One of the misc. parts I bought from the c.1911 - 2000's eara in operation before changing management, Atheneum Theater in Chicago was this Fresnel lensed Leko lens train. Never really looked at or thought about it given it was a lens train with Fresnel lens - but without some sort of fixture associated to it. Had not thought about it for a few years until I visited the c.1920's Scotish/Americain Mason theater in Peoria in IL.
I have a 4.5x6.5 Leko in museum - but seemingly the more modern version. It has a 6" Leko snout that’s down sized to 4.5" lens inside the lens train. Seen this snub nosed lens train in Hub and other catalogues where the snout of the Leko lens train was really 4.5" but considered it design mythology concept in a sort of way.
This until I almost drolled over the 4.5" downsize snouted lens train Altman 360 series Lekos on seeing them still working at the Peoria theater.
This as with something must be like 24" in body still up in the audience ceiling - must have been like 10" lens and 2Kw amongst other stuff there to add to the museum, recommend to service and sell as an antique, or donate in still viable. Got that, and that... etc. Don't have that, that Leko's still really good even if 50 years old.... Lots of brands and era’s of lights in use or ready including some original ones.
But back home, I started thinking about this 4.5" lens train collecting dust in wondering about it. A Fresnel lens is a problem for something in a lens train in viable or useful. Pulled it down tonight, it’s not a fresnel lens, it’s a reverse step lens!!!
Reverse step lens means the cuts in the now as opposed to Fresnel lens, the Leko lens cuts into the lens are on the concave side of the lens in not being a flat wash lens. It’s still a convex lens (detail differences between step and Fresnel lens.)
Yet to check to see if this lens train will fit on the pineapple body of some 360 series Altman mounts, (it fits perfectly). Believe the Altman mounting for a lens train is fairly standard for industry - one lens train for the era mostly fitting on another after say 1962.
The Altman fixtures I saw were clearly dual lens train as they should be. I have a 4.5" reverse step lens (single lens) lens train which will probably fit on a Altman 360 series fixture. A step lens version of the 4.5" fixture known of. Paint color is a texture dark gray and not easily known for brand short of going brand by brand by brand of fixture in the museum in matching them up in comparing paint. Can do that but often similar color of early texture pain.
Onto another science experiment found from parts bought years ago. Any hints on a reverse step lens 4.5 Leko that was 6" Leko, but using a 6" body? Who invented it? Wonder what it will look like given it fits on a stock 360 series Altman fixture body.
I have a 4.5x6.5 Leko in museum - but seemingly the more modern version. It has a 6" Leko snout that’s down sized to 4.5" lens inside the lens train. Seen this snub nosed lens train in Hub and other catalogues where the snout of the Leko lens train was really 4.5" but considered it design mythology concept in a sort of way.
This until I almost drolled over the 4.5" downsize snouted lens train Altman 360 series Lekos on seeing them still working at the Peoria theater.
This as with something must be like 24" in body still up in the audience ceiling - must have been like 10" lens and 2Kw amongst other stuff there to add to the museum, recommend to service and sell as an antique, or donate in still viable. Got that, and that... etc. Don't have that, that Leko's still really good even if 50 years old.... Lots of brands and era’s of lights in use or ready including some original ones.
But back home, I started thinking about this 4.5" lens train collecting dust in wondering about it. A Fresnel lens is a problem for something in a lens train in viable or useful. Pulled it down tonight, it’s not a fresnel lens, it’s a reverse step lens!!!
Reverse step lens means the cuts in the now as opposed to Fresnel lens, the Leko lens cuts into the lens are on the concave side of the lens in not being a flat wash lens. It’s still a convex lens (detail differences between step and Fresnel lens.)
Yet to check to see if this lens train will fit on the pineapple body of some 360 series Altman mounts, (it fits perfectly). Believe the Altman mounting for a lens train is fairly standard for industry - one lens train for the era mostly fitting on another after say 1962.
The Altman fixtures I saw were clearly dual lens train as they should be. I have a 4.5" reverse step lens (single lens) lens train which will probably fit on a Altman 360 series fixture. A step lens version of the 4.5" fixture known of. Paint color is a texture dark gray and not easily known for brand short of going brand by brand by brand of fixture in the museum in matching them up in comparing paint. Can do that but often similar color of early texture pain.
Onto another science experiment found from parts bought years ago. Any hints on a reverse step lens 4.5 Leko that was 6" Leko, but using a 6" body? Who invented it? Wonder what it will look like given it fits on a stock 360 series Altman fixture body.
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