Anyone with a late coated 4¼" Raptar Wide Angle, question 4 U.

[Jim Galli]

I have received a perfect one in a box lot, coated, in a threaded barrel from some industrial application and would like to know what shutter Wollensak shipped them in when new. I figured "Rapax" but I've tried 2 different ones and the threads just don't quite match. The rapax thread is a hair...and I mean a hair...to big. The threads will sort of hold it in but it isn't correct at all. It is a US thread though. Ilex #1?? Doesn't make sense to put a Wollensak product in an Ilex shutter. So what is yours in? Epix if you have are better yet. TIA!!

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[Kevin Kemner]

Hi Jim,

While I don't now, I owned a very late version of the lens and it was indeed mounted in a rapax shutter. FWIW the lens was a real surprise. I bought it for almost nothing and ended up using it quite a bit for b&w work on 4x5. Enlarging to 16x20 was pretty good and really hard to tell the difference from some of my other lenses with more distinguisged pedigrees. One thing to look out for, the edge of focus falls off REAL fast. A couple degrees in from the from the circle of illumination. If you could find a used copal 0 or 00 I would think it would worth the investment of having it mounted.

Good Luck

KK

[John Kasaian]

Jim,

I don't have a lens like yours, but I do have a guess---have you tried a graphlex shutter like the ones that came with wollensak OEM lenses for Graphic cameras like the Speed and Crown? Just a thought.----Good Luck!

[Jim Galli]

Thanks John and Kevin. Yes, I tried the 135 Optar shutter which is the same as a Rapax and also another "blue" Rapax I have which should be the ones but not so. Sure is nice now that things are standardized. I may experiment with some teflon tape as suggested by Mr. CP Goerz over on Photo.net. Bit of a mystery. Tried the old Kodak Supematic too and no go.

[Darin Cozine]

Hiya Jim. You may remember I was looking for an Ilex #1 a month or two ago for a 65mm ilex wide angle Paragon. I had noticed that the Rapax was a hair larger than the Ilex #1. I wrapped the threads in some teflon tape (plumbers) and the lens elements fit snug. Note that the rapax is also a bit slimmer than the Ilex #1 also. I havent invested in a caliper yet so I have not implemented a spacer.

I had mentioned this to CPG.. I dont know if he tried it yet. I still have the Ilex #1 Electronic Synchro. I can let you borrow it if you want to test out the elements. Maybee you can also find a suitable spacer. You can use the preview lever as bulb, or a 9v battery will open and close it. I dont know enough about electronics to build an electronic timer.

FYI, I also tried an old old Ilex #1 Universal, whch did not fit. I also tried a dial-set Ilex #1, which fit but it was a POS. I've been looking for the camera you suggested but I havent seen any with the mechanical Ilex #1 Synchro yet.

-Darin

[Bill Jefferson]

Jim, My book shows Raptor wide angle (4.25) 4 1/4 (108mm) Rapax Full Sync. coverage 5x7 angle 90.6 degrees. Hope this helps.

[Wenbiao Liang]

I guess it is probably late to reply this thread. But I just got hold of a 4 1/4 Wide Angle Raptar f12.5, it fits in a Supermatic shutter, a little bit loosely but fits, although cameraeccentic.com shows it should fit in a Betax #2, but I don't have one yet...

[Sven Schroder]

Hi Jim

If where looking at the F12.5 Raptar extreme W.A 108 , then I can confirm betax No 2 or equiv is what you need. The serial number is 71***4 a real minty one and came to me in England via Switzerland.
Regards

Sven