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in: Lens

Radioactive lenses

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General[]

Radioactive Lenses

Radioactive Lenses

There are a significant number of lenses produced from the 1940s through the 1970s that are measurably radioactive. Main source of radioactivity is the use of thorium oxide (up to 30% by weight) as a component of the glass used in the lens elements. Thorium oxide has a crystalline structural similar to calcium fluoride (fluorite). Like fluorite, its optical properties of high refractivity and low dispersion allows lens designers to minimize chromatic aberration and use lenses of lower curvature, which are less expensive to produce. Despite statements to the contrary, lenses containing lanthanum are not appreciably radioactive - lanthanum is only 1/10,000th as radioactive as thorium. Radioactivity in lanthanum containing lenses is due to the intentional inclusion of thorium in the optical glass mix. The presence of thorium can sometimes, depending on the mixture of other elements in the lens, cause moderate to severe browning of the lens elements. Other common misconceptions hold that it is the coatings of these lenses which are radioactive and brown over time, and that the browning occurs in the balsam between cemented elements. It is the glass itself that contains the radioactive ThO2, and the browning therein is caused by the radiation-induced formation of color centers in the glass matrix.

Radiation Levels[]

Typical radiation levels can approach 10 mR/hr (100 μSv/h) as measured at the lens element's surface, decreasing substantially with distance; at a distance of 3 ft. (.9 m.) the radiation level is difficult to detect over typical background levels. For reference, a typical chest x-ray consists of about about 10 mR, a round-trip cross country airline flight exposes a passenger to 5 mR, and a full set of dental x-rays exposes the patient to 10 mR to 40mR. A study carried out by the Physics department of Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology estimates that total exposure to a professional photographer using a typical thoriated lens would amount to only 0.2% yearly allowable exposure to the eye and 0.17% to the whole body under the conservative standards of the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority.

Most smaller lenses with thorium elements pose a negligible risk to human health. However, thoriated glass eyepieces are significantly more dangerous. They can give a very large alpha and beta particle dose to the cornea of the eye, potentially causing cataracts and other problems. Normally these particles are stopped by skin, but the surface of the eye can be quickly damaged by them, and at close range, the dose can be very high.

Kodak Lenses[]

By far the most prolific known producer of radioactive lenses was Eastman Kodak. From the 1940s through the 1960s, substantial numbers of amateur cameras were produced and sold with thoriated (containing thorium oxide) lenses, including some of the Pony, Signet, and high end Instamatic (e.g. 800 and 814, but not 100 or 124) cameras. In addition, many professional level Ektar lenses from this era contain thorium. Perhaps the most famous radioactive lenses of all were the Kodak Aero-Ektars.

Curiously, in his notable book, A History Of The Photographic Lens, Rudolf Kingslake (head of the Eastman Kodak lens design department 1937-1968), makes only a single passing comment on the possible use of thorium in Kodak lenses.

Lenses with elements made of radioisotope-containing glass[]

Some lenses of the 1960s, such as early Minolta Rokkor lenses, have elements to made of glass formulas which include small traces of radioactive rare-earth elements. Sometimes this incidental radioactivity causes a significant browning of these lens elements. Some users of such lenses reported in camera blogs that they reduced the browning by exposing these lenses to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. The procedure requires several days of sunny weather to have a positive effect.

The effective diminishment of radiation-induced browning by exposure to sunlight has also been reported for some lenses with thorium glass elements, for example for the Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 lens and the Asahi Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 lens. Exposure to UV light from artificial sources, including fluorescent bulbs and UV-emitting LEDs is an even more efficient method for reducing the appearance of browning.

