Computar Symmetrigon

Mark Layne · Feb 26, 2006

Does any one know who made the 210mm Computar Symmetrigon?
Mark

JG Motamedi · Feb 26, 2006

Pretty sure it was Kowa.

ReallyBigCameras · Feb 26, 2006

JG Motamedi said:
Pretty sure it was Kowa.

Actually, it was (drum roll please)...

Chugai International Corporation who continue to use the name for the video and security surveillance camera lenses they manufacture.

The f9 Computar series, as well as the APO Kyvytars and Graphic-Kowas were all made by Kowa, but at some point in the late 1970s J. D. Callahan sold the rights to the Computar brand name to Chugai International. Here's a direct quote from a letter from J. D. Callahan:

"APO-KYVYTAR LENSES ARE MADE BY THE SAME PEOPLE IN JAPAN THAT MADE THE CONVERTIBLES UNDER THE "COMPUTAR" TRADEMARK WHICH I USED TO OWN AND WHICH I SOLD TO CHUGAI INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION WHO USE THE TRADEMARK FOR THEIR VIDEO LENSES, ENLARGING LENSES, AND THE LARGE FORMAT TAKING LENSES (COMPUTAR SYMMETRIGONS)."

Evidently Mr. Callahan didn't believe in the use of lower case letters and tended to use punctuation sparingly, but there it is, right from the source.

Kerry

sanking · Feb 26, 2006

And just for the record, the Computar Symmetrigon is not of the same design as the earlier Computars, which apparently are of similar design to the the APO Kyvytars.

The original Computars and APO Kyvytars are great lenses for ULF cameras because of their small size and outstanding coverage, which is about 90 degrees with small apertures. That is quite a bit more than Dagors. Focused at infinity The 240mm Computar covers 7X17, the 270mm 8X20, and the 305mm 12X20. The 210mm Computar covers 11X14 but just misses the corners on 7X17 at infinity. Some Kowa Graphic lenses are similar in appearance and coverage to Computars, but most are not.

Sandy

kthalmann said:
Actually, it was (drum roll please)...

Chugai International Corporation who continue to use the name for the video and security surveillance camera lenses they manufacture.

The f9 Computar series, as well as the APO Kyvytars and Graphic-Kowas were all made by Kowa, but at some point in the late 1970s J. D. Callahan sold the rights to the Computar brand name to Chugai International. Here's a direct quote from a letter from J. D. Callahan:

"APO-KYVYTAR LENSES ARE MADE BY THE SAME PEOPLE IN JAPAN THAT MADE THE CONVERTIBLES UNDER THE "COMPUTAR" TRADEMARK WHICH I USED TO OWN AND WHICH I SOLD TO CHUGAI INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION WHO USE THE TRADEMARK FOR THEIR VIDEO LENSES, ENLARGING LENSES, AND THE LARGE FORMAT TAKING LENSES (COMPUTAR SYMMETRIGONS)."

Evidently Mr. Callahan didn't believe in the use of lower case letters and tended to use punctuation sparingly, but there it is, right from the source.

Kerry

Mark Layne · Feb 27, 2006

Thanks for the clarification fellows. While we're on the subject do we know who made a Goerz 14" Trigor with 'Made in Switzerland' on the back element, Kern or Wild perhaps?
Also 35 mm lenses marked INA made in Japan
Mark

jimgalli · Feb 27, 2006

Mark Layne said:
Thanks for the clarification fellows. While we're on the subject do we know who made a Goerz 14" Trigor with 'Made in Switzerland' on the back element, Kern or Wild perhaps?
Also 35 mm lenses marked INA made in Japan
Mark

Kern

removed account4 · Feb 27, 2006

thanks for the background info on computar symmetrigons!
i have a 150 and love it. originally bought on a board for an 8x10 camera, and the dealer told me it was used on an 8x10 -- i haven't ever checked for coverage &C + i was never sure if the dealer was just sweet talking me to make the sale

- john

Mark Layne · Feb 28, 2006

jimgalli said:
Kern

Jim
What is the Trigor design? The name suggests three of something
Mark

jimgalli · Feb 28, 2006

Mark Layne said:
Jim
What is the Trigor design? The name suggests three of something
Mark

The Trigor is a Dagor type. I don't know what spacing or other differences it has but it's a dagor that was designed for color seperation cameras during dye transfer days I think. They seem to cover about 90 degrees and the aperture is smaller than the 6.8 normal. Similar to the f8 WA Dagor's? Not sure but sounds possible. Plus the resolution is superb so prices get pretty nuts.

Mark Layne · Feb 28, 2006

jimgalli said:
The Trigor is a Dagor type. I don't know what spacing or other differences it has but it's a dagor that was designed for color seperation cameras during dye transfer days I think. They seem to cover about 90 degrees and the aperture is smaller than the 6.8 normal. Similar to the f8 WA Dagor's? Not sure but sounds possible. Plus the resolution is superb so prices get pretty nuts.

Makes sense- this one came off the Robertson Horizontal camera which supplied negs for my printshop for years.
Mark

Mark Layne · Feb 28, 2006

Which brings up another subject. Did Ford ever have a photo dept? I have a B&L Protar which has the word Ford engraved near the element threads in what appears to be Ford logo type
Mark

Computar Symmetrigon

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