Users of the Pentacon Six and the cameras derived from it have at their disposal a range of lenses unequalled by any other medium format camera.  What we now know as the Pentacon Six lens mount was introduced on the Praktisix, which was first manufactured in 1956 by Kamerawerke Niedersedlitz, East Germany.  As the camera was further developed, in 1967 it acquired a new name: the Pentacon Six.  Cameras with the "Pentacon Six" lens mount have therefore been continuously manufacted and distributed throughout the world for over fifty years.

Such has been the popularity of this range of cameras that a number of independent manufacturers have made (and in some cases still do make!) lenses with this mount.  As I have tried to produce a "complete" listing, I keep uncovering further lenses that were at least advertised in the Pentacon Six mount.  In addition to this, there have no doubt been many "custom" adaptions of lenses to the Pentacon Six mount, most of them probably rarely or never offered for sale.  This listing is therefore bound to be incomplete.

I welcome information on other lenses that have been or are available in the Pentacon Six mount, particularly if they are not one-offs.

Meanwhile, here is a summary of the data on the principal lenses, grouped by source, together with further information and reviews of some lenses.

East German lenses made for the Pentacon Six

Dates of manufacture, calculation dates and design variations in Zeiss lenses

Russian and Ukrainian lenses made for the Kiev 60

Joseph Schneider lenses made for the Exakta 66

Further information on 80mm lenses for the Exakta 66

Astro lenses in the Praktisix/Pentacon Six mount

Dallmeyer lenses in the Praktisix/Pentacon Six mount

A lens from Enna in the Praktisix/Pentacon Six mount

Kilfitt/Zoomar lenses in the Pentacon Six mount

The Kilfitt Pan-Tele Kilar 300mm lens

Novoflex lenses in the Pentacon Six mount

Shift and Tilt/Shift lenses in the Pentacon Six mount

Other lenses in the Pentacon Six mount

Equivalent focal lengths with 35mm cameras

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© TRA May 2002, January 2012