Magicflex PL 75/3.5
A new Planar-type medium format lens, purpose-built for
Rolleiflex and Rolleicord cameras

Historical Context


For decades, the excellence of Rolleiflex cameras was based not only on their own outstanding manufacturing but also on strong support from German lens manufacturers — Carl Zeiss (both East and West Germany) and Schneider Kreuznach Optik.

Together, these pioneers produced seven versions of symmetrical “double Gauss” lenses for Rolleiflex, also known as PLANAR, XENOTAR, or BIOMETAR

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75mm:

Planar 75/3.5, 5 elements (Carl Zeiss)

Xenotar 75/3.5, 5 elements (Schneider)

Planar 75/3.5, 6 elements (Carl Zeiss)

Xenotar 75/3.5, 6 elements (Schneider)

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80mm:

Biometar 80/2.8 (Carl Zeiss Jena)

Planar 80/2.8 (Carl Zeiss Oberkochen)

Xenotar 80/2.8 (Schneider)


A legend, reborn


Imagine this: it’s the 1950s, and you’re holding a brand new Rolleiflex with a flawless Zeiss lens. Everything works exactly as it should. The lens — the heart of any camera — delivers razor-sharp, high-contrast images with that signature smooth bokeh.

Crystal clear optics: no haze, no scratches, no separation, no deposits, no worn-out coating.

Fast forward to 2025: most Rolleiflex lenses from the '50s are in rough shape.

Peeling coatings, hazy elements, tiny scuffs and scratches — they simply can’t deliver quality anymore.

Buying one on eBay? It’s a gamble. One or two rolls in, and you're already thinking of selling.

What should be a joyful experience with a legendary camera ends in disappointment.


This brings us to the key question: how can the situation be changed overall?


The starting point is simple, yet crucial: having a high-quality lens, free from haze, scratches, and defects. That was exactly the challenge I faced — and ultimately solved.

Let me introduce

MAGICFLEX PL 75/3.5

A Planar-type lens based on the original five-element Double Gauss (Planar) design described in U.S. Patent 2,744,447 (filed June 14, 1954), an optical formula to the Planar 75mm /3.5 used in the Rolleiflex 3.5F Type 1/2 and Rolleiflex 3.5E.


The designers were Johannes Berger (creator of the Septon) and Günther Lange.


My idea was simple: I wanted the original classic Planar 75/3.5 lens design — the one from the patent — with all its strengths and subtle flaws that together create the unmistakable vintage look.

But I wanted it without the drawbacks of the actual 1950s lenses we see today, often scarred by scratches, balsam separation, or worn-off coatings. In other words: authentic classic rendering, faithfully recreated 1:1


Magicflex PL 75/3.5 lens dissembled

The original glass selection was simple yet highly effective: Schott SK16, SF14, SF15, LaK11, and SF4. One element, made from LaK11 (which contains lanthanum), was originally slightly radioactive, but in the modern version a safe replacement is used — offering improved optical properties with no loss in performance.


The inventors themselves noted that this specific arrangement of elements around the aperture created a precise balance of aberrations and delivered exceptional image quality. In other words, I already had all the information I needed.


I produced these lenses in small numbers

in two different versions:


for the Rolleicord Vb

also for the Rolleiflex 3.5B/3.5E/3.5F


Each lens is individually crafted and carefully assembled by me here in Germany for every project.

This is not mass production — it’s artisanal precision.


Optical Characteristics of the Magicflex PL 75/3.5

  • Field curvature, astigmatism, distortion: curvature is noticeable but returns at the edges; astigmatism is well controlled; distortion <1%.
  • Spherical aberration: almost fully corrected.
  • Coma: weak at the edges, overall well managed.
  • Chromatic aberration: axial ~147 microns — excellent performance, better than many later lenses.
  • Vignetting: minimal.
MTF (5–10–20–40 lp/mm):
  • f/3.5 — high quality in the center, smooth falloff toward the edges.
  • f/5.6 — center improves further, but field curvature becomes more pronounced.
  • f/8 — nearly uniform across the frame.
  • f/11 — very fine and even performance.
  • f/16 — diffraction reduces sharpness.
At close focus (0.9 m), astigmatism increases, but distortion remains minimal.

Summary


The Magicflex PL 75/3.5 is a completely new lens, faithfully rebuilt 1:1 on the classic Double-Gauss (Planar) design.

It delivers soft, watercolor-like bokeh, rich contrast image combined with outstanding resolution.


Unlike surviving vintage Planar 75/3.5 lenses, the Magicflex PL 75/3.5 is entirely free from the usual issues — no haze, fungus, coating decay, or scratches.


Staying true to the Rolleiflex tradition, it offers an exceptional level of aberration correction, with spherical, chromatic, and coma aberrations all very well controlled.

In my opinion it is nothing less than a breakthrough for medium-format photography.


Mounting the Magicflex PL 75/3.5 on a Rolleicord Vb or Rolleiflex 3.5B opens new creative possibilities — effectively giving birth to “new” cameras built on legendary foundations for a price that makes owning a NEW medium format camera of the highest standard truly possible.


Rebuilds with the Magicflex PL 75/3.5 lens are available exclusively in my shop

SAMPLE IMAGES

All photo and video materials belong to magicflexcamera.com and are used for demonstration purposes only. Please do not use them in commercial projects.