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The first Cooke lens was made from an elegantly simple design, patented in 1893, known as “The Cooke Triplet Patent.” From that point through the 1960s, many series of Cooke stills lenses were designed, produced and engraved with the Cooke name in Leicester, England by Taylor, Taylor & Hobson. This Cooke Compendium, compiled by Barbara Lowry, offers detailed highlights and specifications about each and every Cooke lens series that was published in the many Cooke lens catalogues that reside in our Cooke Archives.
We dedicate this Compendium to contemporary photographers, many of whom reached out to Barbara at Cooke over the past 18 years for information about these old gems that they discovered in attics or bought on eBay.
Serial numbers: The books no longer exist for Cooke lenses made before 1947, so to determine the approximate age of your lens, scroll down to the bottom of the descriptions on most pages. There you will see lists of sample lenses with serial numbers and their engravings that should help you place your lens in time.
The Series I, f/3.1 lens for cinematography, called the KINIC, was the first cine lens made by TT&H. It appeared in a Cooke lens catalogue c.1921 and was offered in focal lengths: 40, 51, 58, 76, 90, 102 and 127mm to cover “M.P. film” format. By 1924, it was offered only in 41, 50, 57 and 76mm focal lengths, this time for “Cine” format.
1921 to 1924
Lens Construction
Three lens anastigmat. Based on Cooke Triplet design; patent by H. Dennis Taylor, 1893. Improvement in original design, by Horace W. Lee, TT&H, 1919. British Patent no. 155640, 22 December 1920.
“In the production of this series, attention has been concentrated upon the actual angle of view required by the producers of Cinema films. The design embodies a development of the Cooke formula, made possible by the latest types of optical glass. The result is a perfectly flat field of sharp definition at full aperture, extending to the corners of the standard Cinema film, and producing brilliant negatives which invite any degree of enlargement on the screen. Taylor-Hobson Cinema Lenses have a world-wide reputation among Cinema producers. They were selected in preference to all others for use during both of the Shackleton Polar Expeditions, and amply justified their selection.” (Catalogue No. 22, 1924, “Cooke Taylor-Hobson Anastigmats,” Burke & James, Distributors, 240-258 East Ontario Street, Chicago, NY Branch, 225 Fifth Avenue. Sole Wholesale Distributors for U.S., and Possessions, Cuba and Mexico)
All of the official film pictures of the visit of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales to India and Burma were taken with Series I, f/3.1 Cooke Cinema Lenses fitted to Cinchro Cameras, made by Cinechrome Instruments Ltd.” (1922).
SAMPLES
The Cooke KINIC was made in various apertures including f/1.5, (1 inch, SN 265542 is at Mystic Seaport museum, used by Stanley Rosenfeld.)
1 inch, f/3.5, S/N 147117. “Taylor, Taylor & Hobson Cinema Lens”
1 inch, f/1.8, S/N 169751: Mount thread is 25.4mm.. Distance scale is marked in feet – from 1 to inf. Non-click stops of 1.9-16.25mm, f/1.5 sold on eBay in April 2009 for AUD$203.50.
Soft focus lens
1921 to 1923
“For the photographer whose work is varied in size and class. . .suitable for practically all classes of work on all sizes of plates from 6.5 x 4.75 to 15 x 12.” (1908)
1908
Ultra rapid portriait lens for studio workers.
1897 to c.1935
Ultra rapid anastigmat. “For high speed pictures, home portraiture and difficult work with the Graflex and Reflex cameras under the most trying conditions of lighting.” And noted as “specially useful to press workers (1912).
c.1911 to 1915
Based on the original World War I Aviar reconnaissance lens, adopted by the R.A.F. in 1916; the first British lens to compete successfully against the best German lens in use for aerial photography.
1921 to c.1963
“For making high grade Cinematograph films.”
c.1912 to 1914
For portraiture
c.1909 to 1930
Pressic — for Reflex and Focal Plane Cameras
c.1912 to 1955
This lens is one of a series of three portrait lenses made in varying speeds “for all needs of the modern studio.” The others are Cooke IIa f/3.5 and VI f/5.6.
c.1926 to 1930
The Series IIc was introduced 1 April 1930 as the Home Portrait version of the Series IIb, meaning that it was supplied without a diffusing device. The lens appeared in only one Cooke lens catalogue found in the Cooke archives
1930
This lens is one of three portrait lenses that Cooke made in upgraded versions sometime in the 1930s after April 1, 1930. The previous Series IIa f/3.5, IIb f/4.5 and VI f/5.6 became Series IId f/3.5, IIe f/4.5 and VIa f/5.6. As of April 10, 1947, the Series IId (and IIe, VIa) were not coated.
1931 to 1947
This lens is one of three portrait lenses that the company made in upgraded versions sometime in the 1930s after April 1, 1930. The previous Series IIa f/3.5, IIb f/4.5 and VI f/5.6 became Series IId f/3.5, IIe f/4.5 and VIa f/5.6.
c.1931 (after April 1, 1930) to 1956
Universal lenses.
