[LargeFormat] Kodak serial numbers
Les Newcomer
largeformat@f32.net
Mon Oct 14 01:34:02 2002
I was going on the assumption that they were uncoated because they are
labeled 'Kodak Anastigmat' rather than "ektar" which is what I would have
expected for a lens from '45. The other odd thing is these both have
machined lensboards the same size as the Mini speed. Now if memory hasn't
failed me, the Wolley 8" tele-otpar was the only one to fit a mini. The
254mm 10" Wolley tele would go on the 3x4 as would the 8", but the 15"
would only go on the 4x5. I have to wonder if they were really trying to
put a 15" on a mini speed. If that were the case the rear element would
have to be so strong that I would expect the quality would be, well let's
just say "sub par". Maybe THAT's why these are KAs and not ektars?!
On Sunday, October 13, 2002, at 10:10 PM, Michael Briggs wrote:
>
> On 14-Oct-2002 Les Newcomer wrote:
>
>> I'm the new owner of two odd ball tele type Graphic lenses. Both are
>> Kodak Anastigmats but made in '45, so I'm assuming these are not coated.
>
> Kodak was coating military lenses from the begining of WWII, so it is
> possible
> for them to be coated, but if they are not marked with the circle-L, they
> probably aren't coated. If they are coated, the reflections of bright
> lights
> should have some hue. Also, you can compare the brightness of the
> reflection
> of a bright light from the surface of the lens with the reflection from
> other
> optical surfaces, uncoated and coated. Using a comparison, you should be
> able
> to tell which is
> which.
>
>
>> The questions lie in the realm of "what do the serial numbers really
>> mean?
>> " The serial numbers for both lenses are ER 000. Did Kodak reset the
>> serial numbers every year? I've seen some pretty low numbers in the 50s
>> which suggest they did. Other times I see 4 digit lenses and think well
>> maybe they didn't.
>
> AFAIK, they reset the numbers every year. 4 digits means that they made
> more
> than 1000 of that type of lens in one year -- this seems reasonable --
> mass
> production marketed to a very large country.
>
>>
>> Does anybody know if they started with 000 or if they used that as a "pre
>> production" serial and began with 001?
>
> I don't know the answer. Various ebay sellers have stated that 000 is
> used for
> pre-production lenses. However, there seem to be a surprising number of
> them
> out there. Maybe they made a fair number of pre-production lenses for
> various
> testing purposes.
>
>> Does anybody have any data as to when Kodak introduced new lenses?
>
> Lenses designs were either renamed or changed/introduced a few years
> before
> WWII and again after the war.
>
> --Michael
>
> _______________________________________________
> LargeFormat mailing list
> LargeFormat@f32.net
> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat
>