Author Topic: A special f4/350mm UV-VIS APO CAT lens from the russian Mission to Mars  (Read 4683 times)

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Was waiting and searching over 10 years for such a lens until I finally found it...

It was made for the Soviet MARS 2-5 missions to planet Mars using a very elaborate camera



with a 4/350mm catadioptric quartz fluorite lens [lens drawing made exclusively for me by my dear friend Marco Cavina]:



which delivered very sharp images of the Mars surface:



And here is the lens in unused condition, a spare one of the very few ever made, that did not make it to Mars:



It was designed and made of only Quartz and Fluorite to be able to work in UV and visible light, 300-700nm without focus shift.
So it actually is an APO 350mm catadioptric lens. Its whole useful wavelength range is 230-700nm.

Data of this lens, as well as its normal quartz fluorite sister lenses for the Mars mission are here on my site:
http://www.macrolenses.de/ml_detail_sl.php?ObjektiveNr=323

More may be read about it here on my Blog:
http://photographyoftheinvisibleworld.blogspot.de/2018/02/zufar-4350mm-quartz-fluorite.html


About mounting this lens: I have measured the back focal length (BFL) to be at infinity about 70-75mm, so there is plenty of room to even adapt it
to Nikon with its long register length of 46.5mm, but I will use it on my mft multispectral cameras most likely, which allow me to have approx. 50-55mm
for a focus mount and also a rear slide in filter holder, most likely the DEO-TECH OWL adapter which I have already here.


(C) Petapixel.com
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Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Here a few freelensed test shots on a gloomy day...

About 100m away:


About 15m away:
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Akira

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Amazing find!  I'm looking forward to seeing the images in UV!
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

Erik Lund

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Congratulations, truly a special lens! Enjoy ;)
Erik Lund

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Well, here the 1st reflected UV image I took with it...handheld freelensing, high ISO:



whitebalanced it looks like this:

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Akira

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Looks like impeccable...
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Looks like impeccable...

Pretty happy with it so far, considering that I don't even have a mount for it yet...
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John Geerts

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Looks beautiful. Congratulations with your very special find.

JCDowdy

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Awesome Klaus!
John C. Dowdy, Ph.D.

JKoerner007

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Was waiting and searching over 10 years for such a lens until I finally found it...

It was made for the Soviet MARS 2-5 missions to planet Mars using a very elaborate camera

with a 4/350mm catadioptric quartz fluorite lens [lens drawing made exclusively for me by my dear friend Marco Cavina

which delivered very sharp images of the Mars surface:

And here is the lens in unused condition, a spare one of the very few ever made, that did not make it to Mars:

It was designed and made of only Quartz and Fluorite to be able to work in UV and visible light, 300-700nm without focus shift.
So it actually is an APO 350mm catadioptric lens. Its whole useful wavelength range is 230-700nm.

Data of this lens, as well as its normal quartz fluorite sister lenses for the Mars mission are here on my site:
http://www.macrolenses.de/ml_detail_sl.php?ObjektiveNr=323

More may be read about it here on my Blog:
http://photographyoftheinvisibleworld.blogspot.de/2018/02/zufar-4350mm-quartz-fluorite.html


About mounting this lens: I have measured the back focal length (BFL) to be at infinity about 70-75mm, so there is plenty of room to even adapt it
to Nikon with its long register length of 46.5mm, but I will use it on my mft multispectral cameras most likely, which allow me to have approx. 50-55mm
for a focus mount and also a rear slide in filter holder, most likely the DEO-TECH OWL adapter which I have already here.

Now, that's what I call patience ... :o 8)

Good for you ... cheers

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: A special f4/350mm UV-VIS APO CAT lens from the russian Mission to Mars
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2018, 09:24:26 »
Thanks guys, appreciate it!
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Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: A special f4/350mm UV-VIS APO CAT lens from the russian Mission to Mars
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2018, 11:28:43 »
Trying to see how well it does closeups...

Here a Balinese Sandlewood carving shot against the light (no hood used):





And here a detail of a Shona stone carving (very slanted angle to show DOF):



Both about 3 meters away
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Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: A special f4/350mm UV-VIS APO CAT lens from the russian Mission to Mars
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2018, 12:12:32 »
And here a quite better focused image of my standard target, that golden ball at sunny weather:

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Bjørn Rørslett

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Re: A special f4/350mm UV-VIS APO CAT lens from the russian Mission to Mars
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2018, 13:33:19 »
"Long and sharp and red" (Savage Rose: 'Sunday morning')

I always wanted to go to Mars. Finding such lenses there makes the wish more urgent :D

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: A special f4/350mm UV-VIS APO CAT lens from the russian Mission to Mars
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2018, 14:43:13 »
"Long and sharp and red" (Savage Rose: 'Sunday morning')

I always wanted to go to Mars. Finding such lenses there makes the wish more urgent :D

Well, Mr Elon Musk is working on that intensively, maybe get in contact with him ;-)
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