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View Full Version : Ilex Acu-Veriwide 90mm f/8



Steve Goldstein
18-Jan-2012, 05:24
A while ago I purchased the elements and aperture scales for one of these from a fellow forum member. All perfectly fit an old-style Copal 1, the kind with one arc-shaped scale mounted on the front and another scale on the side. It's a nice lens, and unlike its brother the Calumet Wide-Field, is threaded for 67mm filters.

Fast forward to today's morning eBay perusal. Amazing, there's an Acu-Veriwide with a serial number just 11 off from mine but in a Copal 0. Hmm, sez I, let's take a more careful look at that lens. Lo and behold, what I thought was just a very unusual barrel design for both cells is actually two parts - a pretty standard pair of tapered housings, each with a very nicely machined adapter attached. Remove the adapters and it fits a Copal 0!

Was the Copal 1 fitment a standard ex-factory option?

Andy Eads
19-Jan-2012, 18:15
It appears Ilex manufactured that lens under a few different names. It's a great lens no matter. I have one in a Seikosha shutter and I've seen them in Copal #0 as well. I suspect you have one with custom adapters.

Jason Greenberg Motamedi
19-Jan-2012, 19:30
Hi Steve,

I wish I could tell you something more about this history of that particular lens, but I can't. I thought that the adapters looked factory made, as they matched the coloring of the lens barrel, but why? I have no clue...

Steve Goldstein
19-Jan-2012, 20:48
No worries Jason, it's just one of those weird interesting things. The aperture scales certainly look factory, printed and not engraved. I just wonder why someone went to the trouble when a Copal 0 is smaller, lighter, and less expensive. Maybe Lynn will remember something about this oddity.

It's funny that it took me this long to realize they were adapters...