Tessar

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Cross-section of a 50mm f2.8 Tessar (for 35mm, M42 fitting)

The Tessar is a camera lens designed by Dr Paul Rudolph, working for the Carl Zeiss Jena company, in 1902. It is normally used as a standard lens, and has been fitted to many millions of cameras.

The design consists of four elements in three groups; the front element is positive, bi-convex (with the rear almost flat), the central a negative bi-concave and, following an aperture, at the rear is a cemented doublet of plano-concave and a bi-convex elements.

The original design had a maximum aperture of f6.3, but the developments in design allowed f2.8 by 1930.

The Tessar has been widely copied many nearly all major optics companies. Such lenses include:
Agfa Solinar
Kodak Ektar
Leitz Elmar
Rodenstock Ysar
Schneider Xenar
Yashica Yashinon TLR
Minolta Rokkor TLR
Wollensak Raptar