured that it actully does screw into the shutter.
2. Take a picture; that should be reassuring.

[dsphotog]

Your lens was made in 1956. The secret Kodak date code word is "camerosity".
I'm not sure, but I think the front ring also holds series size filters.

[Louis Pacilla]

I can't imagine you haven't seen the manual for the 305mm f4.8 kodak Portrait Lens in Universal shutter on Camera Eccentric site.

I'll post the link just in case.

http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/kodak_1.html

[eddie]

How do I really know this the correct glass ?


you got a fake. :p send it to me , i will use it!

[buggz]

Nice try.
Though seriously, I'm seeing there is no way to correctly ID the glass.


you got a fake. :p send it to me , i will use it!

[Louis Pacilla]

Hey Buggz!

Why are you looking for trouble that way more than likely does not exist? I mean does the lens group barrel have an ill fit? is the FL not measuring up? Something other than the lack of manufacturing markings?

The chance that you have a "fake" lens group/barrel is highly unlikely. Have you mounted the lens and taken a look at your ground glass? If you have, is the view pleasingly diffused when wide open? Does it have a FL of 12"? Well then my money says it's the original and correct lens group.

My 305mm f4.8 Kodak Portrait rear group also bares no identification to speak of other then the simple fact it delivers a nice glow at 4.8 and has a FL of 12" and fit's the original construction as if it was made for it. Hey wait a minute.:eek: It is the original lens group.;)

Go make some creatively different images and be glad you have a shuttered K.P. in your lens arsenal as they are getting harder to find even with "fake" lens groups.:eek:

[cowanw]

Check flashlight reflections, from the back three, small, medium and large all move together.
from the front the medium and large move in opposite directions from the central small.
If this is demonstrated, you know you have a achromatic meniscus that fits your shutter.
How many achromatic meniscus non Kodak portrait cells from other lenses will just happen to fit your shutter ( diameter, thread pitch, male/female)?
You are right however, you will never know whether someone has switched this Kodak portrait lens into this shutter from another, otherwise identical, lens.

[Mark Sawyer]

I agree that it is unlikely the lens was switched. Finding a correct thickness/diameter/focal length coated doublet with about the right diffusion would be difficult. And about half the value is in the #5 shutter, half in the lens, so why break them up and have an unmounted lens? But if you have reason to believe it was switched, the best way to check would be to compare the color of the coating reflections with another known sample.

BTW, the only manufacturer I know who actually marked their identification on the glass was Darlot, and they just wrote it by hand in pencil on the edges. So the type of identification you're asking for doesn't exist, to my knowledge.

[buggz]

Nah, not looking for trouble, just wondering.
And I thank you very much for sharing the information that yours appear to be the same.
We were in "monsoon season" this weekend, and STILL raining like crazy right now.
Hope to get out this week and weekend, I need to badly...


Hey Buggz!

Why are you looking for trouble that way more than likely does not exist? I mean does the lens group barrel have an ill fit? is the FL not measuring up? Something other than the lack of manufacturing markings?

The chance that you have a "fake" lens group/barrel is highly unlikely. Have you mounted the lens and taken a look at your ground glass? If you have, is the view pleasingly diffused when wide open? Does it have a FL of 12"? Well then my money says it's the original and correct lens group.

My 305mm f4.8 Kodak Portrait rear group also bares no identification to speak of other then the simple fact it delivers a nice glow at 4.8 and has a FL of 12" and fit's the original construction as if it was made for it. Hey wait a minute.:eek: It is the original lens group.;)

Go make some creatively different images and be glad you have a shuttered K.P. in your lens arsenal as they are getting harder to find even with "fake" lens groups.:eek:

[buggz]

Being a newbie, I just didn't know if this was an easy to fake item, or not.
I thank you and everyone else for their information and patience with my newbie questions.


Check flashlight reflections, from the back three, small, medium and large all move together.
from the front the medium and large move in opposite directions from the central small.
If this is demonstrated, you know you have a achromatic meniscus that fits your shutter.
How many achromatic meniscus non Kodak portrait cells from other lenses will just happen to fit your shutter ( diameter, thread pitch, male/female)?
You are right however, you will never know whether someone has switched this Kodak portrait lens into this shutter from another, otherwise identical, lens.

[eddie]

The chance that you have a "fake" lens group/barrel is highly unlikely.


wrong! it is a fake!


