Voigtlander Historical Lenses and Cameras

VOIGTLANDER - Historical Lenses *)
(c) Photos und Texte by Frank Mechelhoff update 9. Sept. 2006

*) English pronunciation something similar to "Foit-lander": For you I try to avoid German "Ä" - which means and in German normally transferred to "AE", spoken like English (not German) "A". So I write VOIGTLANDER here even it's not the correct German transcription, just because you English spoken people are used to it.

35mm camera lenses

PROMINENT Rangefinder camera lenses (1950-1958)

NOKTON f/ 1.5 50mm

This was the fastest classical Voigtlander lens ever, started 1951. This was said to be the best f/1.5 lens soon after the war - better than Leica Summarit f/1.5 - at least equals the Zeiss SONNAR...7 elements/ 5 groups Gauss type with front element splitted - the break-through of the Gauss type then in the f/1.4-1.5 speed class.

Most lenses made for the Prominent Rangefinder as the top lens (DM 595,- in 1953 for both). Very few in Leica screw mount, a handfull in Contax RF mount...
This was a long and big standard lens for RF means - short backspace too - too short for SLR mirror with a leaf-shutter added in front of...

photos from http://www.designundphoto.de

Nevertheless a big lapse that Voigtlander never produced a f/1.5-lens in SLR (Bessamatic) mount to emphasize this as a real "prosumer" camera that it was!

ULTRON f/2 50mm
Gauss (Planar) type lens type for Rangefinder (Prominent) camera, started in production 1950 as 6 elements/ 5 groups lens. The Ultron was also build for small 35mm cameras like Vito/ Vitomatic/ Vitessa as the top-of-line lens. A few were made in Leica screwmount. In the early 1950's this lens had a reputation superior to Leica Summitar f/2 and Summicron f/2 first generation.
Contemporary academic sources wrote about the Ultron as double the resolving power than a Tessar type . The 50mm f/2 Ultron gave "the highest performance yet recorded for a lens of this aperture... at all stops... the resolution given by this lens would be only limited by the resolving power of the film" (Amateur Photographer, 13 February, 1952) If this is true, undoubtly it would be in the league of the ten best standard lenses ever.

1. Generation: Voigtlander Ultron 2/50mm	2. Generation : Zeiss-Ikon Ultron 1.8/50	3. Generation: Color-Ultron 1.8/50mm

Ultron 2/50mm first version (1950) 250g, 52mm Filter, close distance 0,9m	Carl Zeiss Ultron 1.8/50 : available for Zeiss-Icon/ Voigtlander Icarex (BM and TM) and SL-706 (1968-1972) - here with adaptor at a Rolleiflex SL35	Back to a (slightly curved) convex front element - Color-Ultron 1.8/50 - 1970-1995 (sold as Rollei Planar for QBM as well)
ULTRON in Prominent Rangefinder mount	(Zeiss Ultron an Rolleiflex)	(early version)
Never outbid: 6 element lens in a (Compur) leaf shutter mounting ! Really, that were the last years when Voigtlander were among the three very best...	Probably to enlarge backspace room behind the last lens to shutter curtain for SLR mounting, a concave curved front element was added - a strange design at its time ! In publications ZEISS-IKON/ Voigtlander announced this as a newly "computer aided design". However, Voigtlander did use computers in calculations rays since the middle 1950's. A ZUSE computer is shown in the background of an 1956's advertisement.	(late version)

COLOR-SKOPAR f3.5 50mm

The Skopar was a Tessar type. This lens was recalculated and with coated lenses 1949 issued as Color-Skopar (the same with the "Color-Heliar" for medium format). It was a reputated MF lens (f/3.5 80mm and 105mm) for the BESSA as well. The patent claimed a quasi-Apochromatic color correction (see diagram)

changable lens for Prominent (35mm RF)

A very good performer. Some MF photographers prefered it to the Heliar for its higher overall contrast. For the Prominent camera, this lens was 100 DM cheaper than the Ultron and therefore prefered by many people at times when this amount was equal or more to half a month's salary ! But ist was at least 1 stop slower too.

