Schacht Exakta Lenses  
 

Starting in 1959, Albert Schacht of Ulm, Germany began the production of lenses in Exakta mount. At first, only preset diaphragm lenses were produced. By the mid-1960's, however, the production of automatic diaphragm lenses had begun.

Automatic Schacht Lenses

The earliest of the A.Schacht automatic lenses were quite heavy chrome over brass and aluminum affairs with semi-automatic diaphragms. The diaphragm was manually opened to its widest aperture by rotating a knurled ring on the front of the lens.

One such example in my collection is pictured on the right, the

35mm f3.5 Auto Travegon

 

Schacht produced lenses in focal lengths from 35mm to 200mm. In their late model range, they produced two different 35mm lenses, two different 50mm lenses, one 85mm, one 90mm and two 135mm lenses in automatic Exakta mount. Their 200mm lens (shown in the second photo) was produced only in preset mount beginning in 1968. My notable examples include:

35mm f2.8 Auto Travegon-S

50mm f2.8 Auto Travenar (not photographed)

50mm f1.8 Auto Travelon

85mm f2.8 Auto Travenar

90mm f2.8 Auto Travenar R

135mm f3.5 Auto-Travenar R

  
 
200mm f4.0 Tele-Travelon (preset)
  

 

Macro Schacht Lenses

50mm f2.8 Macro-Travenar

100mm f3.3 Travegar (short-mount)

In 1962, Schacht introduced two macro lenses, the first was a 100mm f3.3 Travegar lens in a non-focusing mount for use on a bellows or extension tube. A second lens introduced a year later, the 50mm f2.8 Macro-Travenar, came with its own helicoid focusing mount to enable lenses to focus into the 1:1 range. It is shown in the following photo without the focusing mount extended.

 

 

The Macro- Extenar

50mm f2.8 Macro-Extenar

Produced by Schacht for the Exakta Camera Company when they were located in Bronxville, NY, the 50mm f2.8 Macro-Extenar is an interesting optic. It consists of a short, sunken mount 50mm f2.8 lens and a focusing mount, enabling focusing down to 1:1. This focusing mount is actually a Schacht Macro-Tubus specially engraved for the Exakta Camera Company. The lens can also be used by itself on a bellows focusing attachment.

  
 

Schacht Lenses for Exakta Real/Twin TL

Schacht also produced lenses for the Exakta Real and Twin TL's in focal lengths from 35mm to 200mm. The first photo shows:

35mm f2.8 Auto S-Travegon R

50mm f2.8 Auto Travenar R

Schacht also produced the 50mmf1.8 Auto S-Travelon R and 50mm f2.8 M-Travenar R (Macro) in Exakta Real mounts.

 
 

The photo shows the three long lenses produced for the Exakta Real by Schacht.

90mm f2.8 Auto Travenar R

135mm f3.5 Auto Travenar R

200mm f4 Tele-Travelon R (preset)

 
 

Schacht Lens Brochures

Displayed on the right are several Schacht lens brochures detailing the automatic and preset lenses available. These brochures are quite uncommon.  
   

 

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