I have a 22 inch with the only marking are Spencer Buffalo. It appears to be a projector lens, but this also seems long for this. I made one shot with a guess at it being about F10. The shot was made late in the evening the exposure of 1/20 with a focal plane shutter that seems slow at lower speeds. It was under exposed as I was expecting. The camera was 5x7 2D.
My questions are coverage, speed and worth of this lens.
Just saw one on the bay for $119.00.
Thanks for any help.
Jack
Just a reminder that, per guidelines, valuation questions are not allowed. Of course, discussion of the lens in other respects is welcome.
It's probably a Cooke triplet formula, although a few early Spencers were Petzvals. But at f/10, most of the Petzval signature (swirlies and curved field) will be gone. Coverage will probably be less than with most 22-inch lenses because the barrel will probably be long and narrow, (note the "probablies"), but you don't need much coverage angle with a 22-inch lens on a 5x7. (But you may need more bellows!) It will probably perform well at what it does: long, lightweight, slow barrel lens.
"I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."
The spencer lenses I've had with exception to the desirable Port-Land were both old graphic reproduction lenses and were dialyt formula like a goerz gotar etc. 4 glass 4 group. Both were very flare prone producing extremely flat images. Take good pics and put it on ebay and you'll know what it's worth in 7 days. It's not a lens anyone is laying awake nights dreaming of.
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