Wollensakers! What is your favorite Wollensak?

[Peter Gomena]

I owned a 13/20/25.5" convertible, I think a Raptar, for the 8x10" Korona I once owned. Chunky and heavy, but a good optic. The 13" (combined) and 19" rear component worked very well. The 25.5" (front) component was maybe a bit soft, but it was so hard to use it with my shaky old camera that I'm pretty sure it was my fault. I miss the sound of the big shutter it was in.

Not LF, but I own a 1950s Graflex Ciro 35mm with a 50mm f/3.5 Wolly lens. Lens is darned sharp, probably a tessar.

[Chauncey Walden]

Had more than I thought I did:
4 1/4 inch (108mm) f/12.5 Extreme Wide Angle an oldie but goodie on 5x7
6 1/4 inch (159mm) f/12.5 Extreme Wide Angle ~1945 excellent lens on 8x10
8 1/4 inch (210mm) f/11 5x7 Rapid Rectilinear ~1901 hard to find a bad RR
10 inch (254mm) f/5 Vesta ~1909 sharpens rapidly from wide open
10 1/4 inch (260mm) f/10 APO-Raptar ~1956 uber sharp!
13/20/25 1/2 inch (330/508/648mm) Raptar 1a triple convertible ~1954 wonderful lens, the 25 inch is especially sharp (sorry Peter)
15 inch (380mm) f/5.6 TeleRaptar ~1943 great long lens on a Speed Graphic

[Jim Galli]

So many Wolly's, so little time. Most successful images with a single wolly goes to the 18" Verito.

[Carsten Wolff]

+1 with Jim on that sentiment; I honestly couldn't say that I have A favourite; all of the ones I kept I did keep for a reason and may I include even my old (Wollensak-made) Conley V. Recently, I got e.g. a lot of enjoyment out of my 15" f5.6 tele, which I use as a general and portrait lens on 5x7", but I also like the wides; opening the max apertures may sound like butchery and there is a reason why Wollensak restricted the max aperture in the first place, but I have recently rediscovered the originally rather dim 104 and the 159......at ~f/6.5 on the GG. Go Wolly!

[Darryl Baird]

late to the party, but my 9-1/2 Velostigmat Series II is the most utilitarian lens I've owned, with the fuzzolater removed I have oodles of soft goodness, and stopped down it's VERY SHARP, and it handles macro work with ease with it's fast 4.5 aperture

[jnantz]

i love my velostigmat 1a triple convertible ( 13-20-25 )
it is a sweet lens and has HUGE coverage
( thanks john, you told me about it !! )
the other V's i have are pretty fun too

[benrains]

Their whole Vesta line, but especially the Vesta 14" for 8x10 and 5x7.

[Fotoguy20d]

Their whole Vesta line, but especially the Vesta 14" for 8x10 and 5x7.

I have a Thornward labelled 14" Vesta coming tomorrow - looking forward to trying it out. I have Velostigmat IIs in 7", 8", 9" and 12" (all but the 12 have some fractional length above what I mention) - all very nice, even without soft focus, or maybe because they lack it. With apologies to the soft focus fans, I've never developed an appreciation for the Verito (I have a 7" in Studio shutter).
Dan

[Roger Thoms]

Totally love my 10 inch Veritar. Lovely soft focus images, especially portraits.

Any chance you could post some images.

Roger

[desertrat]

8X10 Series I Velostigmat in a pneumatic shutter. More than sharp enough for contact prints and lots of coverage. Prior to 1908 this lens was called the Royal Anastigmat. Different design than the IA, which came later.