[LargeFormat] Kodak serial numbers

[Les Newcomer]

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
>
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