Tested lenses[]

This section contains a list of lenses that the contributors of this page have personally tested with their own Geiger counter [i.e. gentle plea NOT to add lenses based on second-hand accounts, no matter how reliable these may be]

Lenses Tested Radioactive (by contributors to this page)[]

  • Argus Cintagon 50mm f/2.8
  • Agfa Color Solinar 2.8/50 (serial S51644): ~70cpm at the front
  • Agfa Solinar 50mm f/2.8 (Agfa Karat 36, front element group, serial S01812): 385CPM/2.4 uSv/h (front), ~100CPM/0.7 uSv/h (rear)
  • Bell & Howell Director Series (Model 1208?) XL Super 8 movie camera; Zoom Lens f: 1.2 \ F: 9-22.5 mm
  • Canon FL 50/1.4 (#15324) Up to 770 cpm at the rear lens. (very early version) billead.com (archive)
  • Canon FL 50/1.8 I (#58233): Up to 450 cpm / 26 µSv/h at the back lens, up to 7 cpm / 0.4 µSv/h behind camera or at the lens barrel. (early version with graphic hyperfocal distance scale) billead.com (archive)
  • Canon FL 58/1.2 (#25516, #44528): Up to 180 cpm / 10 µSv/h at the back lens, up to 30 cpm / 1.7 µSv/h behind camera or at the lens barrel. billead.com (archive) YouTube
  • Canon FD 17mm f/4
  • Canon FD 35mm f/2.0 (versions from the early 1970's - concave front element)
  • Canon FD 50mm f/1.2 L (Early versions)
  • Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 S.S.C. Aspherical (Measured at 46532 CPM @ front element; S.S.C non-Aspherical is not radioactive) YouTube
  • Canon FL 50mm f/1.4 (#18974): 700 CPM @ front element, 25,000 CPM @ rear element with Johnson HP-265 (α, β, γ) probe; 175 CPM @ front element, 1200 CPM @ rear element with Johnson GP-1001 (γ only) probe; 1.35 µSv/h @ front element, 9.4 µSv/h @ rear element with Better Geiger S-1 scintillator dose rate meter
  • Canon (SUPER-CANOMATIC LENS) R 50mm 1:1.8 No.78xxx YouTube
  • Canon (SUPER-CANOMATIC LENS) R 58mm f/1.12 No.10050 0.32 uSV/hr front, 1.02 uSV/hr rear measurement.
  • Canon TV Zoom J6X13 13-76mm f/1.9
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 55mm f1.4 (measured at 2360 nSv/h)
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 "Zebra" (1964-67, up to serial number 8552600)
  • Carl Zeiss Planar 80mm f/2.8 (Rolleiflex 2.8D, taking lens: rear element measured at 0.12-0.18 uSv/h, serial 1242942) Note: This is in the normal natural radioactive range > no radiactive material in the objektive used
  • Carl Zeiss Sonnar 180mm f/4.8 (for Linhof Super Technika IV 6x9; rear element measured at 0.65-0.7 uSv/h)
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar 80mm f2.8 "Zebra" "(Only P6 mount version )
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 50mm f4 "Zebra" "(Only P6 mount version ) YouTube Measured 2.5-3.0 µSV/h YouTube
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 50mm f4 "Pre-Zebra" (Only P6 mount version) Measured 23.6 uSv/h YouTube
  • Carl Zeiss Jena Prakticar 50mm f1.4 (1st version with engravings around the outer side of barrel)
  • Carl Zeiss Tessar 80mm f/2.8 (old silver Hasselblad version YouTube)
  • Enna München Lithagon 1:3.5 35mm (M42) (DCC.de) (zebra SN 4021100: through the plastic rear cap 0.34 µSv/h, lens rear without cap 0.44 µSv/h and rear element taken out and measured separately 0.85 - 1 µSv/h)