1897 to c.1923
16 inch, Series III, f/6, SN 304920, Mount B. Owned by Cornel Lucas who photographed movie stars in the late 1940s and 1950s including Marlene Dietrich, David Niven and more. Wikipedia notes that “he was in charge of the photographic studios set up by The Rank Organization. This lens was shipped to D&P Studios, Denham in October 1947. After 1947, these lenses were coated, thus f/6 focal length instead of f/6.5.
Lenses made for KODAKS, GRAFLEX, CENTURY, PREMO, HAWKEYE
1908 to c.1914
The f/6 and f/6.3 version of the Series II, f/4.5 Aviar lens. For general photography on hand and reflex cameras.
1924 to c.1956
Samples
12.5 inch, Series IIIb, f/6, Cooke Aviar, SN 160120
10.5 inch, Series IIIb, f/6, Cooke Aviar, SN 516882, “D” engraved on the rim. (made November 1956 to Pelling & Cross, London)
For high-speed photography with Focal Plane Shutters, in poor lighting conditions
1908 to 1926
For general work and portraiture.
1930
The Series IVb was offered in only one focal length. From hand written notations on a catalogue in the archives, the intention was to eliminate the Series IV f/5.6 15.5 inch focal length and upgrade it to Series IVb. That never appeared in any literature. The only Series IVb lens offered was a 13 inch lens in 1930. Because no serial number books exist covering this time period, if you find yourself the owner of a Cooke Series IVb, f/5.6, 13 inch lens, you own a very rare item.
“These lenses are recommended for general work by commercial photographers, while for home portraiture they are unrivalled. Each lens gives critically sharp definition at full aperture to the extreme corners of the plane specified and need never be stopped down except to secure the necessary depth of focus. The diffusion adjustment fitted to all studio lenses is purposely omitted so that the lenses may be made as light and compact as the size of their glasses permit” (1930).
Commercial photography and then later marketed as a Process Lens for copying and engraving.
1899 to 1926
16 inch, Series V, f/8, SN 99578, Engraved: “Taylor, Taylor & Hobson, Leicester & London.” “Aperture has smooth movement”
18 inch, Series V, f/8, SN 104837, Engraved: “Taylor, Taylor & Hobson, Leicester & London.” “Aperture has smooth movement”
13 inch, Series V, f/8, SN 109104, “Cooke Taylor Hobson Process Lens, was used on an enlarger.”
For photo engraving and three colour work.
c.1921 to c.1923
The Series Va lens was short-lived. It appeared in only 2 catalogues in the Cooke archives, along side the popular Series V process lenses with the same description (see Series V, description from 1922-23 catalogue).
Samples
43.7 inch, Series Va, SN 2478, Engraved: “Cooke Process Lens, Series VA, 36 inch x 30 inch, Eq. focus 43.7 inches, no. 2478, Taylor, Taylor & Hobson, sold by Penrose and Co.”
“For photo engraving and three color work.”
1924 to c.1962
“For artistic portraiture in the daylight studio and for outdoor work.” For variable soft focus effect.
1908 to c.1930
This lens is one of three portrait lenses that the company made in upgraded versions sometime in the 1930s after April 1, 1930. The previous Series IIa f/3.5, IIb f/4.5 and VI f/5.6 became Series IId f/3.5, IIe f/4.5 and VIa f/5.6.
c.1930 to c.1947
“Wide angle work. The large aperture is of great convenience for focussing in dull interiors.”
1909 to c.1923
“Architecture, dim interiors, and other subjects for which wide-angle lenses are used may be accurately focussed and the exposures made at full aperture f/6.5. Where great depth is required, however, it is necessary to use a smaller stop.
Those who have experienced the difficulty and sometimes the impossibility of accurate focussing with the usual small aperture wide-angle rectilinear lenses will appreciate the time, materials, and annoyance saved by the Primoplane Cooke Lenses. The saving of time alone is demonstrated by the fact that on a given subject, an exposure of one second with this lens would give a negative as fully exposed as that given by the ordinary rectilinear wide-angle lens at F/16 in eight seconds.
A further advantage lies in the fact that these lenses are excellently adapted for ordinary work on smaller sizes of plates. For instance, when used on a quarter-plate camera, the 5-inch lens includes a normal angle, whilst the 6-inch and 7-inch lenses are very suitable for an all round purpose on 5 x 4 and half-plates respectively, permitting an extreme rise or fall of front” (1909).
