The Pentacon Six System
by TRA
Lens Data Summary
East German lenses for the Pentacon
Six
Two East German companies manufactured lenses for the Pentacon Six:
Carl Zeiss, Jena, and Meyer-Optik, Görlitz, which later became part
of the Pentacon group, after which the lenses were given the manufacturer
name “Pentacon”. Carl Zeiss Jena is justifiably considered to be
one of the best lens manufacturers in the world. The Meyer-Optik/Pentacon
lenses in the Pentacon Six mount are also capable of excellent results.
| Lens name |
Max aperture
& focal length |
Type |
Angle
of view
degrees |
Closest
focus
m |
Front
filter
thread |
Length
mm |
Weight
g (1) |
| Zeiss Flektogon |
f/4 / 50 |
FAD (2) |
78 |
0.5 |
M 86 × 1 |
87 |
480 (3) |
| Zeiss Flektogon |
f/2.8 / 65 |
FAD |
64 |
0.75 |
M 86 × 1 |
89 |
480 |
| Zeiss Tessar (4) |
f/2.8 / 80 |
FAD |
. |
1.0 |
M 58 × 0.75 |
50 |
240 |
| Zeiss Biometar (5) |
f/2.8 / 80 |
FAD |
54 |
1.0 |
M 58 × 0.75 |
51 |
260 |
| Zeiss Biometar |
f/2.8 / 120 |
FAD |
41 |
1.3 |
M 67 × 0.75 |
87 |
550 |
| Zeiss Sonnar (6) |
f/2.8 / 180 |
FAD |
24.5 |
1.7 |
M 86 × 1 |
122 |
1100 |
| Zeiss Sonnar |
f/4 / 300 |
FAD |
15.5 |
4.0 |
M 86 × 1 |
224 |
2070 (7) |
| Pentacon (8) |
f/4 / 300 |
Pre-set |
16 |
3.6 |
M 95 × 1 |
189 |
2180 |
| Pentacon (8) |
f/5.6 / 500 |
Pre-set |
10 |
6.0 |
M 118 × 1 |
370 |
3500 |
| Zeiss Spiegelobjektiv |
f/5.6 / 1000 |
Mirror |
5 |
16.0 |
built-in |
512 |
14000 |
Notes
(1) Various versions of most of these lens have been produced.
As well as cosmetic changes and addition of multi-coating, some newer versions
have a different body shape and/or are lighter in weight.
(2) FAD = fully automatic diaphragm
(3) An earlier version of the 50mm Flektogon weighed 620g.
(4) Several thousand 80mm f/2.8 Tessars were produced for the
Praktisix between 1956 and 1958.
(5) Data in this table refers to the 80mm Biometar as produced
for the Pentacon Six. A newer version produced for the Exakta 66
has different dimensions and weight.
(6) The final version of the 180mm and 300mm Sonnars, produced
from approximately 1981 onwards, incorporates a connector for a special
adaptor which transfers the aperture set on the lens to the electric metering
on Praktica LLC, VLC and PLC 35mm cameras.
(7) A new version of the 300mm Sonnar produced from approximately
1981 onwards is 204mm long and weighs 1550g.
(8) These lenses are from Meyer-Optik and were previously known
as “Orestegor”. Before the introduction of the Orestegors, Meyer
produced other telephoto lenses with the name “Telemegor”. These
are of an older and different design from the Orestegors. See
below for details of Telemegor lenses.
Most of this data is based on published sources. I do not have
examples of all of these lenses (!), and I have not measured or weighed
all those that I do have, although I can confirm the accuracy of
the filter dimensions given.
For further details of the lenses – number of elements and grouping
of elements, variations of the lenses, etc, I refer you to Nathan Dayton's
excellent website, www.commiecameras.com
Most of these lenses are illustrated and tested in the Lens Test section
of this website. To go to the lens test section, click here.
Michaels_Photo at members.tripod.de (no longer available at that web
address) gave the following information on lenses from Meyer-Optik, Görlitz
(later known as Pentacon-Feinoptisches Werk Görlitz):
| Lens name |
Max aperture
& focal length |
Elements/
Groups |
Filter |
Length
mm |
Weight |
Notes |
| Primotar E |
f/3.5 / 80 |
4 / 3 |
49 × 0.75 |
47 |
260 |
(1) (2) |
| Primotar |
f/3.5 / 135 |
4 / 3 |
55 × 0.75 |
. |
. |
(1) (3) |
| Primotar |
f/3.5 / 180 |
4 / 3 |
67 × 0.75 |
153 |
800 |
(1) (3) |
| Telemegor |
f/4.5 / 300 |
4 / 2 |
82 × 0.75 |
198 (4) |
1680 |
(1) (2) |
| Orestegor/Pentacon |
f/4 / 300 |
5 / 4 |
95 × 1 |
189 (5) |
2180 |
(6) |
| Telemegor |
f/5.5 / 400 |
4 / 2 |
82 × 0.75 |
256 |
1580 |
(1) (3) |
| Orestegor/Pentacon |
f/5.6 / 500 |
4 / 4 |
118 × 1 |
370 |
3500 |
(6) |
Notes
(1) For the Praktisix (the predecessor of the Pentacon
Six)
(2) For the Praktisix II
(3) Only at the beginning of the production of the Praktisix
(4) Michael’s website said 196mm. My 300mm f/4.5
Telemegor is 198mm long.
(5) Michael’s website said 198mm. I think that this
was a transposing error. My Orestegor is 217mm long with the hood,
which is normally left in place, but 189mm without the hood.
(6) For Praktisix, Pentacon Six and Pentacon Six TL.
Produced until 1990.
Michaels_Photo said that only the two Orestegor/Pentacon lenses are
significant for users. “They are excellent telephoto lenses what were built
until 1990 in several versions”.
Michaels_Photo also listed another version of the Primotar, an f/3.5
85mm lens with 4 elements in 3 groups and a filter size of 40 × 0.5.
This lens can be seen on a Praktisix on the cover of the book “Mittelformat
Ost”. However, the serial number of that lens pre-dates the introduction
of the Praktisix, so it is obviously a privately-made adaptation of an
older lens, possibly from a Meister Korelle mount.
Image to the right: Three Telemegor lenses in Praktina mounts
from “Praktina-Technik” by Erhard Loose & Werner Kühnel
Published by VEB Fotokinoverlag Halle, 1961
The 180mm Telemegor does not appear to have been made available in
Praktisix/Pentacon Six mount, although the other two were.
(Linsenschnitt = Lens diagram) |
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© TRA May 2002, August 2007