At the end of the 1990s and the beginning of this century a company or companies called Hartblei produced a number of lenses that were based on the optical elements manufactured by Arsenal in Kiev, Ukraine for Medium Format camera lenses, and apparently on some lenses from Lytarkino in another part of the former Soviet Union.

Hartblei lenses offered superior coating, improved lens mounts and better quality control, but they do not appear to have achieved high sales, and they are now offered for sale infrequently.  It is consequently difficult to produce a definitive list of the whole Hartblei range.

It is reported that the following lenses were offered by Hartblei in Pentacon Six mounts and in mounts for a limited range of medium format cameras from other manufacturers.
 

Lens name	Aperture/ focal length	Type	Other information
Hartblei MC	3.5/30	ASB	modified Arsenal lens, variations
Hartblei MC	3.5/45	ASB	modified Arsenal lens, own production/Lytarkino parts
Hartblei MC	3.5/45	PCS shift	modified Arsenal lens, own production/Lytarkino parts
Hartblei MC	3.5/45	TS-PC tilt & shift	modified Arsenal lens, own production/Lytarkino parts
Hartblei MC	3.5/45	TS-PC tilt & shift super rotator	modified Arsenal lens, own production/Lytarkino parts, variations
Hartblei MC	3.5/65	ASB	modified Arsenal lens, own production/Lytarkino parts
Hartblei MC	3.5/65	PCS shift	modified Arsenal lens, own production/Lytarkino parts
Hartblei MC	2.8/80	ASB	modified Arsenal lens, variations
Hartblei MC	2.8/120	ASB	modified Arsenal lens
Hartblei MC	2.8/150	ASB	modified Arsenal lens, own production/Lytarkino parts
Hartblei MC	4.5/300	FB	modified Lytarkino Rubinar mirror lens
Hartblei MC	5.6/500	FB	modified Lytarkino Rubinar mirror lens
Hartblei MC	8/500	FB	modified Lytarkino Rubinar mirror lens

 

ASB = Automatische Springblende = Fully Automatic Diaphragm FB = Feste (?) Blende = No diaphragm (as is standard with mirror lenses) “Variations” means that more than one version of this lens is attested. Two of the Rubinar lenses are tested here (scroll down).  The lenses in the test were not the Hartblei version, which is reported to have much better coverage.		Three Hartblei lenses based on the Arsenal 45mm Mir 26 lens From L to R: shift only, shift-tilt (variable shift direction only, tilt direction only downwards), shift-tilt super-rotator (both the shift direction and the tilt direction are separately selectable) [hart45_1.jpg]
On this website there are currently reports on the following Hartblei lenses: The Hartblei 2× converter The Hartblei 150mm lens Hartblei shift and shift/tilt lens data Test results with Hartblei shift lenses Test results with The Hartblei shift/tilt lenses (Click on the links for further information)		Partial labelling of the above three Hartblei lenses, from the Operation Manual [hart45_2.jpg]

The quality of Hartblei design, manufacture and assembly was given high-profile recognition when an agreement between them and Carl Zeiss was announced, according to which they now build high-quality tilt and tilt/shift lenses round Zeiss optical elements.  It does not appear that any of these newer lenses are available in the Pentacon Six mount.  They are at a price level appropriate to top-quality specialist photographic lenses.
 

To go on to the next section, click below.
Next section (The Hartblei 2× converter)

To go back to the beginning of the Lens Data section, click below and then choose the range of lenses that you want to read about.
Back to beginning of the Lens Data section

Home

© TRA December 2012, Revised: October 2018