Zeiss 25mm f3.5

[veriwide]

I've got a new lens on its way to me. It is a Zeiss 25mm f3.5 lens that is mounted in a shutter on a 4x5 view lens board. I have a Polaroid MP4 set up, and am familiar with the Tominon series of lenses for it. I am unfamiliar with a Zeiss set of lenses for large format macro work. Does any one has any info on the 25mm, or others, if there are others?

Thanks,

Patrick

 

[fhovie]

does this lens really have coverage for 4x5?

 

[veriwide]

I've done some legwork on this lens, and here's what I know.

This is a Zeiss Luminar lens. It is made for macro work, and quite sought after, especially in a shutter. It is easily adaptable for medium format use as well.

The Luminars, long out of production, came in four lengths: 16mm, 25mm, 40mm, and 63mm. Useing bellows, they would give from 2x to 50x enlargements. They look like microscope objectives with an apperture.

They have plenty of coverage for 4x5, but at extreme enlargement, depth of field can be razor thin. Hey, its a Zeiss lens, razor thin depth of field, and razor sharp image.

I have been shocked to find the prices of this lens. I have seen sold prices for it of $750 without the shutter, and for sale prices over $1000, also w/o shutter. Last week on eBay a 40mm and a 16mm sold for $360 and $505 respectively.

I am a photographer that loves having fine equipment, but the deal I got on this lens and camera combo, is too god not to resell. I will be selling the lens in a few weeks to help pay off my new Deardorff. I've already got an MP4 set up with the Tominon set of lenses (135, 105, 75, 50, 35) to do my macro work.

I'll put up some pictures of the lens, and a shot or two with it sometime soon. Something this nice, I just got to play with it a little.

 

[veriwide]

Here is some more info I recieved about the Luminars:
(Info. credit; Spike Walker UK) ;

Zeiss Luminar macro-anastigmat lens magnification ranges;

16mm / f2.5 (x10 - x40) (optimal mag x16) RMS
25mm / f3.5 (x6.3 - x25) (optimal mag x10) RMS
40mm / f4.5 (x4 - x16) (optimal mag x5) RMS
63mm / f4.5 (x2 - x10) (optimal mag x3.2) RMS
100mm / f6.3 (x0.8 - x8) (optimal mag x2) M44 X 0.75mm screw
'zoom' Luminar which yields magnifications of x2.5 - x5

( ) means magnification range with good performance,

The Carl Zeiss Luminar macro lenses were designed for high magnifications
with image coverage up to the 4x5 large format and are renowned for their
resolving power and flatness of field.
Originally designed for use with the Zeiss Ultraphot photo-microscope they
can equally be used to great effect with macro bellows or tubes plus the
appropriate adapter.

Luminar macro-anastigmats are used without eyepieces and are justly renowned for their resolving power and flatness of field. They are available in 16, 25 40, 63 and 100mm focal lengths, the first four having RMS objective threads, the last bearing an M44 X 0.75mm screw and/or an annular dovetail for fitting directly onto a Luminar Head. In addition, there is the remarkable 'zoom' Luminar which yields magnifications of 2.5 - 5 on the microscope's 5 X 4 camera. This is also fitted with the Zeiss 43.5mm annular dovetail. The 16, 25 and 40mm lenses are attached to the Luminar Head by the 'egg-cup' adapter shown in the upper photograph. The 63mm needs a different one. For transillumination, the 16 - 100mm Luminars are used in combination with matching 'spectacle lens' condensers and a standard stage, but the 'zoom' lens needs the massive Macro Stage with its built-in condenser.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Yes, these are great lenses, as are the Leitz Photars, and fine Olympus and Canon FD macrophoto lenses that will cover medium and large format at high magnifications. These are all of similar design and purpose.

Here's a picture with the FD 35mm/f:2.8 Macrophoto on Kodachrome 25:

I've adapted the lens so that I can use it on my Bronica, and it wouldn't be difficult to use on 4x5" either, but haven't found an interesting subject for it yet in medium or large format.

 

[Thilo Schmid]

veriwide, I do have a Luminar 3.5/25, too. It works well for 4x5 beyond 2:1. The only thing you have to know is that the numbers engraved on the aperture ring are not f-stops. They are exposure factors. On "15" you'll need 15x the exposure time of setting "1", independend of bellows factors. But you still have to determine the correct exposure for setting "1".