Is Wistar-W 210 f5.6 a Sironar-N 210/5.6?

[alfredian]

Hello - I have a Wistar-W 210/5.6 on the way. ePhotos show a "Rodenstock Quality Seal" sticker on the Copal assembly. Did Rodenstock make the lens, then badge it as a "Wistar-W"? comes on a Wista board, Wistar screw-in lens cap. I'm guessing it is a Sironar-N 210 at heart. Any knowledge or lore appreciated - alfredian

[Oren Grad]

No, I don't think so. The specifications of the Wistar-W are different from those of the Sironar-N. Also, at least per the Wista literature I have, the Wistar-W was supplied in Copal Press shutter. I found the picture of your lens on eBay - I'd guess that most likely someone has swapped the cells into a shutter that was previously used for a Rodenstock lens.

EDIT: From the looks of it, I'd guess it's much more likely to be a rebadged LF Topcor, the same as the one that was offered by Horseman for a while.

[Bob Salomon]

No. Wista did sell a lot of Nikor lenses though.

[alfredian]

Thanks all - I had a thought that the Rodenstock sticker was unique to the shutter assembly. I know Wistar had shopped out actual manufacture to Topcor & Nikon at various times. I have Topcor 180 & Nikkor-W 180 & 210 for comparison. The seller did not provide angle-on views of the front element - the size & curvature can be clues. --alfredian

[thornhill]

Hi.

I'm pretty sure they were made by Yamasaki Optical. Possibly also known as a Congo Alto-W.

I picked up one of the 180mm variety and I hope to get some use out of it come spring.

Search around, there's more info available; some PDF's were put online by Dan Fromm (I think) and also Pacific Rim Camera.

[Dan Fromm]

I don't think I put up anything about Wistars.

[thornhill]

I don't think I put up anything about Wistars.

Perhaps I have the wrong person.

Some kind soul made available a lot of useful information in "Where to look

for information on lenses (primarily large format)?". This included links with

company brochures including, among many others, "Congo Lenses". (Congo aka Wistar aka Topcon

aka Yamasaki and so on)

There's a lot of great info at that source but if I've given credit where credit wasn't due then

apologies are in order.

Derek

[Dan Fromm]

That's my work, but I didn't identify Wistars' maker(s). Yamasaki, until proven otherwise, is just a guess. Topcon and Nikon are much more likely but are also guesses.

Yamasaki sold lenses engraved with names to suit their customers' requirements. Years ago I bought a 210 Prinz lens, asked Yamasaki whether they'd made it. They replied that they had. Their own brand was Congo.

[B.S.Kumar]

Most Wistar lenses I've seen appear to be identical in shape and size to the equivalent Nikon lenses. They were usually supplied in shutters marked "Copal Press for Wista". These shutters had two cable release sockets one for operating the shutter and the other for a cable that connected to the back of Wista cameras. The shutter closed automatically when a film holder was inserted.

Kumar