Is this worth anything?

[robbiemcclaran]

I have a brass Wollensak "Extra Rapid Symmetrical" lens for 8 x10. Shutter works, but several of the aperture blades seem to have come disconnected from whatever mechanism operates it. I don't know the first thing about lens repair and while I am reasonably handy with tools, I can see myself royally screwing this thing up trying to fix it. So the questions are:

Does anyone repair these old lenses?
Is it worth the expense of repairing it?

Thanks.

[Greg]

As long as nothing is broken, re-aligning aperture blades isn't really all that hard, it just demands a whole lot of patience. Try Googling instructions for re-aligning aperture blades. In the 1990s (remember Archie, Veronica?) found a text only, at the time, set of steps/directions for re-aligning aperture blades... took me a try or two as I remember to get the hang of it, but in the end was able to re-align the aperture blades in my 12' Wollensack. Well worth the effort. Your Wollensack "Extra Rapid Symmetrical" optic is well worth the time and effort.

[pepeguitarra]

As long as nothing is broken, re-aligning aperture blades isn't really all that hard, it just demands a whole lot of patience. Try Googling instructions for re-aligning aperture blades. In the 1990s (remember Archie, Veronica?) found a text only, at the time, set of steps/directions for re-aligning aperture blades... took me a try or two as I remember to get the hang of it, but in the end was able to re-align the aperture blades in my 12' Wollensack. Well worth the effort. Your Wollensack "Extra Rapid Symmetrical" optic is well worth the time and effort.

I have the same lens with the same problem. I got it to put it on my restored old camera. I am interested in finding out the value. I opened it and tried to adjust, clean, but I could not/ have not patience. I paid about $20 for it, and I hate to pay $100 for the repair.

[Mike in NY]

A lens and its shutter are a "packaged deal." In my opinion, a nice lens in a dysfunctional or unreliable shutter is all but worthless. But a nice lens in a CLA'd (Cleaned, Lubricated, Adjusted) shutter, even a very old one, can be a valuable piece of photographic equipment. I am very handy, and had an expendable shutter whose blades needed to be reset. I knew exactly whom to send it to, but decided, as a free experiment, to try it myself with my precision tools. Suffice it to say, I was not successful. My hands were not steady enough, my eyesight was not focused enough, and I didn't have a manual or shutter diagram for what I was doing. So the sequence of disassembling and reassembling all the parts got out of hand, especially when I turned the shutter over and a tiny screw fell out of - where - I don't know.

So, I wouldn't buy a lens in a vintage or antique shutter without assuming the shutter needs servicing for $100 or more, in order to make the lens useful. Is it worth about $100 to you to CLA the shutter? Only you can answer that. But to help you decide, compare the ~$100 CLA of your shutter to the cost of a modern 8x10 lens in a modern accurate shutter that sells for many times the amount you paid. Of course, modern lenses and shutters have advantages over vintages lenses - and potentially disadvantages, but I would digress into the personality of a lens if I went there. I won't for now.

[robbiemcclaran]

A lens and its shutter are a "packaged deal." In my opinion, a nice lens in a dysfunctional or unreliable shutter is all but worthless. But a nice lens in a CLA'd (Cleaned, Lubricated, Adjusted) shutter, even a very old one, can be a valuable piece of photographic equipment. I am very handy, and had an expendable shutter whose blades needed to be reset. I knew exactly whom to send it to, but decided, as a free experiment, to try it myself with my precision tools. Suffice it to say, I was not successful. My hands were not steady enough, my eyesight was not focused enough, and I didn't have a manual or shutter diagram for what I was doing. So the sequence of disassembling and reassembling all the parts got out of hand, especially when I turned the shutter over and a tiny screw fell out of - where - I don't know.

So, I wouldn't buy a lens in a vintage or antique shutter without assuming the shutter needs servicing for $100 or more, in order to make the lens useful. Is it worth about $100 to you to CLA the shutter? Only you can answer that. But to help you decide, compare the ~$100 CLA of your shutter to the cost of a modern 8x10 lens in a modern accurate shutter that sells for many times the amount you paid. Of course, modern lenses and shutters have advantages over vintages lenses - and potentially disadvantages, but I would digress into the personality of a lens if I went there. I won't for now.