  • Focal (Kmart store brand) 35mm f/2.8
  • Fujica Fujinon 19mm f/3.5 EBC (Arkku at mflenses.com)
  • Fujica Fujinon 35mm f/1.9 EBC (Arkku at mflenses.com)
  • Fujica Fujinon 50mm f/1.4 non-EBC early style = non-uniformly segmented focusing ring (measured at 35137 CPM @ back element)
  • Fujica Fujinon 50mm f/1.4 EBC early style = non-uniformly segmented focusing ring YouTube (unspecified EBC or not)
  • Fujica Fujinon 100mm f/2.8 EBC (Arkku at mflenses.com)(YouTube)
  • Fujica Fujinon 400mm f/4.5 EBC (Arkku at mflenses.com)
  • Fujica Fujinon 600mm f/5.6 EBC (Arkku at mflenses.com)
  • GAF Anscomatic 38mm f/2.8 (GAF Anscomatic 726 camera)
  • Heinz Kilfitt 40mm f/2.8 Makro-Kilar (all variants)
  • Heinz Kilfitt 90mm f/2.8 Makro Kilar (all variants)
  • Kodak Ektar 101mm f/4.5 (Miniature Crown Graphic camera) lens mfg. 1946
  • Kodak Ektar 38mm f/2.8 (Kodak Instamatic 814 & 714 camera) lens mfg 1968-1970
  • Kodak Ektanar 50mm f/2.8 (Kodak Signet 80 camera) lens mfg. 1958-1962 (3 examples)
  • Kodak Ektanar 90mm f/4 (Kodak Signet 80 camera) lens mfg. 1958-1962
  • Kodak Ektanar, 44mm f/2.8 (Kodak Signet 30, Kodak Signet 50, Kodak Automatic 35/Motormatic 35 cameras) lenses mfg. 1959-1969
  • Kodak Ektanon 50mm f/3.9 (Kodak Bantam RF camera) lens mfg. 1954-1957
  • Kodak Ektanon 46mm f/3.5 (Kodak Signet 40 camera) lens mfg. 1956-1959
  • Kodak Anastar 44mm f/3.5 (Kodak Pony IV camera)
  • Kodak Color Printing Ektar 96mm f/4.5 lens mfg. 1963
  • Kodak Aero-Ektars (various models) YouTube
  • Kodak Ektanon 4-inch Projection Lens f/3.5
  • Kodak Ektar 80mm f/2.8 (for Hasselblad 1600F and 1000F, made 1948-1950)
  • Kodak Ektar 135mm f/3.5 (for Hasselblad 1600F and 1000F, made 1949)
  • Kodak Instamatic M24/26 Super 8 Camera YouTube
  • Konica Hexanon AR 50mm f1.4 (smallest aperture 16; green AE marking)
  • Konica Hexanon 21mm f4 SN 7029XXX, primarily thorium and thorium decay products YouTube
  • Konica Hexanon 57mm f1.2 YouTube
  • Kinoptik Paris 12.5mm f/2.5 C mount S16 (tested up to 150 CPM, likely neutron contamination from NPP install)
  • Leica 50mm f/2 t Summicron YouTube
  • Leitz Wetzlar Summicron 5cm f2 (M39)
  • Mamiya/Sekor 55mm f/1.4 (m42, chrome+black, flat rear element) (Measured by specialists, 25th april 2014 @ Poissy, France: from 5 to 10 µSV/h by direct touch & 1720 CPM).
  • Mamiya/Sekor 58mm f/1.7 (M42 version) - 1.19 µSV/h (Lenslegend)
  • Mamiya/Sekor SX 55mm f/1.8 6,8 µSV/h YouTube
  • Meyer-Optik Görlitz Primotar 50mm f/2.8 (Seems to be only the rear element, gamma spectroscopy confirms thorium: Flickr)
  • Minolta MC W. Rokkor-SI 1:2.5 28mm (early variants)
  • Minolta MC Rokkor-PG 1:1.2 58mm (early variants only; SN 2571225 and later should be non-radioactive)
  • Minolta MC Rokkor 1:1.7 85mm (the earliest variant of the MC line) Dominique Guebey Jungle Photographie
  • Mitakon (Zhongyi) 50mm f0.95 Ver I Speedmaster （4 Lanthanum optic elements)
  • Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 (early variant with thorium glass elements)
  • Noritar 17mm f/4 serial 11720277 (sold as Soligor, Ricoh, Miranda and others) 2.31 uSV/hr front, 1.14 uSV/hr rear measurement.
  • Olympus Zuiko MC Macro 20mm f/3.5 (s58y Flickr)
