The Rietzschel Pro Linear F/1.9 13.5cm Lens and the Mentor Reflex Camera
In the history of photography, "speed" has never been a cold, hard parameter, but rather a craftsman's relentless pursuit of the limits. In 1920s Germany, the optical industry was undergoing a period of great upheaval. While major manufacturers like Zeiss and Leica were ushering in a new era, a little-known workshop in Munich created a work that could be described as having "light-speed ambitions"—the Rietzschel Pro Linear F/1.9 13.5cm lens.
In an era when even f/3.5 was considered high speed, it boldly pushed the limits to f/1.9. And its host was the square and bulky Mentor Reflex camera. The lens and camera body combined to form the "ultimate speed combination" for German studios and professional photography a century ago.
The Last Glory of Rietzschel
The story of Rietzschel began in 1896. Founder Alexander Heinrich Rietzschel (1860–1939), an apprentice under Zeiss, later worked at Steinheil and Rodenstock before establishing his own optics company, A. Heinrich Rietzschel GmbH, in Munich.
The company was renowned for its high-precision lenses and cameras from its early days. The "Clack" camera of 1900 made Rietzschel a major supplier to professional photography in Germany. However, with industry consolidation, the space for independent workshops was rapidly shrinking: in 1921, the company was acquired by Bayer; in 1925, it was incorporated into the Agfa optical system; and in 1927, the brand ceased to exist.
The Pro Linear lens is the final footnote to this history. It can almost be seen as Rietzschel's swan song before its demise.
A Lens Pushing the Limits
• Model: Rietzschel Pro Linear F/1.9 13.5cm
• Aperture: F1.9, far exceeding contemporary large format lenses (such as the Kodak Aero Ektar F2.5)
• Focal Length: 135mm, suitable for 9×9cm medium format, also covering 4×5-inch large format
• Structure: 4 elements in 4 groups, symmetrical Speedic design, balancing sharpness and bokeh
• Era: Circa 1925
• System: Mentor Reflex dedicated chuck
In that era, designing an F1.9 lens was almost equivalent to pushing the limits of craftsmanship. The Pro Linear is sharp in the center, yet possesses a soft halo at the edges—this combination of "sharpness and softness" makes it an ideal tool for portrait photography.
The Matching Stage: Mentor Reflex
If the Pro Linear was a crazy experiment in optics, then the Mentor Reflex was its most suitable stage.
This professional SLR camera, manufactured by the German company Goltz & Breutmann, was large and complex, yet unique at the time:
• SLR viewfinder: Utilizing a reflex mirror and a ground glass screen, photographers could directly see the image through the upward-flipping viewfinder, offering an operating experience similar to today's medium format SLRs.
• Large format compatibility: Commonly used with a 9×9cm sensor, close to the imaging specifications of smaller large format cameras.
• Modular lens system: The front chuck allowed for quick lens loading and unloading; the Pro Linear was designed for this purpose.
• Professional positioning: Due to its large size and high price, it primarily served studios and professional photographers.
When the Pro Linear was mounted on the Mentor Reflex, the entire camera assembly resembled a black industrial machine. The enormous front lens element was almost as wide as the body, seemingly announcing its "speed ambitions" through its sheer size.
Performance in Light and Shadow: The Pro Linear, even today, remains stunning in real-world shooting:
• Low-light capability: The F1.9 aperture allows photographers to capture images in dim environments, a full stop faster than the Aero Ektar.
• Image quality: Sharp centers and dreamy edges, the hallmark of a classic large-aperture lens, perfectly suited for portraits.
• Format compatibility: Although designed as a 9×9cm sensor, it fully covers 4×5-inch sensors, offering flexibility across different formats.
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