Just to clarify, the shutter works just fine. The aperture blades are the problem as they are not aligned and a couple of them have become detached. And like you sir, I have neither the patience, steady hands, or disassembly manual, so it's unlikely I would attempt the repair myself. So far googling "how to align aperture blades" instructions, as Greg suggested above, has not been a success. I can only imagine tiny screws, springs, ball bearings and various other parts bouncing across the not so pristine floor of my work space.

Also to clarify, the lens was a bonus prize when I purchased my 8 x 10 some 20 years ago. Since then it has been sitting in my cabinet waiting to be put back in action.

So my question, is this lens a desirable enough piece to send out for repair, or even, can it be repaired? Or should I just put on my desk as a combination paper weight / "conversation piece"? It certainly does look cool.

[Mike in NY]

I'm trying to make sure I understand your situation... the shutter blades are the problem, but they are part of the shutter, correct? So a CLA of the shutter would result in proper repositioning of the aperture blades.

[robbiemcclaran]

I'm trying to make sure I understand your situation... the shutter blades are the problem, but they are part of the shutter, correct? So a CLA of the shutter would result in proper repositioning of the aperture blades.

Sorry if I have confused you. Unless I am missing something, aperture blades and shutter blades are separate devices. The shutter blades function properly. The aperture blades are busted. A CLA may well be a good thing to do, but this lens will require a more significant repair to put the aperture back in good order.

[LabRat]

A tell-tale sign something was an issue in the past was the missing f scale... Might have been removed as someone maybe thought without the plate would think there was more "wiggle room" to free the stuck iris, and it seems like it was forced...

One would have to check the iris blades to see what they are made of first to determine if they can be flattened, and see if the pivots are still in place...this is the go/no go point... Some of the era's blades were made of rubber or materials that can stick together, and a no go, as they need to be smooth to operate...

I have some of these shutters (smaller) and not reliable with their consistent speed in general, and didn't respond to overhaul well at all, so not one I would trust in the field, so don't go bonkers on it... The Compur Compound is much better...

Maybe good as a display piece, but you might put a fixed WH stop in it to try it, but it won't be a miracle lens either, but have some fun with it...



Steve K

[pepeguitarra]

Sorry if I have confused you. Unless I am missing something, aperture blades and shutter blades are separate devices. The shutter blades function properly. The aperture blades are busted. A CLA may well be a good thing to do, but this lens will require a more significant repair to put the aperture back in good order.

In my case, the aperture blades are perfect, but the shutter blades are the ones sticking and not opening completely. But, trying to help, I put too much oil and the whole thing needs to be cleaned, dried, lubed and adjusted.

[paulbarden]

Sorry if I have confused you. Unless I am missing something, aperture blades and shutter blades are separate devices. The shutter blades function properly. The aperture blades are busted. A CLA may well be a good thing to do, but this lens will require a more significant repair to put the aperture back in good order.

I can see open holes in the ends of two of the displaced aperture blades. This suggests that there are rivets missing from those locations on the blades*, and the rivet posts are what locates the blades in the mechanism plate. Once the rivet posts break off the blades, it’s pretty much game over, even if the rivets are still inside the shutter somewhere. A repair on that level is not something you’d want to attempt yourself, and even a pro repair service might not be able to help.

*Ive repaired a Compur shutter that had a rivet come off one end of an aperture blade, and it was very tricky indeed (reassembling the blades is not for the faint of heart!). I’m not familiar with the design of your Wollensak shutter, so it’s possible that the blades do not have the pivot posts riveted to the blades, but are fixed to the mechanism plate instead. If that’s the case, it might be easier to reinstall them. However, I see quite a bit of distortion on the blades at the pivot point, which suggests the blades came out of place because somebody forced the aperture lever when it was stuck with oil or otherwise seized up. Distorted aperture blades are a nightmare to reinstall!