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I have been watching this lens for a long time now... and I am curious.
engraving: Portrait-Objektiv Ia 1:2,3 F=20cm D.R.G.M.A Voigtländer & Sohn Braunschweig
any of you experts know about it?
the price must be too high as it has been sitting for sale for a couple of years now....
(1400€ . c1 1900$)
I'm pretty sure it's a Voigtlander Petzval Portrait with a unique iris." Not Soft focus Just a fast Petzval". If you look you can see the F stops on the silver unique iris device.Quote:
Originally Posted by gandolfi
That's my 2 cents.
The Ia was listed from around 1901 to 1914.
Biggest difference from the series I is the barrel, rather than sleeve, design and the increased speed (from 3.2 to 2.3). From illustrations, the distance between the rear pair has been increased.
Only made in 5 sizes, 8cm - 30cm. 20cm is no.4. Sold for cine applications in the smaller sizes.
Sold with Waterhouse stops (4 only) or the usual iris. This unique F control is not shown in Voigtländer books, but must from Voigtländer (no slot to be seen!).
This lens is the infamous "Zincken-Sommer" lens.
During 1870, Mathematician and Composer, Hans Friedrich August Zincke genannt Sommer*, step-son of Friedrich Voigtlander, was in charge of lens design for the Voigtlander firm, and created a Petzval variation that featured a fast F/2.3** aperture. However, the lens wasn't actually produced until 1900. Some time in 1900, Dr. Hans Harting, technical director for the Voigtlander firm at that time, "tweaked" the Zincken-Sommer design, manufactured the lens and it was advertised as suitable for cine work and "weak light" studio photography. It is known as the Voigtlander Series Ia Portrait Lens.
*Zincken is also found referenced as "Zincke," "Zinken" and sometimes published with and without Sommer. He also known as Hans Sommer.
** The actual speed of the lens appears to be F/2.37 to F/2.4, but was advertised as a F/2.3 lens.
Dan
cool - thanks.
So the description as "soft focus" is wrong....
I think I am going to tell the compagny.
(Still would like to own it.. or just try it.)
Emil, they could argue that it can be called a soft lens because of the out-of-focus effects on plates bigger than what it was originally designed for!
Which some people here also believe!