My New Old 14" Commercial Ektar Low Serial number

[akfreak]

Well I got my lens today. It is so beautiful., Now I get to wait on my flange, I guess people like to make maximum value and sell them separately. I paid $400 shipped so I cant complain. Whoever owned it really took nice care of it. I haven't researched Serial numbers yet but 00183 has to be the 183 of these made right?

Anyway this lens is what I consider to be almost mint condition. It came with the original box but is missing the caps. A, R (rear) Rodenstock cap was put on the front, the lens takes the same size on the back as on the front. A 75 I think.

The serial number matches the box but any paperwork is long gone. Someone Chicken scratched the box with the letters 14 inch lens, it already says that from the factory so I dont understand but it's just a box.


He also plastic bagged it so I slipped in a fresh silica pack to dry up any moisture. Man that shutter is big, it functions at all speeds. as far as I can tell with my eye and ear. I will need to buy a long throw cable release, so I hear. I have also seen an air piston or something of that nature used to fire the shutter.


I cant wait to use this baby, but I dont want to rush anything. It's exciting just to hold it. I might try to mount it to my Cambo tomorrow!, Most likely will run out of bellows.

What looks like specks in the glass are actually glass bubbles. I hear from other lenses this is a sign of good quality glass but I do not know 1st hand that this is true.

It is much larger than my TURNER REICH F7.0 ANASTIGMAT LENS 8X10 on a Betax no 4. I look forward to making black and white portraits with this lens on my Century Master Studio. Now I need to learn how to hold open a Packard shutter to use this baby. Always something I am finding!

[akfreak]

A short video to show it's function.
Link here

[Michael Jones]

Actually that's a high number. Made in 1966. The "00" is really "oo." The manufacturing code is
camerosity
123456789

They also changed to cardboard boxes in the mid-50s or so. Before that, they were black lacquered wood. I'd rather have a new, rather than older, model personally. Less use.

You should not need a long throw release if it was serviced properly during its life.. The trick is that is has American threads and releases tend to have metric threads. They don't mach well. Of course it you have a long throw release, it will work.

Enjoy! You are hard pressed to do better than a Kodak lens.

Mike

[cdholden]

A very nice lens at a very nice price!
From a recent thread on this forum, that lens was manufactured toward the end of that line's production. It may just be a low number for that year, not the life of the design.
As for the shutter, if it gives you any grief, Frank Marshman at Camera Wiz in Virginia has the remaining stock of Ilex parts. Springs should be no problem for him if a replacement is in necessary. He also does good work with a reasonably fast turnaround time.

[Jim Galli]

Michael is right. That may in fact be one of the last ones ever made. It's the latest number I've ever seen. EI xxx would be a common one, EI indicating 1948.

Nice piece, congrats!

[RichardRitter]

The one I have is 00 194

[Phil]

I have a 12" - OO198

[akfreak]

Thanks for the information. I had not really researched serial numbers before on this lens, I just wanted to show a picture of it. I spoke to the seller, he said he bought it at an estate sale at a house on Dow's Lake in Canada. I guess that is who marked the box.

I cant wait for my flange to come and try this baby out.

[cowanw]

Might have been Karsh's.

[akfreak]

Might have been Karsh's.

Now that would be somthing. There is some chicken scratching on the box, I cant make out the letters after the 14" Lens. It could be a YK, maybe I am just wanting to see that