I shoot portraits on a 1944 8x10 Ansco Studio No. 5 that uses 9" lens boards. I've just bought and am awaiting delivery of a Voigtlander Heliar 4.5/360mm. The lens is apparently in excellent condition with no cleaning marks, separation, haze, fungus, or scratches. The cosmetic condition is also excellent. Zbyszek Marczewski in Chicago is making a new lens board for me and Reno Farinelli at the Packard Shutter Company in Fiddletown, CA is building a new 4" No. 6 shutter that I'll attach to the back of the lens board.
My inquiry on this forum is whether anyone has experience shooting the original 1900 patent Voigtlander Heliars. I've read the history, and I am aware that a second patent was secured in 1902 that changed the lens from a symmetrical to an asymmetrical design. But in spite of the fact that my lens is Serial No. 97993, which dates it right at the very end of 1907, The D.R.P. (German Patent Number) is 124934, which is the original 1900 patent. That leads me to believe that the lens I have purchased is the symmetrical design from the original patent.
I have read that the asymmetrical design was considered an improvement over the original design because it reduced the coma and Petzval sum. That's fine, but I'd love to hear from those of you out there who have actually made photographs with a D.R.P. 124934 Voigtlander Heliar who could tell me what qualities they found in them. It would also be great to see some images. I'd be happy to read any other thoughts you would like to share on the early Voigtlander Heliars.
I've read this forum for a while, but I just joined and this is my first post. I'm glad to be here.
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