Ok, how bad is it?

[gth]

Went to Camera "swap" meet today. More like a Camera fleamarket...

Ok, so tell me how stupid I am. :o

This was the haul:

Wollensak Enlarging Raptar, 182 mm f/4.5. No shutter. No mounting flange. $10.00
Glass is clean. Looks perfect. Man that is one nice aperture, perfectly round. Will cover what?

Film
Box of 50 4x5 Ektachrome 100 plus 01/2005
Box of 50 4x5 Fuji CDU Type II 2000/7. It's duplicating film. Meant to grab another box but somehow got into the stack of duplicating film... I guess I use it for film loading training.
2 boxes of 20 each Kodak E100 Ektachrome Readyload 03/2009
Box of 20 rolls Fujicolor Pro 160 135/36 10/2007
Box of 20 rolls of Kodak Portra 400VC 220 rolls 09/2007 (For Konica 100/220 back)

Total Film $150

1 Polaroid 545 Film holder $10

5 clean 4x5 film holders Lisco Regal $20

1 Polaroid 103 $5.00

1 Polaroid MiniPortrait (1-4 portraits on one print) with 2 Polaroid pack film backs $40. It's made out of metal... who knew...

What I really want t know what I can do with the Wollensak Raptar. ANy ideas for shutter?

Please not that I am a newbie to 4x5 so having some weird film to destroy does not bother me too much... still, would be nice if there was a theoretical chance...

[John Kasaian]

Is that a 182 or a 162 Wolly? The 162 is a pretty nice enlarger lens for 4x5---it has a Weegee kind of thing goin' on (at least mine did!) Try shooting it with a "hat" and let us know what happens!

I like Lisco Regals so if they are light tight and clean I'd say you got a good deal on them.

I'm not sure about the rest of the stuff. If you're new to the game, spend your time in the field with your camera, not at swap meets. :)

[gth]

yes, it's a 162. Sorry! I've read up a bit about Wollensak Enlarging Raptars and generally it's not good. I'd like to find out if it will cover 4x5 well.

Good advice otherwise... and that includes ebay!!! Film purchases ONLY for a while!

/gth

[BradS]

Are you thinking of using it as a camera lens? As an enlarger lens , yes. I t is intended to be used with 4x5.

I have had a few. I use them on the enlarger but, also put one on a speed graphic for fun once. It definitely covers 4x5 as a taking lens. It has the typical Wollensak Velostigmat / Raptar look - sharp, very nice bokeh and with a subtle glow. It is an excellent lens in my mind.

[gth]

Thanks Brad,

It will be a camera lens for 4x5. Thanks for the input.

/gth

[Lynn Jones]

Hi gth

I've used just about every kind of enlarging lens in the last 6 decades. I've seen quite a number of famous label lenses that were "variable" in quality but every Enlarging Raptar (4 element tessar type) that I have used was excellent. I was a member of the team that created the 11 Computar dl enlarging lenses, several of which had no peer. One of the surprises was how mediocre most enlarging lenses were (1970's) when we tested all of the well knowns. The positive surprise was that the Enlarging Ektars (5 element Heliar/Pentak type), 50mm and 75mm created for the Kodak Precision A enlargers, designed in the late '40's were among the world's best. My suggestions included the 55mm f1.9 (floating element), the 2 varifocals, and the 30mm retro focus.

Lynn

[Carsten Wolff]

I had one of those 162mm Enlarging Raptars once. I just unscrewed the cells from the barrel and they went straight into a #3 Alphax, or Betax shutter (~45mm inner opening) from memory. Very nice & bright, Tessar-type lenses and good on a 4x5 camera, as Brad and Lynn already pointed out.

[gth]

Thanks everyone for the great info!!

/gth

[Jan Pedersen]

It will even cover 5x7, i used the 162 enlarging lens on 5x7 for a while.

[gth]

Ok, it gets worse:

How about a Kodak Enlarging EKTANON f/4.5 161 mm.

Aperture operational but very stiff. Has Retaining ring.

Worth fixing?

Recommended shutter?