Hypergon(e)!

[Steven Tribe]

Perhaps an amusing item from last weeks UK auctions?

This was a very mixed lot, with an apparently complete early camera and a couple of plate holders.
Plus a lot of old lenses that that a buff had collected during a long lifetime. Some newer cameras and some stereoscopic gear, including a T-P stereoscopic shutter and what looked like a landscape meniscus stereo set of lenses. Finally, a diverse selection of backs/plate holders of some age but of unknown sizes.

There was originally an average description of the lenses. The auctioneer couldn't fathom the Scoville lens with the SMC trademark which became a "CM" lens!

The final photo had a surprise. Right in the middle was a very dirty Hypergon with no engraving visible.
This hadn't been described in the text and was not on view in any other of the photos. It made the lot somewhat more interesting. I asked the right question about the lenses but didn't ask about the Hypergon, of course. The answers eventually appeared as a modified description. Just before the auction, someone must have asked about it and some of the other interesting lenses. The further adjustment to the description came a few hours before the auction - pointing out missing lenses on some of the more interesting items and that "the fish eye lens with the yellow label has a crack"!

So bidding amongst the 25 watchers was slightly more restrained than expected. But the whole process was very entertaining!

[Corran]

So it had a crack? Probably not great for use if so.

It seems like these Hypergons are making their way to dealers, who are then sticking them on eBay for ridiculous sums and they languish. I would love to shoot with one...but not at those prices.

I've also seen a number of them in the hands of collectors who have them sitting on the shelf, many who don't even own a LF camera...even seen someone adapt one to a DSLR. What joy, a ridiculously slow 90mm lens, using 1/10 of the image circle!

[Steven Tribe]

A lens crack in the very thin hemispherical lens means the end of it's useful life, I think.

The other lenses were in somewhat doubtful condition too, so he collected from the bargain basement perhaps? I often do much the same thing, but they must be capable of being used - in spite of having flaws.

[Lightbender]

The problem with collecting lenses with"flaws" is that they tend to stick around. I have a chipped super angulon, a 50mm macro Zuiko f2 with a smidge on the rear element, a Sonar 8.5cm f2 in mint condition except for the rear element is separated.
Things like this are very hard to sell for even a fraction of what they are worth. So they tend to build up in the collection.

[Lightbender]

I wonder who ended up with the hypergon?

[jnantz]

no fan ?
seems like the only use to that lens would be to a steam punk

[Dan Fromm]

John, Goerz sold Hypergons without fan to cover 110 degrees. See https://www.cameraquest.com/hyper.htm

The fan was a mechanical center filter.

[Pere Casals]

... it's amazing that by 1914 there was a 75mm for 8x10, (with spinning star CF !!!) and a century later we only have 120mm...

[jnantz]

John, Goerz sold Hypergons without fan to cover 110 degrees. See https://www.cameraquest.com/hyper.htm

The fan was a mechanical center filter.

hi dan, i forgot they sold some without the fan ! thanks for reminding me

i always wanted to see one inaction with someone spinning it .
seems like a "has to be just right" kind of spin to fast is useless to slow useless ...

[Mark Sampson]

I suspect that when shooting interiors your exposure would have been so long that how fast (or long) you spun the fan wouldn't be critical. In daylight, who knows? Some practice would be required. Development by inspection and printing-out papers made exposure accuracy less critical back then, too. I'd be interested to make some pictures with a Hypergon- I wonder if anyone today is actively using one? The only modern photo made with one, that I have seen, is on Glennview's site. Might be a challenge to go beyond the novelty part of it- but I'd be up for that.