zeiss 21 cm orthometar f4.5

[bshaffer]

greetings from the ohio river .
I would ask if you could provide any info on the zeiss orthometar - is this a process lens ? it appears very clear . 21 cm and f4.5 -coverage ?
thanks for your help.
barry

 

[bshaffer]

Ok --I've looked at vade mecum and it says it's an aerial lens -where does that lead me -what makes an aerial lens - thanks
barry

 

[Dan Fromm]

Good of you to have looked in the VM. If you'd looked a bit more you'd have found that there were short, e.g., 35 mm Orthometars, that covered 35 mm. And you'd have found that it is a plasmat type. You should be able to count on it covering at least 5x7.

An aerial camera lens is a lens that was made, ideally optimized too, for shooting distant subjects. Some, not all, aerial camera lenses have a combination of some of these attributes: high resolution, usually at or near wide open; low distortion; even illumination. But not all have all of the attributes, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that some have none.

I expect, could be mistaken, that y'r Orthometar is uncoated. If so, flare may be a problem. Best way to find out is to use the lens.

Good luck, have fun,

Dan

 

[jacobus]

The Orthometar was, as its name indicates, made for photogrammetry, i.e. for measuring buildings and other distant objects. Thus the primary aim of its design was to reduce distortion to a level that's not been required in any other field of photography.

 

[bshaffer]

Dan and Jacobus,
thanks for the help--yes it is uncoated , hopefully I can try it out this weekend .have a good day
barry

 

[Dan Fromm]

Uli, are you sure? I ask because I can't imagine anyone using a Contax with a 35 mm lens for photogrammetry, especially with the emusions available in the 1930s.

Cheers,

Dan