Data sheet: Schneider-Kreuznach Tele-Arton 90 mm f/4

Pekka Buttler, 12/2025

This lens was kindly provided for cataloguing by Vladimir at #photogears

Specifications

The table below summarizes the lens’ key specifications (Measurements based on pictured sample):

Brand:	Schneider-Kreuznach	Lens name	Tele-Arton f:4/90 mm
Focal length(s) 1	90 mm	Angle-of-view 2	≈ 28 °
Maximum Aperture	f/4	In Production	1968–743
Lens mounts	DKL	Subfamily (if applicable)	DKL/Retina
Length 4	28,4 mm	Diameter 5	50,0 mm
Filter ring diameter	39 mm	Weight	143 grams
Lens element count6	5	Lens group count	4
Aperture blades (S/R/C) 7	5 S	Focus throw	210 °
Minimum focusing distance (indicated)	1,9 m	Maximum magnification (calculated8)	1:19
Has manual aperture ring	NO	Has Manual focus ring	YES
Aperture mechanism type	Automatic	Aperture click stops	N/A

Further notes:
• The West German optics company Schneider-Kreuznach was one of the key contributors to the DKL ecosystem of cameras and lenses.
• The Tele-Arton is a typical representative of a class of relatively slow portrait tele lenses that as a result is also very tiny.
• Importantly, there are two versions of the Tele-Arton for the DKL mount: The 85/4 Retina-Tele-Arton introduced in 1959 for the Kodak Retina Reflex S and used on the subsequent Retina Reflex III and IV versions, as well as the 90/4 Tele-Arton introduced 1968 for the Kodak Instamatic Reflex.

Notes about the DKL mount:
• This lens is a DKL-mount lens (see the article on the DKL mount), and therefore does not have an aperture ring (the aperture ring was on the camera-end of the mount).
• All DKL mount lenses – irrespective of manufacturer – follow a very similar design and aesthetic. Part of that design is defined by the structure of the leaf shutter integrated in the mount, but it seems that manufacturers followed a common playbook regarding colors (silver), typography, ergonomics and usability.
• While some of these aspects are admirable (such as the red ‘whiskers’ that change to indicate depth-of-field at the chosen aperture), others are a bit tedious (generally narrow, rather heavy focus rings), very short focus throws on wide-angle lenses.
• Due to the functioning principle of DKL lenses (especially the relationship of the rear lens elements and the narrow leaf shutter throat) DKL lenses typically suffer longish minimum focusing distances.

History of Schneider-Kreuznach

Schneider-Kreuznach is the veritable optics decathlete, in that they have manufactured high-quality optics and lenses for pretty much every imaginable platform ranging from mobile phone camera lenses to large format lenses, enlarger, repro and macro lenses, projector lenses, cine lenses, and various industrial applications. See more in the JAPB company profile on Schneider-Kreuznach.

Versions

To the best of JAPB’s knowledge, there is only one version of the 90/4 Tele-Arton, but it naturally is very closely related to the earlier 85/4 Retina-Tele-Arton.

Adapting

To use this lens in its native environment, you will need a Kodak Retina IIIS, Kodak Retina Reflex S, III or IV or a Kodak Instamatic Reflex body. While these still exist in comfortable numbers, those numbers are dwindling. Moreover, due to the inherent complexity of the leaf shutter SLR construction, repairs will not be easy to procure.

This lens can be adapted to all mirrorless cameras using a suitable adapter. Because this lens (alike most DKL lenses) does not have an aperture ring of its own, you will need an adapter that allows you to control the lens’ aperture. As the DKL mount was of only moderate popularity, availability of DKL adapters to all mirrorless mounts cannot be taken for granted. On the other hand, one can be strategic with adapters (e.g. DKL->Canon EF; Canon EF –> mirrorless) which also opens up a wide range of special adapters (speed boosters, helicoid adapters, tilt/shift adapters).

While the flange focal distance of the DKL mount would indicate otherwise, using this lens on an SLR/dSLR is also an option (see the DKL mount article to understand why), assuming a suitable adapter can be found/manufactured. As of this writing, DKL to SLR adapters exist for at least the following mounts: Canon EF, m42, Minolta/Sony A, Nikon F, Pentax K.

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. It is somewhat unclear at which stage this 90/4 Tele-Arton was introduced to replace the 85/4 Retina-Tele Arton. The serial number of the pictured lens indicates manufacture in late 1968. At the same time brochures for the Kodak Instamatic reflex (introduced 1968) still consistently mention the 85/4 variant. JAPBs best guess is that the 90/4 Tele-Arton was introduced at the end of 1968, but did not make it to be mentioned in the launch brochures. ↩︎
4. Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at infinity. ↩︎
5. Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers. ↩︎
6. Data on lens elements and groups is based on a single source. Alternatively, it might also be a 4 elements in 3 groups design. ↩︎
7. S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures. ↩︎
8. Calculated estimates of maximum magnification are done based on the combination of angle-of-view and MFD and do not account for focus breathing or other close-focus behaviour. Theses should therefore be taken as estimates. ↩︎