“Focus Carefully. It is advisable to focus the lens a little ‘long,’ using the diaphragm wide open and afterwards stopping down to secure the requisite depth of focus. In other words, with objects at varying distances from the camera, focus at F/6.5 upon a point about two-thirds of the way down the occupied space, and then ‘stop down’ until everything appears sharp. Some photographers focus only half-way down, or only one-third, and then blame the lens. There is always difficulty, of course, in focussing at the same time objects both far and near, and in case it is difficult to obtain sharp definition, we would suggest that the article on ‘Depth of Focus’ be read carefully SEE PAGE 31 and 32 in 1914 catalog *****]. This presents the matter in an entirely new light. Cooke Primoplane lenses are mounted to ‘between-lens’ shutters with the complete lens fitted in the front of the shutter. When thus fitted to the correct size of shutter, the lenses permit the extreme rise of the camera-front (1914).
“The angle of view expressed in relation to the longer side of the plate for which each lens is listed is approximately 70 degrees. These lenses will illuminate plates larger than those for which they are listed and the angle included, as expressed in relation to the diameter of the circle of illumination, is approximately 90 degrees” (1915).
Cooke Series VII, f/6.5
The Series VII, “Mid-angle anastigmats, working at F/6.5” were listed in the 1909 and 1910 catalogues only, at the bottom of the page for the Series VIIa f/6.5 Primoplane lenses. “If mid-angle lens only is required, the Series VII has been designed specially for this purpose upon an entirely different formula, to give the best possible results” (1909, 1910).
The Series VII never appeared after 1910. By 1912, the VIIa Primoplane encompassed all the focal lengths from 3 inch through 8 inch.
Samples
6 inch, Series VIIa, f/6.5, SN unknown, “all brass lens
8 inch, Series VIIa, f/6.5, SN 114465, “Taylor-Hobson Cooke Primoplane Lens.” “Appears as if there is thin smoke on the lens.” Note: Because of the constituents of the glass chosen for this Series and other lenses during this time period, it’s surprising that more lenses haven’t turned smoky grey, according to the expert technicians at Cooke Optics but, thankfully, this doesn’t appear to be the case. It’s also possible that some of these lenses with smoky glass were stored next to chemicals or caustic fumes that could also have caused the degradation.
“For wide angle work of all kinds.” Code name: Anglic (1924). Trademarked “Eistal” in 1946.
1924 to 1960s
“For use in every branch of photography.”
1924 to 1962
“For large images of far distant objects and can be used for both time and instantaneous exposures of scenes which ordinary lenses would render too small.”
1926 to 1947
The Cooke VIIIb Anastigmat lens first appeared in the archived lens catalogues beginning in 1926, but the lens was used by Frank Hurley, official photographer for the Shackleton Polar Expedition in 1914 and was also used to shoot silent films before the Cooke Speed Panchros were introduced during the era of talking films.
“The lenses are used extensively at Hollywood for Cinematograph film production and are steadily replacing other makes for this class of work. Taylor-Hobson Cooke Telephoto Anastigmats made a fine reputation on the Mount Everest Expeditions when they were used among other things to photograph the climbers from a distance. They were used also on both of the Shackleton Polar Expeditions for long distance views in the Antarctic” (1926).
“Taylor-Hobson Cooke Telephoto Anastigmats are compact high speed lenses of long focus requiring only a short bellows extension. They give large images of far distant objects, and are used for both time and instantaneous exposures of scenes which ordinary lenses would render too small. For example, the press photographer who wishes unobserved to obtain photographs of celebrities can stand far away and secure an image of the same size as with a normal lens used close at hand, using about the same size bellows extension. At twice the distance his image is the same size as with the ordinary lens, and at the same distance twice the size. The lens mounts are made from light metal and the flange screws are fixed near the centre so that correct balance and freedom from camera strain are secured” (1926).
“For photo-engraving and three color work.”
1924 to 1962
For Reflex cameras and “of inestimable value to speed specialists.”
1924 to 1962
No appearance in any Cooke lens catalogs in the archive
“Extremely speedy all purpose lens”
1926
“By the introduction of Series XIII f/2.9 lenses, still another choice is offered in the already popular line of Taylor-Hobson ‘speed models.’ In the newcomers there is the same fine combination of extreme speed with faultless covering power and definition that made Series X f/2.5 leaders in their class. Used at the full opening of f/2.9, Series XIII can be relied upon to give negatives as satisfying as those made at f/4.5 in better light.
At all times of year they enable difficult subjects to be approached with confidence—they are as capable with home portraits as with quick-action scenes outdoors.
Series XIII can be chosen without visions of a bulky and inconvenient outfit. Despite the large aperture, the mount is light and compact, and goes easily into most well-known reflex outfits. There’s no strain on the camera front” (1926).
Samples
6 3/8 inch, Series XIII, f/2.9, SN 211110, “Anastigmat Lens”
For use with Panchromatic film
1933 to 1955
“For those who require a portable lens for rapid work and other longer focus lenses for landscape, architectural or long distance work.”
1921 to c.1962
“For photographing restless children or for instantaneous flashlight work.”
1924