TLS, which specialises in rehousing old lenses to add modern functionality, has turned its attention to three additional lines of vintage-style lenses: Neo Super Baltars; Leica Noctilux; and Zeiss B Speeds.

The B Speeds from the mid 1970s were some of the fastest lenses at the time. Available as 18, 25, 35, 50 and 85mm with a T stop of 1.4, they had a triangular iris. This gives a distinctive bokeh some DoPs love, but as others don’t TLS can swap it for a more circular iris. The original movements of the elements, some of which are floating, will be incorporated into the design so there is no loss of image quality.

Rehoused: Neo Super Baltar, Leica Noctilux and Zeiss B Speed lenses

Rehoused: Neo Super Baltar, Leica Noctilux and Zeiss B Speed lenses

Bausch and Lomb’s Super Baltars from the 1960s were used on The Godfather (I and II) and the Star Trek TV series. Caldwell Photographic now recreates these lenses from the original blueprints, offering the same gorgeous images. TLS already offers a full cam-form rehousing for Super Baltars and now matches that for the Neo Super Baltars.

The ultra-fast Leica Noctilux 50mm T0.95 is great in low light and delivers soft swirly bokeh. Rehoused into TLS cam-form metalwork, with PL mount, the lens has improved close focus of 71cm.

True Lens Services is exhibiting at IBC2019 on Stand 12.G61.