Lareg Format newbie looking for some advice :)

Hi everyone,

I'm new to both this forum and large format photography, so please excuse any newbie language or mistakes.

Having discovered a vintage brass Petzval style lens that belonged to my grandfather, I was hoping there would be an expert or two on this forum who could shed some light on it for me, as I can't seem to find much info online.

I have a few questions about the lens, and if any of you can help me in answering them I'd be hugely grateful.


1. What type of lens is this (Petzval, magic lanter etc) and how can I tell?

2. What camera would this be suitable for (full, half, quarter plate etc)?

3. How old would a lens like this be?

4. What sort of price is this kind of lens worth?

5. It was in a pretty grimey condition and I (perhaps foolishly) cleaned it and polished it up a bit. Would this have lessened it's value?


Below is a list of information about it, and I have attached some photos. Hope this helps.

• Brass construction
  
• Lens glass is all clean, and in very condition.
  
• Lens and mounting ring threads are in perfect and smooth working order.
  
• 'Tangent' focusing mechanism is well cleaned and running very smoothly.
  
• 65mm - width at far lens end
  
• 80mm - length (from mounting plate to end of lens when fully extended)
  
• 40mm - front and rear lens glass diameter
  
• 78mm - diameter of mounting plate
  
• 30mm(approx) - aperture/entrance pupil diameter

Attachment 91530

Many thanks! :)

The quick and dirty answer to a couple of your questions---in a dark room hold the rear of the lens up to a blank wall. Pointing the lens at a small lamp or even ponted out the window, fool with it until you can project an image on the wall. The focal length of your lens will be about the same as the distance from the wall (in inches or mm.) The format it will cover you can determine by the size of the projected image on the wall.

3. How old would a lens like this be?
Old enough to have voted for for McKinley

4. What sort of price is this kind of lens worth?
That depends on how good of a salesman you are.

5. It was in a pretty grimey condition and I (perhaps foolishly) cleaned it and polished it up a bit. Would this have lessened it's value?
Of course it did.

Hi John,

Many thanks for your post responding to my questions. Love how you tried to be funny with your answers. ;)

Thanks,

Mrdoodle