Hartblei 150mm f/2.8, Serial Number 0001

I bought this lens a year or so ago from a seller who didn't know what he bought, or particularly what he had. He bought it thinking it was a 35mm lens, and didn't even know for sure what lens mount it has. It is a Pentacon 6 mount Hartblei 150mm f/2.8. Hartblei sourced the glass from Kaleinar-3 150mm lenses, re-polished and multi-coated them and installed them in a precision brass lens barrel that appears to be powder coated. The only flaw I can find with these lenses is that Hartblei didn't include a DOF preview lever.

Here is the lens mounted on a custom-ordered ARAX CM, an up-fitted Kiev 88CM-MLU body. I have a Hasselblad WLF mounted.

https://flic.kr/p/2nRR3rh

https://flic.kr/p/2nRPS4w

https://flic.kr/p/2nRKLWU

https://flic.kr/p/2nRNpRk

Thanks for posting these pics and info, Roger. I've never heard of either make of lens, and I don't think I've heard of Arax. I have heard of the Kiev 88 though I've no idea what MLU stands for.

Sedan, Arax is a custom shop in Ukraine for Kiev 60 and Kiev 88CM. MLU is Mirror Lock-Up, I believe it allows you to lock your mirror in up position while shooting so it does not create vibrations and smudges your shot.

Really cool number on the lens, Roger! Congratulation on the find!

Cheers,
Vlad.

Thanks to both of you. The Kiev88 line began with the Salyut shortly after WWII at the Arsenal factory in Kyiv, Ukraine, FSU. It is similar to the Hasselblad 1000. The Kiev 88CM was introduced about 1999 with the Pentacon Six lens mount. There were a number of companies around the world that overhauled the cameras and made them more reliable. The Arsenal factory closed suddenly in 2009 and a guy named Gevorg Vartanyan bought all of the stock, parts and accessories and opened a small factory building improved Kiev cameras with a mix of factory and custom parts. Hartblei was another innovative company that completely reworked the cameras and rebranded them "Hartblei." Over the years, Hartblei also built lenses using FSU Arsenal glass in new, better designed lens barrels. The most famous is the Super-Rotator, a radically designed tilt-shift lens originally in Pentacon Six mount, later adapted to other mounts, and in recent years, more modern 35mm TS lenses. The history of these cameras is amazing.

The Arax-branded Kiev cameras have proven to be as reliable as any other medium format camera out there. I have two Arax bodies.

Had to go check my 150 mm, I'm 0006

Tiger Moses

Where can you find such bargains?

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Originally posted by tigermoses

Had to go check my 150 mm, I'm 0006

Tiger Moses

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Very cool! I just sold my second 150, S/N 0056.

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Originally posted by martamarzec

Where can you find such bargains?

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Believe it or not, I found it on eBay US.

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Originally posted by seany65

Thanks for posting these pics and info, Roger. I've never heard of either make of lens, and I don't think I've heard of Arax. I have heard of the Kiev 88 though I've no idea what MLU stands for.

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What an Idiot I am! MLU means Mirror Lock Up!