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Specification

Sources of data

• Meyer-Optik - Objektive für Kleinbildkameras (1955).
• Meyer-Optik - Objektive für Kleinbild- und 6x6-kameras (1956).
• Meyer-Optik - Objektive für Kleinbild- und 6x6-kameras (1957).
• Meyer-Optik - Objektive für Kleinbildkameras (1957).
• Meyer-Optik - Von der Fernaufnahme bis zum Makrofoto (1959).
• Meyer-Optik - Bildgestaltung durch sinnvolle Objektivwahl (1961).
• Meyer-Optik - Objektive für Kleinbildkameras (1961).
• Meyer-Optik - Bildgestaltung durch sinnvolle Objektivwahl (1962).
• EXAKTA unlimited booklet.
• EXAKTA PAGEANT booklet.

Manufacturer description #1

The 35mm., f/4.5 Meyer Primagon with preset diaphragm is a new wide angle lens which is meeting with high praise from Exakta photographers. Consisting of four elements, the Primagon is ideal for indoor work as well as for outdoor in both color and black and white. Designed for the photographer who does not require a high-speed wide angle, the Primagon is unusually sharp, producing results that are typically professional everytime. Having a 64 degree angle of view, the Primagon is indispensable for shooting pictures in narrow areas and for covering large areas that are beyond the ability of lenses of normal angle to record.

The Primagon is highly corrected, offering wonderful detail, brilliance and contrast in color and black and white photography. It is coated and color corrected, and has a depth of field scale engraved on the new light weight satin chrome mount.

Manufacturer description #2

The Meyer f/4.5, 35mm Primagon wide angle lens is ideal for indoor as well as for outdoor work with both color and black-and-white film. Primarily designed for the photographer who does not require a high-speed wide angle lens, the Primagon offers wonderful sharp detail, high correction, brilliance and contrast. Lens has a chrome mount, preset diaphragm, and focuses down to 1.4 feet.

Manufacturer description #3

Wenn es gilt, in begrenzten Räumen einen großen Bildausschnitt zu erfassen, ist ein Objektiv erforderlich, dessen Brennweite wesentlich kürzer als die Brennweite des Normal-Objektivs ist. Mit dem Bildwinkel von 63° erfaßt das Primagon einen besonders groben Ausschnitt. Dieses Weitwinkel-Objektiv ist praktisch frei von jeder Verzeichnung und Reflexbildung und ergibt Negative von gestochener Schärfe, die besonders bei Architekturaufnahmen gefordert wird. Seine gegenüber dem Standard-Objektiv kürzere Brennweite und damit größere Schärfentiefe ermöglicht die Anwendung größerer Blendenöffnungen. Aus diesem Grunde verwendet man das Primagon auch sehr gern für Schnappschüsse und ähnliche Aufnahmen. Trotz der kurzen Brennweite von nur 35 mm ist das vierlinsige Objektiv auch für einäugige Kleinbild-Spiegelreflex-Kameras verwendbar, denn es ist eine Konstruktionseigenart des Primagons, den Klappspiegel dieser Modelle nicht zu behindern.

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When it comes to capturing a large image section in a limited space, a lens is required that has a focal length that is significantly shorter than the focal length of the normal lens. With an angle of view of 63°, the Primagon captures a particularly large detail. This wide-angle lens is practically free of any distortion and reflections and produces negatives with pin-point sharpness, which is particularly important for architectural photographs. Its focal length, which is shorter than that of the standard lens and thus greater depth of field, enables the use of larger aperture openings. For this reason, the Primagon is also very popular for snapshots and similar recordings. Despite the short focal length of only 35 mm, the four-element lens can also be used for single-lens 35mm SLR cameras, because it is a design feature of the Primagon that the mirror of these models is not obstructed.

From the Exakta Equipment Information Service

Not one of the Fastest but one of the Sharpest

If you rate the desirability of a lens by its speed, you might as well skip this announcement, because we are writing about an F4.5 Wide Angle Lens. Don't wrinkle your nose! There are few wide angle lenses in the world that match this lens in sharpness. It is a well known fact that slower wide angle lenses are far superior to faster ones. And if you are honest with yourself, you will confess that you haven't used any wide angle lens (even if it was an F2.8) at any setting faster than F4.5. In fact, F/8 is probably more like it. Thus, an F4.5 Wide Angle Lens is plenty fast enough. Outdoors, there is more than enough light, and indoors you use it anyway with an electronic strobe flash.

We are talking about the 35mm F4.5 preset German Primagon. Thousands of these wire sharp wide angle lenses are in use today. Customers who have all kinds of sophisticated Wide Angle Lenses still keep their Primagon. True, it does not have the super speed nor the ultra wide angle of, say, the 24mm F2.8 Rokunar. And it is not automatic. But it is extremely useful. First of all, it supplies the in-between angle between a 28mm and a 50mm lens. Secondly, it gives you brilliant pictures which are sharp from margin to extreme margin.

From the editor

The first retrofocus design in Meyer-Optik's lens lineup. First shown at the 1955 Leipzig Spring Fair.

Lenses with similar focal length