ILEX-ACU-VERIWIDE-90mm-f-8

[graywolf]

Does any one have an opinion on the Ilex Acu-Veriwide 90mm f:8 wide angle lens?

I just bought this lens from the evil site. It is supposed to have a fresh CLA. I am thinking it is most likely in the category of the old 50's vintage Super Angulon, but am not sure. USA made. It is in a Compur shutter.

Mostly intend to use it with my Crown Graphic,ceratainly will not fold up inside the camera. Occasionally I will use it with with my Toyo 45G as well. I simply do not use the Toyo as much as I expected to when I bought it. Anyway that will give me a 90 & 135 on the Graphic and a 90 & 210 on the Toyo. Going to have to find a 90mm distance scale for the Graphic as well as a lensboard.

[Teodor Oprean]

It's probably the blue-color, single-coated, American-made counterpart to the Schneider Super Angulon of similar specs. It's probably a good lens, with the potential to exhibit flare in unfavourable lighting. I would use it with confidence for photographing interiors with indirect natural lighting. It will be easier to use this type of lens with a monorail and bag bellows.

[John Kasaian]

I wish I had one :)

[Dan Fromm]

Ilex's f/8 Super Angulon clones (47, 65, 90 mm) were sold under a variety of names. They're generally well regarded, claimed coverage is a silly degree greater than the equivalent f/8 SA. I have a 65 (probably) that shoots well and doesn't have flare problems. The 90 is the most common.

John, if you've got the money they're around.

[graywolf]

Thanks, it sounds like I got a real bargain at $140, if it is as described. Can hardly wait for it to arrive. I wonder if they used better paint on the lens edges than Schnieder did?

[Steve Goldstein]

The late Lynn Jones, who frequented this board, always claimed that this lens in its various incarnations was sharper than the Super-Angulon. As Dan mentions, the design was sold under several names. Some of these versions didn't have filter threads, but the Acu-Veriwide (at least the one I have) accepts standard 67mm filters. Mine is particularly interesting - it's in a Copal 1 shutter, not the usual Copal 0, and as best I can tell it's a factory job with very nicely machined adapters and proper aperture scales.

[John Kasaian]

FWIW I was at Freestyle last week and IIRC they had a big box of 67mm thread filters on close out---cheap! You'd have to call the retail store to find out what's left.

[Carsten Wolff]

Aside from aforementioned slightly higher proneness for flare when not properly shaded, I liked this lens enough that I ended up selling my equivalent SW-Nikkor after getting this lens: The Veriwide is, well, very wide, i.e. it has even more useful image circle. This was a consideration, as I like using 90mm glass in the 5x7" and 6x17cm formats. It seems to have excellent resolution and a pleasing contrast and isn't huge either. Mine has the (67mm) front filter thread and a Copal 0 shutter.

[graywolf]

Well the lens arrived today. Looks as good as the description said. Will have to get out an try it real soon now.

There is one problem. I can not attach a shutter release cable to it. Threads will not even start. It acts like the collar is smaller than the nipple on the release. Any ideas?

[Teodor Oprean]

Can you actuate the shutter by holding the tip of the cable release in the socket with one hand and operating the cable release as usual with the other hand? If the answer is yes, all you need to do is find some way of gluing a cable release to the socket. You could try a Nikon-style cable release which has a cylinder in place of a threaded cone as the tip.

[graywolf]

I think what I need is one of those skinny release cables from back in the 1950's. Closer examination shows that the collar on the lens is not stripped. I had some of those ole release cables around, but can not seem to find them now.

On the other hand, I probably can get buy without a cable release on this wide angle lens, as I will not be interacting with the subjects as I would with the 210. The long lever at the bottom of the lens in this photo is the shutter release.

127376

[morecfm]

The late Lynn Jones, who frequented this board, always claimed that this lens in its various incarnations was sharper than the Super-Angulon. As Dan mentions, the design was sold under several names. Some of these versions didn't have filter threads, but the Acu-Veriwide (at least the one I have) accepts standard 67mm filters. Mine is particularly interesting - it's in a Copal 1 shutter, not the usual Copal 0, and as best I can tell it's a factory job with very nicely machined adapters and proper aperture scales.

Mine's also in the Copal 1 shutter