Agfa Solinar 13.5mm F4.5

[brucep]

I'm trying to fing any information on this lens, such as circle of coverage; quality of optics; and what filter size the front thread is?

I will be grateful for any advice.

Regards
Bruce

[IanG]

It's a pre WWII lens I'd guess and usually they took push fit filters.

The design is Tessar type so 5x4 coverage is not brilliant somewhere around 161mm image circle at f16, best at f22 and edges/corners get progressively softer at wider apertures.

I was using a similar pre WWII 135mm f4.5 Tessar for about a year and while the results were OK at f22 it's not close to later coated 1950's onwards Tessar's and clones in terms of micro-contrast. Great for some uses like portraits.

Try it and see you may love the look & feel.

Ian

[Murray]

That's interesting.

I've seen and heard of the 10,5 cm coated Solinar being the best of the available lenses on the Agfa 6x9 folders, but never ran into a longer f.l. one This does seems right for 4x5 format. I can't remember what was on 3x4 cameras.

The 105 mm Solinar I have IS on a folder and has front cell focusing and no threads in front. I made a push on lens hood for it from the 'neck' of a Vitamin C bottle, painted flat black, but never figured out how I would integrate Series VI push-on filters AND the shade together.

Here's a post indicating the lens you mention may be from a 9x12 plate camera and is NOT a front cell focus type, but 'unit focus', like most 'normal' cameras used in LF, where the bellows moves and the lens cell spacing is not compromised as it would be with a threaded front cell focus.

http://photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/008pwB


Murray

[IanG]

The 135mm Solinar was on the Agfa Isolar 9x12 cameras, it was the top lens, usually in a Compur.

As some Isolar cameras were rebadged ICA's it's quite likely the Solinar is also re-badged, most likely a Tessar.

Bruce, the shutter (assuming it is a Compur) will have a serial number and that should tell you the approx age of the lens.

Ian

[Solinear]

The 135mm Solinar was on the Agfa Isolar 9x12 cameras, it was the top lens, usually in a Compur.

As some Isolar cameras were rebadged ICA's it's quite likely the Solinar is also re-badged, most likely a Tessar.

Bruce, the shutter (assuming it is a Compur) will have a serial number and that should tell you the approx age of the lens.

Ian

Hi guys ! Anyone know finally what’s the size of the lens? I’m searching to buy some yellow filter but I’m lost about the size …Of anyone can help me will be REALLY nice !
All the best !

[Michael Graves]

Another camera that I believe shipped with this lens was the Agfa Standard plate camera. You might try searching that. Nothing I found lists the filter size though. Many of those style lenses required a series filter with a slip on adapter.

[J. Patric Dahlen]

Measure the outer diameter of the lens and buy slip-on filters in that size.

[Bob Salomon]

Mm or cm?

[RZuazua]

Amy pictures?