The Pentacon Six System
by TRA

The Macro Lenses


Two Schneider Kreuznach Symmar lenses and two M – Componon macro lenses are available in Exakta 66 mount.  These are:

  • the 135mm f/5.6 Symmar – SF and
  • the 180mm f/5.6 Symmar S
      • both advertised as providing focus from infinity to extremely close up
and
  • the 28mm f/4 M – Componon and
  • the 50mm f/4 M – Componon
      • both designed to give maximum magnification for close ups only.

From left to right: M – Componon f4/28mm, Symmar – S f5.6/135mm,.Symmar – S f5.6/180mm, M – Componon f4/50mm,
in Exakta 66 mounts

To see the technical specification of these lenses, click here (scroll down).

Aperture values of Macro-Componon lenses

One of Schneider’s brochures on the Macro-Componon lenses states:
“Instead of ordinary f-stops, M – COMPONON lenses are engraved with an aperture graduation which for a specified reproduction ration and aperture allows easy conversion of the exposure time found to a different working aperture.  Table 2 indicates the actual relative apertures … corresponding to the apertures engraved on the lenses.”

Note that half stops are indicated by a dot on the lens aperture ring

In my humble opinion, this is a crazy way to label a lens, so here is my conversion to f/ stops:
 
M – Componon f4 28mm M – Componon f4 50mm 
Number on lens Actual aperture Number on lens Actual aperture
1 f/4 1 f/4
• f/4.5 • f/4.5
2 f/5.6 2 f/5.6
• f/6.3 • f/6.3
4 f/8 4 f/8
•  f/9.5 •  f/9.5
8 f/11 8 f/11
• f/14 • f/14
16 f/16 16 f/16
16 + ½ click f/19 ? • f/19
32 f/22
32 + ½ click f/32 ?
32 + two ½ clicks f/45 ?

 
Note: Schneider’s chart says that their no 32 equals f/32. This must be wrong.  If it is equivalent to half the exposure of the previous full position, it must be equivalent to f/22.

In fact, these lenses stop down beyond the smallest marked numeral.  The assumed additional values are indicated in my charts above with a question mark.

The two Symmar lenses are marked with normal f/-stop numbers.

With all four macro lenses, the aperture numbers are printed “upside down” in comparison with other lenses: they are designed to be read from in front of the camera, instead of from behind it.  This also works well when one is doing macro work with the camera on a copying stand, pointing down.

To go onto the next section, click below
Next section (using the macro lenses on the Exakta 66 bellows)

To read about using the macro lenses on the Pentacon Six bellows, click here.

To see the section on Pentacon Six macro tubes, magnification and exposure factors, click here.

To return to the introduction to macro photography, with links to all macro sections, click here.

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© TRA July 2006, September 2009