  • Olympus Zuiko Auto-S 1:1,2/55 mm (first version with thorium glass elements; s/n 119xxx rear element measured at 12.8 µSv/h)
  • Olympus Zuiko Auto-S 1:1,4/50 mm (only early first version "Silvernose" is radioactive; later silvernoses (s/n 409xxx) are not) YouTube
  • Olympus M-System G.Zuiko Auto-W 28mm F3.5 (early model) (YouTube)
  • Olympus Zuiko Pen F 1:1.8/38mm (rear element, measured at approx. 7.5µSV/h or 26 µSv/h digicamclub.de)
  • Olympus Zuiko Pen F 1:1.4/40mm (rear element) 
  • Porst Color Reflex MC Auto 1:1.2/55mm (only a specific version? another copy reported as non-radioactive) #000670 - 37µSv/h digicamclub.de
  • Porst Color Reflex MC Auto 1:1.2/55mm (f22 version-Tomioka serial until 00xxxx. #000543-10µSv/h #000543 Instagram
  • Rikenon AUTO 55mm f/1.4 (22937 CPM rear element)
  • Rodenstock XR-Heligon f/0.75 50mm: (5µS/h in 10 cm from front lens. Note: this lens was listed as non-radioactive. It might be that my sample was activated during usage in the X-Ray machine.)
  • Rollei XF 35 Sonnar 2,3/40 (The front triplet seems to contain thoriated glass. Measured at ~1.0–1.20µSv/h or ~180–210 CPM). The same should hold for the Voigtländer VF135 since they are essentially the same camera with the same lens but slightly different body and functional design.
  • Schneider Repro-Claron
  • Schneider Kreuznach Retina-Xenon C 50mm f/2.8 (Kodak Retina IIc front lens, serial 3962395): measured at ~140CPM/.95 uSv/h
  • Schneider Kreuznach Retina-Curtagon C 28mm f/4 rear element: measured at ~200CPM/1.30 uSv/h
  • Schneider Xenotar 80mm 2.8 (Rolleiflex 2.8C,1954) - 2 µSV/h on front element surface, 0.4 at 10cm, negligible at 20cm.
  • Schneider 135mm f/3.5 Xenotar
  • Sigma 18mm f/3.5 serial Σ-7205000204 (also sold as Spiratone) 2.95 uSV/hr front, 3.69 uSV/hr rear measurement
  • Sigma 18mm f/3.2 serial τ-74010303 (also sold as Spiratone) 2.68 uSV/hr front, 5.25 uSV/hr rear measurement
  • SMC Pentax 50mm f/1.4 (original "K line") YouTube  (result confirmed on a second K-mount lens, serial #1034094)
  • SMC Takumar 20mm f/4.5 (s58y Flickr)
  • SMC Takumar 35mm f/2.0 (Asahi Optical Co.)
  • Super Takumar 35mm f/2.0 (Asahi Optical Co.)
  • Super Multi Coated Takumar 50mm f/1.4 (Asahi Optical Co.) (both knurled and rubber focus ring grip versions) YouTube 
  • Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 (All 7-element variants contain Thorium – thoriated glass!, no 8-element variants contain thorium.) (tested with both a personal counter as well as at a medical lab to be ~30 µSv/h at the rear element)
  • Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 - 8-element version
    • Some copies have tested (moderately) radioactive, others have tested not radioactive:
    • There are also several other confirmed cases of both kinds, overall suggesting that:
      • The "hot" lenses are only weakly to moderately radioactive. In particular: mounting them on digital cameras (Sony Alpha 7RII, Pentax K-1) blocks most of the radiation or entirely, while old film cameras (Pentax Spotmatic SP) usually block a significant amount.
      • The non-radioactive lenses have smaller serial numbers than the radioactive ones - the cut-off must be somewhere between s.n. 1338400 (not radioactive) and s.n. 1377428 (radioactive; ~0.57 µSv/h, rear element; ~0.23 µSv/h behind Spotmatic SP; ~0.14 µSv/h behind Pentax K-1).
