Jump to content

Leica 33mm f/3.5 Stemar M Stereo Lens (Oirzo) for sale at B&H Photo


MarkP

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Upon flicking through the B&H website I came across this lens for $US6500. Apparently only about 1500 were made between 1940-1954.

 

Used Leica 33mm f/3.5 Stemar M Stereo Lens (Oirzo) B&H Photo

 

I have no intentions of buying the lens but I thought it may be of interest to a collector here.

Does anyone know anything about it?

 

Mark

Link to post
Share on other sites

The 50-54 timeframe is right, as that was the stereo fad. My dad had a Stereo Realist camera that he used for decades, until processing became scarce. The stereo cameras were a better solution, as they spaced the lenses about the same as a person's eyes, so the 3-D effect was more realistic. I used one myself in the 1960s. I still have my dad's slide collection and stereo projector.

The true stereo cameras interleaved the matching frames on the roll of film due to the lens spacing, so matching frames were not adjacent. That's what processing labs were set up to handle. So the Leica film would have required special handling to mount, if one wanted to use them with a standard stereo viewer or projector. However, a lot of stereo enthusiasts mounted their own slides. It could be that Leica intended the slides me mounted on a single full-frame slide and viewed with a special viewer, instead of the common wide-slide viewers for stereo cameras.

I've seen a few of these Leica lenses come up for sale, and it certainly is collectable - if not practical.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Leitz sold the OTEMO prism unit to increase the separation between the left and right images.

 

They also made a stereo lens (two 50/3.5 Elmars) for the Prado projectors. Does anyone know if Leitz sold Polaroid viewing glasses to go with it?

 

Zeiss made corresponding units for their Contax cameras and slide projectors. AFAIK the slides were compatible between Zeiss and Leitz systems.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Leitz sold the OTEMO prism unit to increase the separation between the left and right images.

 

They also made a stereo lens (two 50/3.5 Elmars) for the Prado projectors. Does anyone know if Leitz sold Polaroid viewing glasses to go with it?

 

Zeiss made corresponding units for their Contax cameras and slide projectors. AFAIK the slides were compatible between Zeiss and Leitz systems.

 

I don't think they made stereo spectacles... but Leitz Canada, at the times of the short lived STEMAR system, made a battery-operated stereo viewing unit (OINRO); Leitz Wetzlar, years before, made too a stereo viewing unit for natural light - VOTRA - a finely styled device (http://www.stereofotos.de/Handbetrachter_vor_1945/Votra/body_votra.html) , at the times they made the Stereoly unit for Elmar.

 

The Stemar lens for sale at B&H is a well known and rare collectible... no surprise for the price asked.

Edited by luigi bertolotti
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...