Complete Lens Program for PROMINENT

Name	Price DM (1955)	Elements/ Groups (Type/ Remarks)	Diagramm	short distance	Filter mm
Ultragon 5.8/24		incl. mirror housing/ not available regular			100
Skoparon 3.5/35	220,-	5/4 (Retrofocus-Tessar)
Ultron 2.0/50	249,-	6/5 (Gauss)	see above
Nokton 1.5/50	300,-	7/5 (Gauss)	see above
Color-Skopar 3.5/50	124,-	4/3 /(Tessar)	see above	1.0
Dynaron 4.5/100	200,-	6/4 (Tele) Front element focussing
Telomar 5.5/100		5 (Tele-Anastigmat) - with mirror housing and double rear element. Front element focussing
Super-Dynaron 4.5/150

Conclusion: Compared to LEICA, ZEISS, CANON and NIKON lens programm only the standfard lenses are strong and competitive. Missing a second (fast) 35mm, any usable wideangle like 21, 25 or 28mm. All competitors had telephotos at least 1 1/2 stops faster whioch were to reliably to focus without any mirror hoause gadgets.

SLR Lenses for Bessamatic/ Ultramatic (1958-1969)

SEPTON f/2 50mm

It looks if the third single element of the Ultron had be splitted into cemented two, then first and second element slightly modified. Still a Gauss type but a unique design. Only in Bessamatic/ Ultramatic bayonet made (all chrome or chrome with black aperture ring)

Probably the ULTRON didn't fit in front of the mirror plus leaf shutter - the strange system of the Bessamatic SLR series (required long backspace distance of the lens!) and therefore need a design modification.
In terms of cash for Voigtlander, the SLR line was of limited success, probably because of the leaf-shutter that caused design-constraints, make the whole camera complicated, expensive and heavyweight compared to the Japanese. At least lenses could be build faster than with the lens-central-shutter camea Zeiss-Ikon Contaflex (which by the way was cheaper).

Complete Lens programm for Bessamatic/ Ultramatic

Name	Price DM (1964)	Elements/ Groups (Type)	Diagram	short distance	Filter mm
Skoparex 3.4/35	215,-	6/5 (Retrofocus enhanced. Triplet)		1.0 / (Serie 2: 0.6)	40.5
Skopagon 2.0/40	440,-	9/6 (Retrofocus Gauss)		0.9	54
Color-Skopar 2.8/50	125,-	4/3 /(Tessar)	see above	1.0 (Serie 2: 0.6)	40.5
Septon 2.0/50	298,-	7/5 (Gauss)	see above	0.9	54
Dynarex 3.4/90	270,-	4/3 (Gauss-related)		2.0	40.5
Dynarex 4.8/109	140,-	6 (1960-1962)		1.0	40.5
Super-Dynarex 4.0/135	235,-	4/3 (Tele)		4.0	40.5
Super-Dynarex 4.0/200	525,-	5/4 (Tele)		8.5	77
Super-Dynarex 5.6/350		7/6 (Tele)		28	95
Zoomar 2.8/36-82	795,-	15/11 (Zoom)		1.3	95

Conclusion: Similar to the Prominent Series. Caused by the narrow leaf shutter the all lenses except Septon and Skoparex are slow - despite of partly horrendious front lens diameter and filter size.
Moreover close distance limit was too far away for taking cutting portaiture, when comapared to Japanese lenses (0.45m at 55mm focus length; 0.85m at 85mm) or with Zeiss.
The advantage of photgraphing with strobelight at all shutter speeds makes the whole camera system slow, complicated in constrauction and heavyweight, and expensive. Combined with other than standard lenses, there were only disadvantages of the leaf shutter SLR system when compared to Japanese SLRs.

The first Bessamatic was the best selling product (213.000), advanced Bessamatic CS was 22.000, low cost Bessamatic-m 9.300, all later Ultratmatic together 35.500. Not much for a more than a decade-run... in the same time period the ZEISS-IKON Contaflex - second leaf shutter SLR of the ZI/Voigtlander group and former sales star - went down as well.

