11x14 Lens Options?

[Scott Davis]

Great question Scott. I purchased a 600mm 24" Apo Germinar barrel lens from Kerry like you did, but it was quite a bit wider and shorter than my Apo Germinar. I ended up selling it when I found a 600mm Fuji C lens. The 30" Apo Germinar I have came from the factory in Copal #3 as a F14.5 optic and is much narrower and longer than the 24". If I am not mistaken, the 600mm Apo Germinar was an F9 design lens which could explain its difference. Your options may me limited to a Packard shutter or a black hat.

Well, over the weekend I managed to open up the barrel on that Apo-Germinar. After looking at it I suspect that it is one that cannot be mounted into a shutter. The design of the barrel is such that while the rear element can be separated from the front, the aperture mechanism is of a unit with the front element housing, and might well require too much engineering to remove and re-mount. I think in the new year that I'll send it up to Grimes along with the Ilex #5 and have them look it over. Might be able to front-mount the Ilex 5 or put a Packard on the front.

[fuegocito]

I'll add a couple more lens options that have not been mentioned, to begin with the wide end, a 9" Wollensak 11x14 Series IIIa Velostigmat EX WA. I have also used the 150mm Nikon SW on 11x14, but it had to be dead centered with zero movements. But my most used WA lens is the 240mm F/9 Computar. And my standard lens is the Caltar 508mm

[Kiwi7475]

I'll add a couple more lens options that have not been mentioned, to begin with the wide end, a 9" Wollensak 11x14 Series IIIa Velostigmat EX WA. I have also used the 150mm Nikon SW on 11x14, but it had to be dead centered with zero movements. But my most used WA lens is the 240mm F/9 Computar. And my standard lens is the Caltar 508mm

How much movement do you get with the 240mm Computar? Is it tight too?

[fuegocito]

How much movement do you get with the 240mm Computar? Is it tight too?

Fairly liberal amount of coverage, about 2-3 inches, really could be a bit more but I never really venture that far into the outer realm :P It being such a wide angle on 11x14, stopping down to F/22ish almost guarantee sharpness across the entire image. The most I do is if there is building and vertical lines needed to be straightened.

[Kiwi7475]

Fairly liberal amount of coverage, about 2-3 inches, really could be a bit more but I never really venture that far into the outer realm :P It being such a wide angle on 11x14, stopping down to F/22ish almost guarantee sharpness across the entire image. The most I do is if there is building and vertical lines needed to be straightened.

Got it, thank you!

[Michael Kadillak]

Fairly liberal amount of coverage, about 2-3 inches, really could be a bit more but I never really venture that far into the outer realm :P It being such a wide angle on 11x14, stopping down to F/22ish almost guarantee sharpness across the entire image. The most I do is if there is building and vertical lines needed to be straightened.

I have shot with my 240mm Computar on 11x14 recently and was surprised that I clipped the corners. Need to check it in more detail. I can't believe that the mounting in a Copal 3S shutter has any adverse effect to its coverage per se, so it could be: 1) I did not properly center the front lens board on the camera (ie had a bit of a rise the may be been exacerbated with a forward tilt) or 2) my UV filter on the lens could have restricted the coverage a bit? Thinking #1 is more likely. Will give it another go and see what happens.

[Kiwi7475]

I have shot with my 240mm Computar on 11x14 recently and was surprised that I clipped the corners. Need to check it in more detail. I can't believe that the mounting in a Copal 3S shutter has any adverse effect to its coverage per se, so it could be: 1) I did not properly center the front lens board on the camera (ie had a bit of a rise the may be been exacerbated with a forward tilt) or 2) my UV filter on the lens could have restricted the coverage a bit? Thinking #1 is more likely. Will give it another go and see what happens.

I find that a lot of these wide angle lenses that should cover 11x14 are limited by mechanical vignetting, ie it looks like it illuminates the GG but then you look from the corners of the GG and the aperture is obscured either by the front or the back of the lens. With such wide angles in 11x14 I always check all the corners. Sometimes I need to go to F64 just to avoid mechanical vignetting rather than for focusing purposes….

[Lachlan 717]

How much movement do you get with the 240mm Computar? Is it tight too?

Heaps of movement on my Kowa Graphic 240mm (barrel) on 7x17”. Impressive lens.

There are reports that not all GK’s offer the same IC, though.

This one doesn’t allow the front cell to be removed.

[FrancisF]

Quote from an ad for the lens:

GRAY'S EXTREME ANGLE PERISCOPE: "Is conceded to be superior to all Wide-Angle Lenses, both in illuminating power and angle of definition. They admit of the use of so large a diaphragm as f/10, which is sufficient for instantaneous views, and when stopped down,cover sharply an angle of 115 degrees.
No. 3. 4.2 inches covers 8x10
No. 5. 5.9 inches covers 11x14
No. 6. 7.1 inches covers 14x17
No. 7. 8.4 inches covers 16x20
No. 8. 10.0 inches covers 20x24

Sold between 1880 and 1890. Our museum has two framed 20x24 contact prints which I am 95% sure were made with the No. 8. The prints are truly impressive. Some rise was done with the front standard for one of the prints and there is no vignetting! I have been looking for a No. 6, No. 7, or a No. 8 for years with no luck.

Greg - could you provide a link to see the 20x24's in your museum?

[miloniro]

Here is an example with a Schneider Angulon 210mm f/6.8 lens, but only stopped down to f/32:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/miloni...7703102782191/
As you see with f/32 it is extremely soft in the corners.

Of course, the SA 210 f/8 covers everything perfectly.