Smallest modern 135mm lens

[Ian Grant]

Currently I'm working on a project that requires a small - as in slim - coated or multi-coated modern 135mm lens.

Looking for suggestions - must be no larger than a pre-War 135mm f4.5 Tessar in a Compur. A modern Sironar (Caltar-S) is too large.

Ian

[coriana6jp]

The smallest three I have seen are Schneider APO-Symmar, the Fujinon W (not CMW) or Nikon W. All three take 52mm filters, and weight about 250grams. YOu probably wont get much smaller than those for a newer MC lenses.

Hope it helps.
Gary

[David A. Goldfarb]

The 135/5.6 Sironar-N (Caltar II-N) takes 40.5mm filters, and so does the older Symmar convertible. I used to have the Symmar, which was a tiny bit smaller, but the newer Sironar-N is a sharper, contrastier lens. The 90/6.8 Angulon uses the same size filters, so the two of them together make for a nice compact kit.

[ic-racer]

Horseman 120mm is 270g including the lensboard. 160mm image circle.

[bnstein]

How "modern" and does it *have* to be 135?

Definitely have a look at Kerry Thalman's page on lightweight lenses for backpacking http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/lightwei.htm too.

Taking from the largeformatinfo page's lens info (lenses avail. new 2002) the lightest and smallest lens close to you is the xenar 150mm at 150g with a 34mm filter. the 120L apo-symmar at 210g with 49mm filter may be a contender too. As Kerry states the Sironar-N is ~200g with 40.5 filter is the smallest current 135.

If not too modern perhaps an "older" 135 xenar in either 4.5 or 4.7? Mine from the 60s is tiny (can weigh for you if critical).

[keithwms]

Well I think the smallest will be a shutterless enlarging lens...

[Nicholas Lindan]

'Congo' makes a 135mm tessar formula lens

[BradS]

I'm with David. The smallest modern (as in currently available new) has got to be the 135mm Sironar-N. It is barely larger than the old 135mm Xenar press camera lens.

[Ian Grant]

Well I think the smallest will be a shutterless enlarging lens...

Surprisingly it's not. I have a 135mm Componon and its longer than the Tessar I need to replace. I tried it in a shutter last time Iwas in the UK.

It seems my ideal choice would be a modern Docter Optic Tessar because it's essentially a modern multi-coated version of the lens I want to replace. Both the Congo 135mm and 135mm Xenar are very similar in size to the Tessar. The Symmar's and Sironar's are nearly a centimetre longer. The camera the lens has to fit is extremely compact and it's the overall length of the lens that's critical or the camera won't close.

For practical reasons I guess I'll try and find a good coated 135mm Xenar as there are plenty available. Thanks for all the suggestions

Ian

[bnstein]

Interesting: from the schneider site the shortest lens is the 120L at 42mm total height, the 4.7 xenar is 34mm total height. I dont think you will do better unless you move into 'classic' or 50s lenses