50 inch Ross telephoto lens

 

It's an early television outside broadcast lens by the look of the mount.

 

The old 405 line TV wasn't very demanding of lens definition. So don't expect modern low-dispersion glass performance from it. It also may not have a very big coverage circle, although it's probably OK for 35mm film use.

 

It might be worth looking for any military marking on the grey mount as well, like the upward-pointing dart mark. Ross made a few aerial reconnaissance lenses.

 

As for worth: As a museum or collector's piece it might have more value than a practical lens. (Who knows what famous events it may have witnessed?) The mount would have to be adapted, and it looks like it might bend any modern tripod under its weight!

 

Still, any lens of over 1250mm focal length must have a reasonable value. Even though Ross wasn't optically in the same league as Dallmeyer or TTH, IMHO.

Edited May 14, 2017 by rodeo_joe|1

I was told it was a military lens ( hence the colour) used at ground level up in the northern parts of South Australia when they were doing the TNT explosive tests , but I do not know how accurate that is I will check it to see if there is any "dart marks "as the usual military ones would have , cheers for the reply Edited May 27, 2017 by andycrawford

 

this is another lens I have , sorry for the two lots of photos , not sure what happened there , I also have another two gov/military lenses that I have managed to pick up for my camera collection as pictured below.