135mm f/4.5 Tominon in Polaroid MP-4

[spacegoose]

I picked this up at a yard sale a few years ago for $10.00 and am wondering if it's complete? The lens is different from what I'm accustomed to, it consists of front element, aperture, and rear element and screws entirely into the front of the shutter. I'm accustomed to lenses which have a front element that screws into the front of the shutter, and a rear element that screws into the rear of the shutter, e.g. a Copal, which also traditionally contains the aperture. The MP-4 is pretty cool in that it is self cocking, but it doesn't have an aperture, in addition to Polaroid MP-4, it is also marked Copal (Made in Japan). It does have threads in the rear (but nothing is screwed in there).

[jocl123]

I picked this up at a yard sale a few years ago for $10.00 and am wondering if it's complete? The lens is different from what I'm accustomed to, it consists of front element, aperture, and rear element and screws entirely into the front of the shutter. I'm accustomed to lenses which have a front element that screws into the front of the shutter, and a rear element that screws into the rear of the shutter, e.g. a Copal, which also traditionally contains the aperture. The MP-4 is pretty cool in that it is self cocking, but it doesn't have an aperture, in addition to Polaroid MP-4, it is also marked Copal (Made in Japan). It does have threads in the rear (but nothing is screwed in there).

I had the same lens and it had no lens in the rear as well,
yours is complete as to what I know.

[Dan Fromm]

Yes, the lens is as intended.

Polaroid's MP-3, the MP-4's predecessor, had lenses in shutter. One lens, one shutter. Mainly Rodenstock Ysarons in Prontor Press shutters. There was one exception, the 35/4 Eurygon, that was front-mounted on a Prontor Press #1.

With the MP-4, Polaroid was merciful to its customers. The MP-4 lenses, all Tominons, were in barrels threaded to screw into a #1 shutter. Many lenses, one shutter. The MP-4 Copal Press #1 doesn't need a diaphragm, doesn't need one. Very cost-effective shutter for front mounting lenses when speeds higher than 1/125 aren't needed.

[spacegoose]

Thanks!

[pudentaineLf]

I had the same lens and it had no lens in the rear as well,
yours is complete as to what I know.

Hi, I'm thinking about buying one of these on ebay for $50, is it worth it and is 1/125 good enough speed for a beginner to large format who restoring a speed graphic for the first time?