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bunster0
12-Mar-2007, 21:17
I have the chance to get this lens very reasonable, but the guy doesn't know anything about the lens. It's pretty old but is in great shape. He doesn't think it will accept a cable release. Does any one know anything about this lens.... its a f4.5... 1 to 1/250.... I have a calumet 4x5 view

Ole Tjugen
13-Mar-2007, 02:16
1 to 1/250? Old shutters generally have 1/200 or 1/400 (small ones) or even 1/100 to 1/50 (big ones). Since the lens was made around the end of 1936, the original shutter should have been a rim-set Compur.

If it's an old lens in a shutter that goes to 1/250 there are really only two possibilities: Either it's been remounted in a newer shutter, or it's mounted in a US made shutter.

If it's in any kind of Compur/Compond/Prontor/Ibsor/Vebur or other German shutter, it will accept a cable release (unless the socket is lost).

Tessar f:4.5 coverage is just a little bit more than the focal length, so that a 150mm / 15cm one will cover 4x5" with a little movements, a 135mm only straight on at smallish stops.

bunster0
13-Mar-2007, 11:56
this is a 105mm the guy claims it worked well in a camulet 4x5.

Dan Fromm
13-Mar-2007, 13:19
bunster0, the guy flat out lies. A 105/4.5 Tessar might illuminate 4x5 but since the lens covers only 110 mm at best the outer part of the image on 4x5 will be mush. You can't believe what most people who try to sell lenses say.

bunster0
13-Mar-2007, 13:30
I appreciate your help.....that is why I'm asking......thank you so much!

bunster0
13-Mar-2007, 13:35
Its on a camulet lens board, any idea what size the shutter opening on the mount might be?

Ken Lee
13-Mar-2007, 13:45
Even if it doesn't cover a lot at infinity, it will provide twice as much coverage at 1:1.

Since the focal length is comparatively short, you might find it a great lens for close work - especially if you want to explore the softness that the lens provides wide-open, where the bokeh will likely be quite attractive.

Ole Tjugen
13-Mar-2007, 14:02
Tessars are unsymmetrical enough that they tend to stink at 1:1. You would be better off with just about anything else!

If it had been in the original shutter, it would have been a "standard" Syncro-Compur #0 - but it can't be since the shutter speeds are wrong for that, so I have no idea what size hole it needs.

Dan Fromm
13-Mar-2007, 15:55
Ole, as a matter of principle you are of course correct. But and however there are tessar types that were computed for, e.g., 1:1 and are very good closeup. The really slow ones can also be very good at distance. None of these, um, exceptions were sold attached to pocketable folders.

Examples: 127/4.7 Tominon as sold for the Polaroid CU-5. f/9 Taylor Hobson Apotal, Cooke Copying Lens, Taylor Hobson Copying Lens. Tessar type f/9 Apo-Nikkors. CZJ f/9 Apo Tessars. 35/4.5, 50/4.5, 75/4.5 Tominons as sold in barrel for the Polaroid MP-4; the 17/4 isn't a tessar type, I have no experience with the 105/4.5, and the 135/4.5s I've had have been mediocre at all distances.

And then there are reversed tessar types (cemented doublet faces the subject) made for photomacrography.

Examples: 100/6.3 Reichert Neupolar (n.b., the 50/3.5 is a triplet). B&L f/4.5 and f/6.3 MicroTessars, also engraved "Macro."

The original poster's lens sounds like a pedestrian 105/4.5 lens from a relatively high grade pocketable folder. Lousy closeup until proven otherwise.

Cheers,

Dan

Ole Tjugen
13-Mar-2007, 16:22
Dan, that was sort of my point: The Tessars tend to be optimised for one reproduction ratio, and tend to do a very good job there. Once you move out of that range, just about any other lens will do better. I would even recommend a cheap 105mm triplet off a cheap 6x9 folder over a very good Tessar off a very good folder, if the purpose is to use it for macro photography on 4x5" film!

The repro and macro Tessars of this age from Carl Zeiss Jena were all APO-Tessar f:9 - so that's definitely out.

I would recommend that the OP starts looking for a 150mm lens of just about any age and manufacture. Chances are that a 150mm lens will be a LF lens, optimised for infinity(ish) on 4x5" film. There are some very few 105mm wide-angle lenses for 4x5" (or 9x12cm) film, but they are very rare and turn up for sale even more rarely. If you ever come across a Steinheil Orthostigmat Serie E No. 2, that's one of the three that I know of. :)

bunster0
13-Mar-2007, 21:42
this lens is mounted on a "f" Decken-Munchen Compur shutter any idea what size opening it mounts in? this lens may be a bummer but the lens board may be worth what I can buy it for especially if its a copal #0