Info on Lens-E.Suter Basel Aplanat A No 4

[northcarolinajack]

NEEDED INFO ON LENS BY E. SUTER, BASEL

I found, at a reasonable price, an old brass lens that covers 8x10, but have NO information about this lens. The glass is like new and the marking are as follows:
E. Suter Basel
# 7321
Aplanat A No 4

The lens covers my 8x10 without problems and seems to be about 250mm length with an f stop of 2. It has waterhouse stops from f 2.8 to f128. I have shot it once and it seems to be very sharp. I think it is a pretzel design, but not sure.
I would like to know more about this old lens in pristine brass lens.
Hope someone will be able to help.
The photograph made with this lens is attached.

Jack

[eddie]

Aplanat A No 4

Jack

as it says on the lens it is an aplanat design. two cemented pieces of glass in the front and rear. the A series is f6. the B is f8.

i was collecting the entire b series as they were cheap and no one was paying much for them....but i see them working their way to being noticed.

you can also use just the rear element to make images. try it.

[Steven Tribe]

Not a petzval - but as it says an aplanat/RR.
I have exactly the same lens. Series A is the Rapid version - but not modern F.2!!
There are a good deal of useful threads here on the excellent Suter aplanats.
Eddie has a lot.

[Steven Tribe]

Suter did make a few Portrait Petzvals (and labelled Portrait) and even Landscape meniscus lenses. But I doubt you will come across any of these! Aplanats were a big seller along with his 4 glass copy of the Dagor.

[eddie]

Eddie has a lot.

yup. i had a 35 inch focal length one for a while (#9) .......sold it. but i just got another small B series #3 yesterday.....

l-r
#8 (25 inch), #6 (19 inch), #3 (10 inch i think)

[eddie]

Suter did make a few Portrait Petzvals (and labelled Portrait) and even Landscape meniscus lenses. But I doubt you will come across any of these! Aplanats were a big seller along with his 4 glass copy of the Dagor.

yup. i had three suter petzval lenses. hard to tell that they are petzvals unless you have them in your hand.....too easy to be lead on the wrong path with pictures on e bay.

petzvals

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ighlight=suter

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ighlight=suter

another aplanat.

http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=972974

[northcarolinajack]

as it says on the lens it is an aplanat design. two cemented pieces of glass in the front and rear. the A series is f6. the B is f8.

i was collecting the entire b series as they were cheap and no one was paying much for them....but i see them working their way to being noticed.

you can also use just the rear element to make images. try it.

THANKS!!

Jack

[Steven Tribe]

Sorry I couldn't resist this.
This is what a Suter "I think it is a pretzel design, but not sure " pretzel should look like.
Foregive me please.

[northcarolinajack]

Sorry I couldn't resist this.
This is what a Suter "I think it is a pretzel design, but not sure " pretzel should look like.
Foregive me please.

That is fine, my humor is a little twisted as well.

Jack

[Marko Trebusak]

Sorry I couldn't resist this.
This is what a Suter "I think it is a pretzel design, but not sure " pretzel should look like.
Foregive me please.

Ah, yes. It's quite close actually (in German this is called "die Brezel"). So, Steve Petzval with salz?

Cheers,
Marko