      • Although some of the hot 8-element Super-Takumars that may have significantly higher levels of radiation compared to other radioactive ones (e.g. serial 1398520: ~250–270 CPM or ~163–1.71 µSv/h; min/max average measured over ~3h), the radiation is way below the readings of the 7-element version and the later 55/1.8s which are definitely radioactive (test of five 8-element examples (with serial numbers ranging from 106xxxx to 158xxxx) and six 7-element examples with a Gamma-Scout, which detects Alpha, Beta, and Gamma radiation.).
      • The versions slightly differ cosmetically, mainly in the fonts used for the focus & aperture numbers (the non-radioactive ones appear to have thinner characters and somewhat 'older looking' fonts). However, there are multiple revisions of the Super-Takumar lenses that cannot be clearly identified due to (presumably) re-use of parts of previous batches. A comprehensive overview of all (most) known different revisions can be found at: Takumar Field Guide. Another source describes an identification by the exact naming order on the name ring (German).
  • Macro Takumar 50mm f4.0 early 1:1 version (serial 790115), rear element approx 58 µSv/h digicamclub.de)
  • Asahi Super-Macro-Takumar 1:4/50 -- serial number 335xxxx tested positive, but the lowest of my positive results so far
  • SMC Macro Takumar 50mm f/4.0 (MFLenses)(YouTube)
  • Super-Takumar 55mm f/1.8 (Asahi Optical Co.) (After approx. SN 1.5 million)
    • SN: 231xxx - YouTube 1.83-1,88 µSv/h at rear element, 0.3 µSv/h at front element
    • SN: 1717437 - 470cpm / 4,35 µSv/h at rear element, background level at the front element (measured with GM Counting System 975011-1)
    • SN: 3199041 - YouTube 81,7cpm / 12.82 µSv/h at rear element according to the video (conversion cpm to µSv/h nonsensical)
  • Super-Takumar 55mm f/2.0 (Asahi Optical Co.) - This lens is the same design as the 1,8 but has a ring to limit max aperture.
    • SN: 3221829 - YouTube aprox. 800cpm / 7,41 µSv/h
  • Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 55mm f/1.8 (Asahi Opt. Co.) (rear element, 8-10µSV/h)
  • SMC Takumar 55mm f/1.8 (Asahi Optical Co.) YouTube YouTube (not all)
  • SMC Takumar 55mm f/2.0 (Asahi Optical Co.) (not all)
  • Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 85mm f1.8 (serial 5888634, front element only, not measurable at the back)
  • SMC Takumar 85mm f/1.8 (Asahi Optical Co.) (MFlenses)
  • Super Takumar 6x7 105mm f2.4 (Asahi Optical Co.)
    • I tested 3 such lenses using the same Geiger counter. Two of them, with clear yellowing, tested radioactive. The third one (serial 8259881) did not test radioactive & had no yellowing.
    • I just received an example with serial number 691xxxx and my Gamma-Scout reads it much higher than any of my other lenses. Slightly yellow.
  • Tele-Takumar 6.3 300mm (Asahi Optical Co.) (JB Media (archive))
  • Soligor 35mm f/2.8 (serial 17000xxx) YouTube
  • Steinheil Auto-Quinon 55mm f/1.9 KE mount
  • Tamron 24mm f/3.5 adaptmatic 4.37 uSV/hr front, .071 uSV/hr rear measurement.
  • Taylor Hobson Rank Sopelem 8-26mm f/1.6 C mt. Zoom Greater than 250CPM 1.5 mSv/hr (danger)
