Unknown process lenses

<p>I've acquired a set of 3 process lenses , 210 f6.3, 152 f4.5 and 105mm. f4.5 identified only as "SOL. UK".<br>

The mount thread is about 45mm. and they are screwed into adapters with a screw thread of about 75mm.<br>

If anyone thinks photographs will help I will add some.</p>

The only major lens manufacturers in the UK within

the last century were: Dallmeyer, Taylor - Hobson,

Wray, Beck, Dollonds & Leech. There may have been other

smaller optical makers/suppliers, but none of great

note.

 

I suspect "SOL" may refer to an importer, supplier

or even an owner's imprint. Maybe Sxxxxx Optical

Limited, or some such company.

 

So yes, a picture would definitely help.

<p>Mark, I doubt that any of y'r treasures are process lenses, even if the seller claimed they were. Process lenses are typically distortionless and anachromatic. Yours are all all too fast to be either. If they are in barrel, they might be enlarging lenses.</p>

<p>Photographs wouldn't hurt.</p>

<p>I'm sure you're right, I use the term loosely. Two have barrels and there are no shutters of course.<br>

Stopping down to f32.</p>

<img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/markrhdunn/DSC01384.jpg~original" alt="" />

 

 

 

 

Camera

SLT-A55V

 

 

Focal Length

55mm

 

 

Aperture

f/5.6

 

 

Exposure

1/100s

 

 

ISO

800

 

 

 

 

 

<br />

 

 

 

Camera

SLT-A55V

 

 

Focal Length

55mm

 

 

Aperture

f/5.6

 

 

Exposure

1/100s

 

 

ISO

800

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camera

SLT-A55V

 

 

Focal Length

55mm

 

 

Aperture

f/5.6

 

 

Exposure

1/100s

 

 

ISO

800

 

 

 

 

<p>RJ, how about Aldis, Ross, and Watson?</p>

<p>I agree with you, SOL could well be a store brand.</p>

<p>I suspect you're thinking of 1970s lenses badged Dollond. Are you sure they were made in the UK? Imports from Japan seem more likely.</p>

<p>I'm grateful for all replies, please carry on.<br>

BTW I put one of the barrels in the dish washer, cleaned up a treat. Not for lenses I appreciate.</p>

<p>Do these lenses have variable apertures? My immediate feeling is that they are from a photocopier, perhaps an early system such as "Photostat".</p>

 

<p>I see that the lenses DO have aperture controls. In that case, my best guess is enlarging lenses, possibly all from the same enlarger on which they were mounted in a turret.</p>

Thanks for all your thoughts.

 

Any more ideas before I prep these up for sale?

This might help?

 

http://www.profilmdirect.co.uk/sol-uk-184-mm-f45-d25-lens-3394-p.asp

They should not be process lenses, process lenses, in barrel mounts, have a filter slot in the barrel behind the aperture ring. Most process lenses are Apo and are marked Apo on the barrel and they are rarely faster then f9.

 

They could easily be lenses from non photographic applications or be strange enlarging lenses but most 100mm enlarging lenses will have a 39mm Leica thread mount and lenses around 150 mm would be about 50 mm mount thread and finally that 152mm lens looks like it is mounted into some type of third party adapter as the finish on that shroud seems to be very different from the finish on the visible body of the barrel.

Thanks for the replies, just large format lens then, and probably not a 99p start.

Thanks for the replies, just large format lens then, and probably not a 99p start.

They probably weren't made for large format, more likely a relay lens, a copier lens or a custom printing or scanning lens.