Data sheet: Meyer-Optik Görlitz Telemegor (180 mm f/5.5)

Pekka Buttler, 11/2022

Pictured: MOG Telemegor 180 mm f/5.5 (m42)

Specifications

The table below summarises the lens’ key specifications (measurements based on pictured sample):

Brand:Meyer-Optik GörlitzLens nameTelemegor 5.5/180
Focal length(s)1180 mmAngle-of-view214 °
Maximum Aperturef/5.5In Production≈1935–1963
Lens mountsExakta, LTM, m42,
Praktina (Praktiflex,
Exakta 66)
Subfamily (if applicable)––
Length3107,9 mmDiameter457,5 mm
Filter ring diameter49 mmWeight302 grams
Lens element count4Lens group count2
Aperture blades (S/R/C)515 SFocus throw345 °
Minimum focusing distance2 mMaximum magnification1:9
Has manual aperture ringYESHas Manual focus ringYES

Further notes:
• The name Telemegor is a compression of TELEobjektiv MEyer GORlitz, and is the name used by Meyer-Optik Görlitz for its entire line of classic tele lenses (4 elements, 2 groups construction), featuring focal lengths from 150 mm to 400 mm.
• The Telemegor line was originally introduced before WW2, and early copies (which are very rare today) reported focal length in centimetres (not millimetres).
• The 180 mm f/5.5 Telemegor was always one of the most popular Telemegors, and was therefore used as benchmark for MOG’s 1960s design effort to modernize the range of tele lenses, resulting in the 1963 introduction of the MOG Orestegor 200/4 [data sheet]
• All Telemegor lenses were preset lenses (no click stops), and were available in several mounts from the factory (Exakta, LTM, m42, Praktina) but were also aftermarket modified to other mounts (I’ve seen Telemegors in Zenit 39 mm, Praktiflex (40 mm thread), and Miranda 44 mm).
• For further notes on Meyer-Optik Görlitz and especially their naming logic, see the JAPB article on MOGnames (the company’s later history is summarised below).

History of Meyer-Optik Görlitz

The original Meyer-Optik Görlitz (not the modern company that has taken the classic company’s name) was founded in the town of Görlitz (modern-day Germany) by Hugo Meyer in 1896, and remained in existence until the state-directed merger into VEB Pentacon 1970. Due to its vicinity with the German camera and optics industries in Saxony (Dresden, etc.), Meyer-Optik was from an early stage heavily involved with manufacturing lenses for all kinds of cameras, but the company’s real golden age started with the advent of interchangeable lens cameras, where Meyer-Optik was uniquely placed to offer a cost-effective alternative to premium brands such as Carl Zeiss Jena.

Meyer-Optik was pronouncedly a camera lens manufacturer and never had serious ambitions for pursuing horizontal integration (diversifying into cameras and other photo gear). Instead, MOG pursued a vigorous strategy of seeking economies of scale, combined with never putting too many eggs in any basket – typically Meyer-Optik would choose which designs to put into production based on being able to cover as many platforms/mounts with one basic design. As a result, many early MOG designs were made available for a wide range of camera platforms. Later, as the number of alternative platforms diminished, that strategy had to go in favour of a strong focus on M42 and (to a somewhat lesser extent) Exakta. Even so, throughout the 60s, MOG vigorously pursued innovative designs and could by the end of the decade proudly offer a wide range of high-quality, cost effective designs.

When the lens maker Meyer-Optik was then merged with the camera maker Pentacon, it became obvious that the role the company (and its product portfolio) was intended to play was to aid Pentacon in its designs of gaining a significant global market share in the price-conscious consumer segment (and help bring hard currency to the G.D.R). Instead of focusing on continued optical innovation, the new overlords were more keen on redesigning lenses for greater economy and easier manufacture. As a result, the pace of optical innovation at MOG/Pentacon fell drastically, and very few new designs or significant redesigns were to be forthcoming in the next two decades.

Versions

Having been produced for almost 30 years, it is obvious that the 180 mm Telemegor progressed somewhat. Somewhat problematically, it seems MOG introduced cosmetic changes in a piecemeal fashion, and it’s at times hard to discern which are major versions and which are in-between versions.
• A rare pre-war version reported its focal length in centimetres (and was called Tele Megor), and had an overall boxy shape. (there are samples of lenses that are likely even earlier versions, than are almost hour-glass shaped).
• A relatively common, postwar version was a sleekly shaped, unpainted (silvery) tube with a milled focus ring.
• The last, postwar version is similarly shaped as the silvery version, but is coloured matte black (pictured sample).

Interestingly, the number of aperture blades seems to have varied a bit among the early versions (I’ve seen samples with between 15 and 18 blades), and all but the pre-war versions seem to offer some form of coating.

Adapting

n.B! The following applies this lens in either Exakta or M42 mount.

This lens cannot be used natively on any current SLR or dSLRs. To use it in its native environment, you will need an Exakta or M42-mount film body. Luckily there are a lot of those (especially in M42 mount) available.

Thanks to being a fully manual lens (manual aperture, manual focus), the lens can be adapted to all mirrorless cameras using a suitable adapter. Moreover, both Exakta and M42 lenses are so uncomplicated that a simple ‘dumb adapter’ will do the job perfectly. Moreover, due to the popularity of both mounts, special adapters (helicoid adapters, tilt/shift adapters) are readily available. Alternatively, one can choose to daisy-chain adapters (e.g. M42->Canon EF; Canon EF –> mirrorless) which also opens up a wide range of speed boosters .

Using m42 and Exakta lenses on dSLRs can also be an easy option, depending on which dSLR.
• Canon EF has the shortest flange focal distance among full-frame dSLR’s and Canon’s wide range of dSLRs are able to mount both M42 and Exakta lenses perfectly using a simple adapter ring.
• Minolta / Sony A dSLRs are likewise able to mount M42 lenses using a simple adapter ring, but for Exakta lenses, the difference in flange focal distances is not enough to enable reaching infinity focus without an adapter that uses corrective optics.
• Pentax K dSLRs are likewise able to use M42 lenses using a simple adapter ring, but for Exakta lenses an adapter that uses corrective optics would be needed to allow infinity focus.
• Nikon F dSLRs have a long flange focal distance, meaning that mounting either M42 or Exakta lenses needs an adapter that uses corrective optics to allow anything close to infinity focus.

Footnotes

1 Focal length is (unless stated otherwise) given in absolute terms, and not in Full-frame equivalent. For an understanding of whether the lens is wide/tele, see ‘Angle-of-view’.

2 Picture angle is given in degrees (based on manufacturers’ specs) and concerns the diagonal picture angle. Rule of thumb:
> 90 ° ==> Ultra-wide-angle
70–90 ° ==> Wide-angle
50–70 ° ==> Moderate wide-angle
40–50 ° ==> ‘Standard’ or ‘normal’ lens
20–40 ° ==> Short tele lens
10-20 ° ==> Tele lens
5-10 ° ==> Long tele lens
< 5 ° ==> Ultra-tele lens

3 Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at infinity.

4 Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers.

5 S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures.

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