Live and learn: Old 9x12 folder with w/a lens

[jcoldslabs]

Dan,

Just a guess, really. That is a bit wide/overkill for 6.5x9, but I have seen (and even bought on one occasion) mis-labeled 9x12 cameras. Don't worry, I'm over that obsession now. These days I buy 8x10 cameras!

I'd have to check to be sure but just about every German 9x12 camera I own came with either a 15cm, 13.5cm or, in one case, a 12cm lens. An 8cm lens would be a rarity but not impossible, I suppose.

The aperture scale on the shutter seems to go to f/6.3, so if the lens is marked f/9 then someone may have put new cells in the existing shutter. Although there was a f/6.3 version of this lens:

http://photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/00RbKf


Jonathan

EDIT: The German auction site is dangerous for those who collect these cameras. I had to force myself to stay away from there for fear of going broke. My wife collects Wedgwood china and most of the good stuff, understandably, is in the UK. Often she pays more in shipping than she does for the merchandise.

[IanG]

The body shape of the smaller Patent Etui is slightly different in the proportions, so while the lenght & width are reduced compared to the 9x12 version the camera is still about the same thickness when folded.

This looks too thick to be a 9x12 see this one:



Here's the same camera compared to a German Rodenstock 9x12 camera



As has been pointed out already it would be extremely difficult to use a WA lens on a 9x12 Patent Etui as there's no way to position the front standard which has to lock to the front of the focus rail to function. Shortest lens used was a 135mm, the other option was a 150mm.

I've seen them mis labelled before on ebay.

Ian

[IanG]

The aperture scale on the shutter seems to go to f/6.3, so if the lens is marked f/9 then someone may have put new cells in the existing shutter. Although there was a f/6.3 version of this lens:

http://photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/00RbKf

The Meyer Gorlitz Weitweinkel Aristostigmat 8cm f/6.3 was as you say originally an f9 lens at some point both versions were available after the introduction of the f6.3 version in the 1930's. In the UK A.O.Roth the Hugo Meyer distributors sold the lens in a Compur shutter. This WA lens was used on some 9x12 cameras which had interchangeable lenses.

There was a 9x12 Edelweiss camera listed for sale on this forum a couple of years ago with a 135mm Standard Tessar and the Meyeyer WA.

However definitely not an original lens you'd fit to a 9x12 Patent Etui let alone a 6.5x9.

One major problem with Patent Etui's is that many modern lenses just won't fit and allow the body to close up. I've searched for 3 or 4 years for a post WWII coated lens that will fit to use on my second 9x12. The camera folds so thin even a 150mm G Claron's to big, at last I think I've found a lens that will probably work, a 150mm f6.3 MC Geronar, the samllest 150mm made (after WWII).

This maybe why the previous owner of the Patent Etui discussed here fitted the 80mm Meyer lens.

Having looked again at my second 9x12 I'm totally convinced the listed camera is a 6.5x9, the bulge for the lens is slight on the 9x12 the one here is pronounced.

Ian