Difference between Wolly 90 mm lenses?

[Shen45]

Does anyone know what if anything is the differences between the Extreme Wide Angle Anastigmat f/12.5 90mm and the 90mm f6.8 [Both Wollensak]

Are they different designs? Which was first? Were they sold along side each other for different tasks?

Any other info would be appreciated.

Steve

[jnantz]

hi steve

this thread might help ...
there are a few other wollensak threads too ...

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=12785

[monkeymon]

I have wondered this myself, i think the diffrence is that the f12.5 version has more coverage, and what i have heard, it opens up to about the same f6.8 for focusing. I have seen some fotos of this, when it's set to f12.5 you can see the aperture blades.

[Ernest Purdum]

They are quite different designs. The f12.5 goes way back. It originally was handicapped because of reflections from its eight air-to-glass surfaces, but with coating, that problem became relatively insignificant. There is also a slightly older f9.5 version. It is a more elaborate design, four achromats, and its only advantage over the f12.5 seems to be the slightly larger aperture. Curiously, sometimes Wollensak listed only one of these, sometimes the other.

The f6.8 doesn't have the excess coverage (on 4X5) of the f12.5 and f9.5 versions. It seems to have been intended as a wide angle lens for "press" cameras with limited movements. It is well-suited for that purpose, while the f12.5 serves well as a field camera lens, especially for backpackers and/or the impecunious.