Modifying a Wollensak Velostigmat 7 1/2" for Soft Focus

[Jim Galli]

The smaller Wollensak Velostigmat Series II lenses are ubiquitous and cheap.

classic rear quarter wedge

Earlier today I carefully modified a 7 1/2" Series II, and at sundown I banged out a set of images to see the results. They are here. Take a look if you're interested.

The Series II was in an Alphax 3 shutter so that makes it easy to use on 4X5. I installed a spacer behind the front most glass, but not so much that the crown sticks out beyond the barrel, and I also added space where the rear glass in the front group goes in. About 2mm total I think. Everything fit in the shutter as before without any clearance issues.

[Mark Sawyer]

A lovely set of images. Just enough softness to transform gelatin into butter...

Wollensak's are such wonderful lenses, especially in the hands of someone who works comfortably with them. If they were rare, they'd be out of reach, but so many were made, we take them for granted. And if you play with the spacing, they'll still surprise you!

[gevalia]

Jim, what did you use as a spacer? Can you explain your process a bit more? I have this same lens in an Alphax shutter and I'd love to use it in portraits. Sadly when wide open, It's far to dreamy(?) for my liking to use in portraits. But you're getting something close to what I would like to see.

[JeRuFo]

Very impressive. I think you are about spot on in comparing it with a heliar. It might even be a little less soft. Beautiful rendering.

[Shen45]

I second the request for detailed images and reams of detailed instructions. You know you want to Jim Well we want you to. I have the same lens in a Rapax but should be doable ??

Steve

[goamules]

Great series, and no, I'm never tired of old Fords!

[jp]

Looks great. There are plenty of curvy cars to shoot, and just after sundown is a great time to get smooth rich tones. Reminds me of a softish triplet probably because I haven't used heliars yet.

Now gotta try it for some portraits and harder daylight use, just to make sure it's not a one-trick-pony of a lens.

[Randy]

My 8 1/4" f/4.5 in Betax #4 does not say "Series II" on it. Is it a different (older) model/design than the Series II? Will have to experiment.

[Jim Galli]

Thanks for all the responses.

A little more about the spacing. The front of the lens barrel is threaded where the name plate is at. You have to find something the right diameter that will fit inside the barrel and contact this ring without touching the glass. Then you'll need something like an old piece of inner tube rubber to make a friction grip between the 2 surfaces. Getting that piece unscrewed is the most difficult part of the project. Try to resist the temptation to 'dig' into the front ring with an awl and get some mechanical advantage at the cost of future cosmetics.

The front glass will fall out the front when that is gone.

The spacer is made from .025 solder. Cut a piece and form it into the space where the glass fits in. The glass sits on top of the soft solder and the front is reassembled.

At the rear you simply take off the retainer and wait for gravity to overcome the inevitable air lock by vacuum that is holding the glass from falling right out. When it's out, do the same thing with the .025 solder and re-assemble.

You've now introduced a 1.27 mm seperation between element 1 and element 2 in the front barrel. Same as what Wolly was giving you with the fuzz-u-lator (thanks for the word Mark) that could be unscrewed. That space is about equivalent to 1 full turn on a 20 tpi thread.

Of course your lens is now dedicated to that effect whatever you get. You can't turn it back like the bigger lenses can do.

It's a couple of hours of fiddling, so if someone were going to be paid a fair rate to do it, it would cost more than these lenses generally sell for.

[William Whitaker]

Would be interesting to see the same image taken with the unmodified lens under the same lighting conditions.