huge voigtlander & sohn lens help

[kelzo]

Paul, thanks for the tip. I've been using this tiny snake light led flashlight for focusing with some set-ups I've done recently with my Graflex. The maglight might be a better idea--just take off the head and let it sit there like a candle. Pretty nifty.
That lens you have pictured is one of the cleanest looking old brass lenses I've ever seen! Can I ask where you got it?
Also, I found the front element in my big lens had come a little unscrewed during shipping and went ahead and finished the unscrewing to take a look and blow out some dust. I can tell you that there is a thin piece of glass laminated to a thicker piece up front but don't know offhand what the back element is made up of. Since there seems to be some debate here as to reflections, would looking at the elements separately help in deciding whether this is a petzval type or euryscop? I think the rear is one single piece of glass--could be laminated though. How did you clean yours after you opened it?

[kelzo]

BTW, have any of you seen THIS monster on eBay?? Just blows my mind every time I read the literature on it...

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/990...21426562QQrdZ1

[Ernest Purdum]

Since front and rear Petzval cells differ strongly, you will see very different results looking through one, then the other. If you get the same view through each cell, the lens is not a Petval.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Kelzo,

"Paul, thanks for the tip. I've been using this tiny snake light led flashlight for focusing with some set-ups I've done recently with my Graflex. The maglight might be a better idea--just take off the head and let it sit there like a candle. Pretty nifty."

The head unscrews and becomes the base/stand for an electric candle. If you use 4, front, back, left and right for interior shots you can focus down to f/64, they're very bright.

"That lens you have pictured is one of the cleanest looking old brass lenses I've ever seen! Can I ask where you got it?"

Ebay, where else? I also picked-up a 14inch Heliar that looks like it was machined this morning, it was dated 7 Sept, 1911 from the bit of newsprint they used as a shim around the aperture assm. They are out there if you look in all the wrong places for the wrong spelling. It also helps to cheat a bit.

"How did you clean yours after you opened it?"

Safe answer, dust it off with a soft camel hair brush then spray the Windex on a soft paper towel and wipe clean. Paper towels don't scratch glass, the grit under the towel scratches the glass.

[kelzo]

Ah, so I see I was on the right track when using a soft and otherwise unused make-up brush to dust mine off before putting that element back in. True, 'tis the chick's approach to what you did with the camel hair brush, but it's all the same in the end, right? haha
Now I have to open it back up and give both elements a good and proper cleaning. Thanks for all of your help! I'm sure I'll be all over this board in the coming months looking for more.....