  • Tokina 21mm f/3.8 No.17100658 (sold as Soligor, Vivitar and others) 3.69 uSV/hr front, 0.44 uSV/hr rear measurement.
  • Topcon RE GN Topcor 50/1.4 YouTube
  • Topcon UV Topcor 50mm f/2 (Measured at 283nSv/h)
  • Yashinon-DX 28mm f/2.8 (Yashica) (Measured at 210 nSv/h)
  • Yashinon-DS 50mm f/1.4 (Yashica) (Measured at 680 nSv/h)
  • Yashinon-DS 50mm f/1.7 (Yashica) (Measured at 762 nSv/h)
  • Yashinon-DX 50mm f/1.4 (Yashica) (Measured at 1359 nSv/h)(Not all)
  • Yashinon-DX 50mm f/1.8 (Yashica) YouTube
  • Yashinon-DS-M 50mm f/1.4 (Yashica)(Measured at 572 nSv/h)
  • Yashinon-DS-M 50mm f/1.7 (Yashica) (Measured at 798 nSv/h) YouTube (Not all, earlier version serial no : 20034462, 0 measured radiation)
  • Yashinon-DS-M 55mm f/1.2 (Yashica) (Measured at 1056 nSv/h)
  • Yashinon-ML 50mm f/1.7 (Yashica) YouTube (Likely, only the older design with 'YASHICA LENS ML 50mm 1:1.7 YASHICA MADE IN JAPAN' writings is radioactive. This version is most probably a rebrand of DS-M 50mm f/1.7)
  • Yashinon 55mm f1.2 (Tomioka) (also branded as Cosinon, Chinon, Tominon, Tomioka or Revuenon; Measured at 981 nSv/h)
  • Vivitar Auto Wide-Angle 35mm f1.9 (measured at 4.6 μSv/h, serial 28411420)
  • Vivitar Series 1 28mm f1.9
  • Voigtlander 50mm Nokton Prominent
  • Voigtlander 15cm Apo-Lanthar (measured at 16μSv/h: Voigtländer Large Format Lenses from 1949-1972)
  • Voigtlander 21cm Apo-Lanthar (measured at 27μSv/h: Voigtländer Large Format Lenses from 1949-1972)
  • Voigtlander 30cm Apo-Lanthar (measured at 35μSv/h: Voigtländer Large Format Lenses from 1949-1972)
  • Voigtlander Skoparex 35mm f3.4 (DKL mount)
  • Voigtlander Ultragon 115mm f/5.5 (measured at 1.5μSv/h: Voigtländer Large Format Lenses from 1949-1972)
  • Voigtlander Zoomar 36-82mm f2.8 (measured at 3.1 μSv/h, serial 5033439)
  • Wollensak Raptar 28-75mm f2.3 YouTube
  • Nikkor Lenses tested radioactive (Theoria Apophasis YouTube) and radioactivity measure: There are many comments at the video and different messurements, that could NOT verify any radioactivity! The geiger counter could have some miss calibration.
    • Nikkor AiS 15/3,5 : 187
    • Nikkor AF 16/2,8 D : 185
    • Nikkor AFS 17-35/2,8 ED : 214 (rear)
    • Nikkor AiS 20/2,8 : 194
    • Nikkor-O 2,1cm f/4 : 199
    • Nikkor AF 24-120/3,5-5,6 D : 214
    • Nikkor Ai 25-50/4 : 23 (this should not count as radioactive!)
    • Nikkor AF 28/1,4 D : 225 (front) 215 (rear) Nikkor Ai 28/2 : 211
    • Nikkor 28/2,8 (Nikon 28Ti) : 221 Nikkor AiS 28/2,8 : 178 Nikkor F 28/3,5 : 178 Nikkor PC 28/3,5 : 190 Nikkor F 35/2 : 229
    • Nikkor AiS 35/1,4 : 198 (front) 210 (rear)
    • Nikkor F 43-86/3,5 : 192 Nikkor F GN 45/2,8 : 178
    • Nikkor Ai 50/2 : 178
    • Nikkor AiS 50/1,8 : 178
    • Nikkor F 50/1,4 S : 178
    • Nikkor F 50/1,4 SC : 192 (front) 200 (rear)
    • Nikkor AF 50/1,4 : 191 (rear) 178 (front)
    • Nikkor F Micro 55/3,5 : 178
    • Nikkor Ai MIcro 55/3,5 : 191
    • Nikkor AiS Micro 55/2,8 : 178
    • Nikkor Ultra-Micro 55/2 : 212 (front) 204 (rear)
    • Nikkor AiS NOCT 58/1,2 : 211 (front) 183 (rear)
    • Nikkor AF Micro 60/2,8 : 199
    • Nikkor AF 85/1,8 : 178
    • Nikkor AiS 85/1,4 : 221
    • Nikkor AiS 105/1,8 : 211
    • Nikkor Ai 105/4 micro: 197