I agree that it is unlikely the lens was switched. .

not unlikely! a fake!


Being a newbie, I just didn't know if this was an easy to fake item,

do not listen to them! those two guys above (especially Louis) do not know nuthin' 'bout lenses!

it is easily faked. :) you got a fake!:p. send it to me....i will even pay priority shipping.....k?

har har har!

[Larry H-L]

I've used two versions of the lens.

On the later / newer ones, the rear group is in a straight cylinder tube.

On the older ones, a second larger diameter cylinder is at the extreme rear.

[cdholden]

Brring it up to Nash Vegas and compare with mine.
I'm confident that mine is authentic.

[Armin Seeholzer]

How old is mine 305mm Kodak Portrait RY182 or is it RYI82 and what is the Filter tread is it just normal 86mm or something special?

Thanks in advance, Armin

[Louis Pacilla]

How old is mine 305mm Kodak Portrait RY182 or is it RYI82 and what is the Filter tread is it just normal 86mm or something special?

Thanks in advance, Armin

You can date it yourself with the camerosity code and it can be found here. http://kodak.3106.net/index.php?p=501 .

The filter size is a series 9 filter system. You will want to find the top threaded piece of the series 9 filter ring system that holds a series 9 filer in place .

hope this helps.

[Armin Seeholzer]

Thanks Louis

Never heard of this filter system bevor, so I have to google!

[Jim Galli]

This is a weird thread?? Buggz, I saw someone by your house last night switching out the tires on your car. I wouldn't drive it if I were you.

You've given me a great idea though, being as I'm the deviant sort. I'm going to buy one of those lenses for $789 and switch out the glass. Why wouldn't I??? Just never thought of it until now. Buyers beware!!!

[tgtaylor]

It's interesting to note that Kodak's instructions on how to use the lens is very close to the Pentax instructions on how to use its 120mm soft focus 67 lens.

Thomas

[Bernice Loui]

This is the one I got from about 20 years ago. They were quite common and cheap.. paid $60 (many soft focus lenses back then were common and cheap) for this one. Many were purchased for the Ilex# 5 shutter and disposed of the glass. This could be the reason why they have become less common today.

f8 is what I favor when using this lens. The more it is stopped down, the less glow and sharper it becomes.


Bernice

88964

[UNITER]

Your lens was made in 1956. The secret Kodak date code word is "camerosity".
I'm not sure, but I think the front ring also holds series size filters.

Can you give me the year of manufacture of the lens Kodak Portrait Lens 305mm (12in) f/4.8 RE325 L S

[goamules]

The camerosity date code worked by replacing numbers with letters to get a two year date as follows:

C A M E R O S I T Y
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

[UNITER]

The camerosity date code worked by replacing numbers with letters to get a two year date as follows:

C A M E R O S I T Y
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Dziękuję

[UNITER]

Dziękuję

The year of manufacture of photographic equipment is one thing, but there is still work of history.
Here is my story.
In 2004, together with his wife Margaretha organised in Poland in Pomerania camera international plein air "man and architecture-Chelmno in focus 2004" for young people.

http://karnasiewiczstudio.pl/pl-PL/czlowiek_i_architektura_-_chelmno_w_obiektywie_-_2004.html

In photos I visited a local photographer Mr. Stanisław which saw large format cameras Burke & James View Camera 5 x 7 "and Improved Seneca View 8 x 10" and Kodak Portrait Lens (12in.) f/4.8 RE325. These cameras bought in Poland since the widow of photographs who died in Chicago in the 1960s. American Customs office authorised the dispatch of Polish cameras-such was the will of the deceased in the Testament but stopped the film holders. Mr. Stanislaw with the help of the specialists adapted camera to format 10x15cm and rollkasety 6x9cm.

In 2006 a camera recently bought large Burke & James View Camera 5 x 7 "and Improved Seneca View 8 x 10" and Kodak Portrait Lens (12in.) f/4.8 RE325 from Mr Stanisław. I bought a few German lenses 90 mm, 150 mm, 165 mm, 210 mm, 250 mm. teachers from vocational schools for mechanical profile in Krakow did rings to mount lenses. I managed to find the contractor Lensboards. At the end I bought the film holders 5 x 7 ", 13x18cm and 8 x 10"-18x24cm, Fidelity Elite.
Membrane and induces 18x24cm 13x18cm in JOBO 1521 + 2560 + roller1509
To be continued ... Best regards