Ludwig Meritar 50/2.9

[rfcurry (1950-2024)]

I owed Bernard a test of the classic German lens, the Ludwig Meritar 50/2.9. The Meritar is a Cooke triplet which was chosen by Exakta as the kit lens for the first version Exaktas; hence copies are readily available at very low prices. I have found the Meritar, as well as the other E. Ludwigs - the Peronar 50/2.9 and Victar 50/2.9 - to be excellent in low-UV-light conditions. The following images were taken using just a UVP B100 mercury vapor lamp with a Woods glass filter, the UV lens filter was an SEU gen1, and the camera was a Panasonic GF1. The subject matter is my Feist's toys, so I had to work fast. Also visible is an Argus 35/4.5 Sandmar Wide Angle Lens Enna-Werk Munchen triplet. All UV photos were taken Liveview. ISO 400. The cropped images are 100%. The large images have been reduced to 1200pxs wide.

 

Meritar f11, ambient room light, 10/13s, visible

 

http://uvroptics.com/images/Meritarf11Vis10.13ths1200px098.jpg

 

Meritar, f11, 32/10s, UV, in-camera WB

http://uvroptics.com/images/Meritarf1132-101200px100.jpg

 

to compare, the image below is from a CZJ Tessar 50/3.5, f11, 13/10s

http://uvroptics.com/images/Tessarf1113-10ths1200px103.jpg

 

Here is a max aperture Meritar (2.9), 0.77s

 

http://uvroptics.com/images/MeritarMax.77s1200px104.jpg

 

A max aperture Tessar (<3.5), 13/10s

 

http://uvroptics.com/images/TessarMax13-10ths1200px105.jpg

 

crops in order - Meritar f11, Meritar 2.9, Tessar f11, Tessar3.5

 

http://uvroptics.com/images/Meritarf1132-10crop100.jpg

 

http://uvroptics.com/images/MeritarMax.77scrop104.jpg

 

http://uvroptics.com/images/Tessarf1113-10thscrop2103.jpg

 

http://uvroptics.com/images/TessarMax13-10thscrop105.jpg

 

 

imo, the Meritar is quite effective in UV transmission, Bernard. Well-worth the $35USD it might cost you.

[bvf]

Thnks, Reed. The Meritar looks pretty good, and there are some around for reasonable prices.

 

But the Tessar seems to be a lot better - if I read your data properly, the Meritar exposure was 3.2 secs vs. 1.3 for the Tessar, at the same aperture. And there seems to be more colour in the Tessar shot - but that could be down to WB,

 

Could you let me have the serial nos. for your Meritar & Tessar, please?

 

The Argus lens certainly is old - markings relating to US zone of occupation.

[rfcurry (1950-2024)]

Bernard,

 

The Tessar is 3515530

 

The Meritar is 1169031

 

The Tessar is 40.5mm filter threads

 

The Meritar is 34.5mm filter threads

 

Thanks.

[bvf]

 

The Meritar is 1169031

 

Thanks.

 

The meritars available at present all have significantly higher serial nos., and many have stupid prices.

 

BTW - your images appear to have disappeared from your post.

[rfcurry (1950-2024)]

Bernard,

 

Thanks for telling me about the disappearing images. Apparently, my domain was not renewed while I was stuck in the hospital this week. I just renewed it and the images display again.

 

I do like that Tessar. However, the CZJ Tessar 50/2.8 I have is not nearly as good. The build quality of the 2.8 is still high so, perhaps it was the design changes to increase speed from 3.5 to 2.8 that reduced the IQ.

 

Here is more Tessar info for Exakta - http://translate.goo.../zeiss/&act=url

[Andrea B.]

Reed, I do hope you are feeling better !!

**********

 

Thanks for the images made with the Meritar and Tessar. I have both an E. Ludwig Meritar50/2.9 and CZJ Tessar T 50/3.5 picked up from your reccies on old UV boards on one of the earlier incarnations of Nikongear.

 

 

More images made with the Meritar found here:

Timber: https://www.ultravio...th-the-meritar/

Andrea B.: https://www.ultravio...0mm-f29-for-uv/

 

 

See also Timber's comparative test of some 50s with Enrico's comment about the merits of the Meritar:

https://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php/topic/1014-quick-test-of-some-cheap-50mm-lenses/