First year Heliar's

[codex0]

My favorite Heliar for film use is still the 1902 first version Heliar, and mine are from Braunschweig and inscribed with the German patent marking of "DRP 124934".

I also have a DRP 124934 - A 420mm, SN 110649. Too bad I don't have a camera big enough for it .

[Jim Galli]

I also have a DRP 124934 - A 420mm, SN 110649. Too bad I don't have a camera big enough for it .

Get one! The cameras are the easy part That's a gorgeous old lens.

[codex0]

Get one! The cameras are the easy part That's a gorgeous old lens.

I sure am tempted to, but I'm currently focusing on a smaller setup. I picked up a whole plate Empire State from the classified forum that I've been working on, just shot my first plates on that this last week.

[Tracy Storer]

OK, at present, I own 4 Heliars.

11.75" (ser#1224xx) and 14" (ser#678xx) both with US Pat # 716035 and integral-cast front lensshade.
42CM (ser#1907xx) and 60CM (ser#1970xx) "Braunschweig" lenses, no shades, and no patent #s showing.

I have used the 11.75" a good bit on 8"x10", and like it, I am just curious about 1900/1902/etc versions, variations. Anybody have some insights handy? There's an aweful lot written on the Heliar here and there, but I can't seem to find complete concise info all together to make sense of it all.

[cowanw]

From Dan's site
"According to Rudolph Kingslake's "History of the Photographic Lens," the reason for the update may have been that the first version suffered from excessive astigmatism and a large Petzval Sum (curvature of field). Others mention that coma was also quite pronounced in this design"
I happen to have the 14 inch length in both versions. I can't tell the difference; but then, I'm not very critical.

[Scott Davis]

I've got one of the 240mm Heliars in a Compound #5 shutter. It's the only Heliar I have. The flash sync on it exists and works, but is very intermittent. I had it overhauled once when I got it but I think that Grimes didn't actually fix the flash sync because it's still irregular. Anyone have a recommendation for who would service that big Compound shutter?

[Tracy Storer]

Anybody know off the top of their heads whether the center negative element is symmetrical?
I'm trying to decide whether mine is reversed?
All elements on this example were originally "rolled in" that is to say, crimped metal holds the elements in place. On close inspection, I've found my center element was removed at some point and is only held in place with friction. I don't want to monkey with it and risk damaging the remaining thin metal rim unless I can determine pretty certainly it's installed wrong. Looking at reflection sizes is not definitive, the curves are too close......

[Sevo]

mine is #84,440. In a rather fragile aluminium barrel, so I have never dared to take it apart.

[Tim Deming]

Anybody know off the top of their heads whether the center negative element is symmetrical?
I'm trying to decide whether mine is reversed?
All elements on this example were originally "rolled in" that is to say, crimped metal holds the elements in place. On close inspection, I've found my center element was removed at some point and is only held in place with friction. I don't want to monkey with it and risk damaging the remaining thin metal rim unless I can determine pretty certainly it's installed wrong. Looking at reflection sizes is not definitive, the curves are too close......

It's not symmetrical. I had a 36 cm heliar where the center element was reversed. I could not get sharp focus wide open. Reversing the center element solved the problem. The difference was quite easy to see on the gg.

Cheers

Tim

[Tracy Storer]

Thanks Tim, I decided to try reversing mine......performance suffered, so I put it back the way it was.
T

It's not symmetrical. I had a 36 cm heliar where the center element was reversed. I could not get sharp focus wide open. Reversing the center element solved the problem. The difference was quite easy to see on the gg.

Cheers

Tim