[I quite like Theoria Apophasis - cool guy. But: no good here, sorry. Please list only lenses that you have tested PERSONALLY with a Geiger counter. This is to keep the page reliable, free from conspiracies & myths that abound on the Internet]

Some other lenses not listed here may be radioactive: "The absence of the proof is not the proof of the absence"

Lenses Tested non-Radioactive (by contributors to this page)[]

Vintage lenses that could have been radioactive, but turned out not to be. A bit of good news!

Non-radioactive lenses
Lens Focal length Aperture Serials Notes
Albinar ADG MC Macro Zoom 80-200mm f/3.9 83965938
Asahi SMC Pentax 85mm f/1.8 52285527
Asahi SMC Pentax-FA Limited 43mm f/1.9 0006247 Relatively early Made in Japan version with presumably original "leaded" glass design. Later batches should not be radioactive either.
Asahi SMC Pentax-K 135mm f/2.5 5379584
Asahi Pentax-M SMC Shift 28mm f/3.5 5144203
Asahi SMC Pentax-M 35mm f/2.8 6381843
Asahi SMC Pentax-K 50mm f/1.2 1451004
Asahi SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.4 YouTube
Asahi SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/1.7 2596025, 2650094
Asahi SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/2 4286229 YouTube
Asahi SMC Pentax-M 85mm f/2.0 7708192
Asahi SMC Pentax-M 135mm f/3.5 6429171
Asahi Super Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm f/3.5 6138088
Asahi Super Multi-Coated Takumar 35mm f/3.5 7190055
Asahi Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8 802344 Early version. Examples before approximately 1.5 million are not radioactive.
Asahi Super Takumar 55mm f/2 Early version. YouTube
Asahi SMC Takumar 55mm f/2.0 8049617, 8119078 Late version.
Asahi Auto Takumar 55mm f/2.2 641779
Asahi Auto Takumar 85mm f/1.8 412250 aperture ring at the front, spring-operated auto aperture
Asahi Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 105mm f/2.4 8259881 6x7 format
Asahi Super Takumar 105mm f/2.8 2353009
Asahi Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 135mm f/2.5 4968162 5 Element version
Asahi Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 135mm f/2.5 6407586 6 Element version
Asahi Super Takumar 135mm f/3.5 3088850
Asahi Super Multi Coated Takumar 135mm f/3.5 4568738
Asahi Super-Multi-Coated MACRO-TAKUMAR 135mm 8468869 6x7 format
Asahi Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 200mm f/4.0 7161552
Asahi Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 300mm f/4.0 6923607
Auto Revuetar 55mm f/2.8 64882
Canon FD S.C. 28mm f/2.8 233953 chrome mount ring
Canon FL 35mm f/2.5 78xxx
Canon FL 55mm f/1.2 YouTube
Canon FL 50mm f/1.4 168xxx
Canon 50mm f/1.8 256884 Leica Screw Mount, late model, chrome-and-black
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80m f/2.8 5783145 C-Version, black, for Hasselblad
Carl Zeiss Sonnar 85mm f/2.8 555345 Made in West Germany. Rollei QBM
Fujinon EBC 50mm f/1.4 537963 Late version with diamond-texture and rubber focus ring. Warning: Other samples may be highly radioactive!
Helios 44-2 58mm f/2.0 7513556
Helios 44M 58mm f/2.0 8077187
Helios 44M-4 58mm f/2.0 8990138
Helios 44M-6 58mm f/2.0 92621308
Hoya HMC Wide-Auto 24mm f/2.8 211453 also RMC Tokina etc.
Industar 28mm f/2.8
Industar 52mm f/2.8 Industar 61, Leica screw mount, non-L/D (Л/Д) version
Kodak Anastar 51mm f/4.5 Pony 135, Pony 828, Pony 135 Model B
Konica Hexanon 135mm f/3.5 7322086
Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/4.5 74382, 74610 C330 TLR
Mamiya Sekor 65mm f/3.5 5790310 C330 TLR
Mamiya Sekor 80mm f/2.8 672606, 672341 C330 TLR, brown/yellowish coating
Mamiya Sekor Super 180mm f/4.5 84462, 85060 C330 TLR
Minolta MD Rokkor-X 50mm f/1.4
Mitakon Zhongyi II 'Speedmaster' 50mm f/0.95 001525
Olympus OM-System Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.4 1,15x,xxx Late version. YouTube
Pentacon 135mm f/2.8 8477438 Meyer Orestor Preset aperture non-MC version
Petri CC Auto 55mm f/1.8 691631
Ricoh Color Rikenon 40mm f/2.8 Rikoh 500GX. Could be slightly radioactive, but too low to be measured at my sample.
Ricoh Rikenon 400mm f/6.3 10443
Rodenstock Retina-Eurygon 35mm f/4 4203237 DKL mount
Rodenstock Heligon 50mm f/2 2052276 Kodak Retina II
Rodenstock Retina-Heligon 50mm f/1.9 4471524, 4752831 DKL mount. Could be slightly radioactive, but too low to be measured.
Rodenstock XR-Heligon 50mm f/0.75 9723511 Another sample was measured to be radioactive (see above).
Rodenstock Retina-Rotelar 85mm f/4 4477941 DKL mount. Could be slightly radioactive, but too low to be measured.
Rodenstock Retina-Rotelar 135mm f/4 4204704 DKL mount. Could be slightly radioactive, but too low to be measured.
Rodenstock-Rotelar 135mm f/4 3712416 DKL mount. Could be slightly radioactive, but too low to be measured.
Rollei HFT-Planar 50mm f/1.8 1078508 Made by Rollei Singapore. Early/metal version.
Rollei SL-Angulon 35mm f/2.8 12 620 084 Schneider-Kreuznach
Rollei SL-Xenon 50mm f/1.8 11 870 983, 12 081 833, 12 186 091 Schneider-Kreuznach
MC Rubinar makro 500mm f/5.6 080007 Russian telephoto mirror lens
Schneider-Kreuznach Edixa-Curtagon 35mm f/2.8 8900488
Schneider-Kreuznach Edixa-Xenar 50mm f/2.8 8188922
Schneider Kreuznach Retina-Xenar 50mm f/3.5 2216414 Kodak Retina Ia
Schneider Kreuznach Retina-Xenar C 50mm f/2.8 4832242 Kodak Retina Ib
Schneider Kreuznach Retina-Xenon 50mm f/2.0 1982005 Kodak Retina II
Schneider Kreuznach Retina-Xenar 50mm f/2.8 9596917 DKL mount
Schneider Kreuznach Retina-Xenon C 50mm f/2.0 5347221 Kodak Retina IIIC. f/2.8 version is radioactive (see above).
Syoptic 50mm f/1.1 E-mount version
Tokina Wide-Auto 35mm f/2.8 708205 also applies to early Vivitar/Soligor auto wide: knurled metal focus ring
Vivitar Auto Tele-Zoom 85-205mm f/3.8 22115389
Vivitar Close Focusing Auto Zoom 75-205mm f/3.8 22616531 early Kiron made version, two-ring zoom
Yashinon-DX 50mm f/1.4 YouTube
Yashinon DX 45mm f/1.4 Fixed lens on the Yashica 1C, Lynx 14-E rangefinder camera.
Yashinon-DX 45mm f/1.7 Fixed lens on the Yashica Electro 35 GSN. Made in Hong Kong.
Zeiss Jena Flektogon Auto 35mm f/2.4 74736
Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f/2.8 5993475 leatherette version
Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f/2.8 9060041 Zebra version
Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f/1.8 9093379 Zebra version

Geiger Counters used and methodology[]

Modern, affordable dosimeters which provide quick, useful detection of dangerous conditions/levels, and approximation of cumulative radioactive exposure, such as the GQ GMC 300 or 500+ series, or products from Thermo-Fisher, Radex, Souk, and others are available new. Testing to differentiate alpha, beta and gamma, x rays and neutrons generally requires more expensive equipment, and/or calculation methods.


Links/Sources[]

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