Gundlach Manhattan Equal Diffusion lens

[BarryS]

Anyone ever heard of a Gundlach Manhattan Equal Diffusion lens? This example is an 18" f/4 lens and the seller claims it's a soft focus lens which sounds plausible given the name.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110403520325&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

It looks like it dates from the 20's at the end of the use of the Gundlach Manhattan name. The barrel looks like it might be aluminum and I don't think I've ever seen similar leatherette (or leather) covering. Any idea on the optical formula? Gundlach has a line of Hyperion Diffusion lenses listed in a catalog from 1910/1920 (at Camera Eccentric), so maybe this is the same design It mentions that the Hyperions are convertible, so maybe it's similar to a Verito design. The name sounds a bit like they were competing with Pinkham and Smith. Anyone ever use an Equal Diffusion or a Hyperion?

[Archphoto]

No idea at all, but this seller has some serious things on sale.....
He has a 3.5/135mm Carl Zeiss Planar Linhof for sale for $ 1340.- : are they that expensive ? I've got one.....

Thanks for posting and asking !!!

Peter

[Steve Hamley]

I have the 9" version of this lens and posted a picture of the custom mounted version (post #30) here:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=48349&page=3&highlight=hyperion

AFAIK, it's the same as the Gundlach Hyperion Diffusion, and although marked "Equal Diffusion", my 9" is a triple convertible with the same focal lengths as the Gundlach catalog lists for the Hyperion Diffusion.

The catalog lists the 18" as two 36" cells, which would explain the "equal" part although my 9" has very unequal FLs.

The 14" Hyperion Diffusion also uses a 36" cell. and I'd love to have another 36" cell.

BTW, there's a 9" on eBay at a grand more.

Cheers, Steve

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

The Hyperion/Equal Diffusion, P&S Visual Quality IV, Eidoscope, and Nicola Perscheid are all very similar simple designs: a pair of achromats. All of these are or can be triple convertibles although at least the ones I have used the front and rear elements are usually equal lengths. The Verito is a bit different, as it has a singlet in front which won't form an image.

I think the name "Hyperion" is great.