...the last Brontosaurus of Voigtlander: Ultramatic-CS (1969) - coming soon

MEDIUM AND LARGE FORMAT LENSES

HELIAR - all-times Voigtlander classic

A 5 elements/ 3 groups Triplet derivated lens, similar to the Zeiss Tessar but with a splitted front-element. Invented 1900 by Dr. Hans Harting, later executive board member at ZEISS, even at age 78 recalled to VEB Carl Zeiss Jena to help with postwar reconstruction and appointed Honorary member of Academy of Sciences in Berlin (DDR). The design was slightly altered during its production time, at last after WWII with coating to the "Color-Heliar" from Voigtlander R&D team headed by Dr. A.W. Tronnier 1952. A simple and harmonical construction (slightly curved lines) but this wasn't able to produce a fast lens and therfore to some extend outdated by the market in the middle 1950's. The Medium format (MF) lens was f/3.5 105mm.Very sharp but some soft contrast wide open. One of the very best lenses ever for landscape and portraiture. In Large Format (LF) there were 15cm, 18cm, 21cm, 24cm, 30cm, 36cm and 42cm Heliars with f/4.5, covering formats from 9x14cm to 21x27cm

Also American KODAK made some very fine Heliar type MF and LF lenses in the 1940's and 1950's. Even today their reputation isn't challenged . Some Japanese companies like Pentax and Nikon kept the Heliar design for 35mm makro lenses well into the 1980's (100mm f/4 lenses).

Until 2001 there was never a Voigtlander Heliar standard lens for 35mm film cameras - then Cosina build a limited edition in Leica screwmount (3.5/50mm) and it's amazing performance added probably a last page to the glory of the classical Heliar... up to 2006 where Cosina even managed to build a f/2.0 lens of that specification with a limited edition CLASSIC-HELIAR (1756-2006)


Heliar 1902 - according to Naumann	Color-Heliar 1950 - Voigtlander publictaion "last version"	Heliar-Design (Large Format Lens) in a 1960's Zeiss-Ikon lens brochure.

Heliar in Compur Rapid leaf shutter, 1935 Rangefinder Bessa - this is a cool folder camera for 120 film (6x9 cm)

Its successor in the Bessa-II: coated lens, the most famous (and expensive) folder camera...

Heliar Large Format lens, 15cm (covers 10x13cm with some reserve power) in Compur-Press shutter (Size No.1), build 1945 - coated already. Maybe an US Army photograph took this one home from conquered Germany - gone back in 2003.

APO-LANTHAR -the holy grail...

The most famous Voigtlander lens ever is the APO-LANTHAR. Invented 1952 - the last great days of Voigtlander. First apochromatic MF lens, that means the sharpest point of three colors (different wavelenghts of light) coming together in the film plane instead of the usual two, which defines the achromatic corrected lens category most lenses belongs to -- even some which today are called "APO" by marketing reasons but not for real apochromatic correction...

Developed out of the Color-Heliar with Lanthanum-Glas (Lanthanglass) which offers a very high refraction index und low dispersion. Alas, Voigtlander spent R&D money in the wrong area. Photographers asked for speedy 35mm lenses and sales of folder cameras came down, bringing Voigtlander deep into the red, ZEISS-IKON took them over in 1956, and ceased MF folder camera production and MF lense development - although keeping the MF and LF lense series at sale for more than a decade.

Surprisingly this one - my lens - the smallest of all APO-LANTHARs: there were also 15cm, 21 and 30cm focal lengths offered - covers 4x5 inch Large format (10x13cm) without shifting reserve, so it's nearly a wide angle lens. At 6x9, coverage according to spec, its an amazing performer like it's noted for.

Further History of Voigtlander and their Lenses - clipped because it's doleful predominantly...

1953 The last good news: Vitessa into production, one of the coolest 35mm cameras ever made. Unique design, folder camera, compact, with rangefinder, excellent lenses, fine craftmanship. "Such a nice camera, hard to believe it's not a Leica" (S.Gandy)

1956 Voigtlander is deep in the red. Schering AG, since 1925 major owner, has enough of Voigtlander and sells its shares to ZEISS-IKON. Oh boy, this is its major competitor.. But not a hostile takeover... Even if ZEISS-IKON is the new owner, they leave Voigtlander seperate for the next couple of years. Too seperate at least in my oppinion.

