ENNA Műnchen Tele-Ennalyt 200mm f4.5 - "Old and German"

Enna Optical Works or "Enna-Werk" - Munich, Germany
Early 1980's mgf (best guess)
240mm
f4.5-16 apperature range
M42 mount, type III "click stop"
10-Bladed aperature (very good bokeh)
3 elements
2 groups
Closest focusing distance, 20ft (no very useful).

"Old and German" doesn't mean high quality and sharp. That badge of honor belongs to Zeiss. However, not everyone could afford a Zeiss lens and so many turned to Enna whom sold cheap lenses for the consumer market, and was regarded as the Tamron or Sigma of it's day.

Enna is still in business, but no longer manufactures camera lenses.

Many of their lenses are not highly regarded, and if it was not for their unique looks or rare collectability (such as their interchangeable sockel lenses), they would have certainly found their way into a trash heap.

However, there are some lenses that are reported to be either unique or very good. The 240mm f4.5 I have is believed to be one of them. This lens is the first version, with a simple metal body tube construction, that was replaced by a cheaper all plastic version. So, for $10 it a worthy bet to see if such statements were true.

As I've said before, you can't believe everything you read online, and you should only pay attention to those whom actually have an experience or own the same lens. Even so, with regards to lackluster quality controls, abuse and time taking its toll, their experiences may or may not apply to other lenses. Then again, where's the fun if you don't try it out anyway?

When I received the lens, the body was heavy scratched, but the glass was pristine. So it must have been left in a drawer or box to roll around.

Now for the good stuff. While the focus ring was remarkably smooth, the aperture ring was froze solid at f8. Peering into the lens I could see the aperture blades, and they looked clean and oil free. Once again I reached for my tools...

Let the fun begin...

I removed the rear aperture assembly access cover...

Lo and behold, all kinds of busted little plastic pieces jamming the works. Turns out that pieces which engage the aperture cam with the external dial have broken.

Here's the aperture cam assembly removed. The silver piece is the aperture cam, and the silver shaft sticking up is an arm that engages with and forces the blades to close down.

There is a brass ring that spins around the cam, with small protrusion that engages the cam, causing it to turn down. However, it's also stuck tight.

A little penetrating fluid...

...and the outer ring pulls free.

Removing the cam, I can see a spring that forces the cam inward. The busted pieces actually pulled the cam outwards, and this spring provides postive return force.

So, I reversed the spring to force the cam outward against the brass ring...

...and I now have aperture control by simply turning the ring, (see all those years of being an engineer paid off... :)

The aperture blades and back lens are remarkably clean.

Before I could access the front lens, I had to grind down a pin to create an unusually small screw driver head.

Three very tiny screws removed (avoid sneezing at all cost)...

.

...I can now remove and clean the front lens assembly.

Much nicer.

All done, but it's still an ugly looking lens.

Results improved greatly and require some rework in post, however. Certainly not a great "film" lens in the days without post digital sharpening and correction.

-Keep Shooting.