Hi folks. First post. I recently purchased a Graflex century graphic 2x3 press camera that came with a 101mm Kodak Ektar lens. In addition, I purchased a Wollensak Raptar 75mm f/4.5 lens as a semi wide angle with Rapax shutter. Haven't received the Wollensak yet, but serial number is 652763. There is very little information I can find about this lens on the web (when it was made, optical quality, etc.). Does anyone have information or user experience with this lens? Thanks in advance, Greg.
Look here: http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/...llensak_3.html
Not a wide angle lens for 2x3, won't cover the format. By the name (Raptar), made no earlier than 1946, 'cos that's when Wollensak stopped calling lenses Velostigmats and started calling them Raptars.
I have the equivalent Velostigmat, in Rapax. It is not a very good lens. An obnoxious quibbler might say that it covers 2x3 because it is as soft in the corners as it is centrally from f/11 - f/22 (yes, I wasted film on it), but the key word here is soft.
Mine is NOS, still in the original little pasteboard box. I believe, with no information at all to support the belief, that it is a replacement lens for a 6x6 TLR. Against this, the catalog I directed you to says it covers only 71 mm, not enough for 6x6.
There were very few Rochester-made w/a lenses for 2x3 back then. 80/6.3 WF Ektar, 65/6.8 Raptar/Optar. From the rest of the world, 65/6.8 Angulon.
I hope you didn't pay much for your new treasure.
you might consider doing close up work with your lens
Thanks for the link Dan. Looks like I'll be sending the lens back, as it was advertised as covering 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 formats.
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