1958 First Voigtlander SLR camera - Bessamatic: coupled selenium meter, leaf shutter (but fully changable lenses), no instant-return-mirror. Zeiss-Ikon should have instantly ceased their Contaflex line and combine R&D effort, because it was clear to recognize Bessamatic was the superior concept (if any leaf shutter 35mm SLR can be called this)

1959 Zoomar - this was the first 35mm zoom lens but an American design, Dr. Frank G. Back of Zoomar in Long Island New York, licenced by Zoomar company. f/2.8 36-82mm first universal zoom lens as well. You would call it "fast zoom" nowadays. Nice performer, but heavyweight, expensive, 15 single coated elements in 11 groups - a wonder any light comes through - and 8% distortion at 82mm. Please gimme brick-wall pictures of it...

1962-1965 Automatic-Exposure 35mm SLR camera: Ultramatic. Similar to Bessamatic, same lens-mount. Two types: Coupled Selenium meter (no TTL) and Instant-Return-Mirror or CdS-cell based TTL-metering with no instant-return-mirror (Modell "CS"). The camera weights 1105g (compared to 750g of a Pentax Spotmatic with lens)

1966 combined distribution OF Zeiss Ikon and Voigtlander cameras, new focal plane shutter SLR "Icarex" (see German history page for details) starts to replace Bessamatic/ Ultramatic series, but poorly marketed

1968 the logo "Zeiss Ikon / Voigtlander" appears - the roofridge time

1972 ZEISS/ Zeiss-Ikon/Voigtlander terminates production of cameras in consumer/ prosumer price-leagues due to economical reasons

1973 Rollei takes over VOIGTLaNDER and produces in own factories in Singapore and Braunschweig/Uelzen VOIGTLaNDER products again. With an own sales organization, the VOIGTLAENDER Ltd., a complete photo-equipment range is sold.

1974 VSL 1 constructed, marketed as Voigtlander (Rollei camera)

1975 The optical branch of Voigtlander closed and transferred to Rollei

1980 German Plus-Photo takes over distribution of Voigtlander cameras

1982 With the ruin of Rollei, Plus-Photo takes over Voigtlander completely

1984 Prototype japanese SLR "Bessamatic" with Color-Ultron

1987 Ricoh and chinon start production for plus photo Voigtlander . A lot of cheapo cameras and lenses bringing the good name Voigtlander near to the grave

1994 The last branch of Voigtlander in Braunschweig, repair and maintenance, is being closed...

1997 Voigtlander (there is just a famous name/ trademark left) is purchased by RINGFOTO GmbH& Alfo Marketing GmbH

1999 The first good Voigtlander news since 30 years: Cosina Ltd. in Japan licensed to use the traditional name (as well as design names like Bessa, Heliar, Ultron, Skopar, Apo-Lanthar) and starts production of a Leica screw mount RF camera series which recieves good reviews in photo-press for its prosumer price class

2005 Cosina, factory of 4 rangefinder and SLR cameras named Bessa and a product family of 10 lenses belonged to it (produced parallel in five different mounts) is licenced by German CARL ZEISS to produce a new Rangefinder camera named "ZEISS IKON" and 5 lenses "Carl Zeiss/ made in Japan" attacking the LEICA top market niche...

How old is my Voigtlander camera?
Look for the S/N at the lens. It's either engraved on the front-ring, at the side, or in the back ring. Then compare with this list

How much worth is my antique camera?
It's worth whatever you would pay for it, or your most generous prospect is willing to pay for yours. If you can't find a prospect it's probably worth nothing. *-bay will find it out.... If you will not sell it, why the hell this question is of any interest. Go buying some of the expensive catalogues like Kadlubek and look for it. And pray you get the money in real when you need to sell that stuff..! please do not ask me this question.

(cont.:) my BESSA Folder cameras and lenses

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my pcitures with these cameras
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