Wollensak 10" Veritar - Age

[Rory_3532]

I've purchased a Wollensak f6 10" Veritar. It's in extraordinay condition and built like a tank. Does anyone know how I can find out when it was manufactured? The serial number is C27197. Is there any info out there about coverage?

I want to use the lens on an Arca Swiss 4x5 camera. The lens is currently mounted on a Linhof Technica board. Apart from the option of buying an Arca-Swiss to Linhof adaptor, if I want to mount it on a standard Arca-Swiss board I assume that I just take the board to a machinist and have him punch an appropriately sized hole in it and screw on the flange. Is there anything more to it?

[Rory_3532]

Also, thanks to those who responded to my question, a few days ago, about soft focus lenses. The responses helped me make the decision to purchase this lens.

[jnantz]

rory -

i am not sure about the date of manufacture, but the 10" was originally marketed for 5x7. you will have a ton of coverage for 4x5 and i have used it on a 5x7 with a fair amount of coverage too.

congratulations!

you have a really nice lens

( i liked mine so much i got a 14" too :) )

- john

[Rory_3532]

John,

They gave me a photocopy of a page from an old Burke and James catalogue that shows two Veritar lenses, a 10" for 5x7 and a 14" for 8x10. The former was priced at $137.50 barrrel mount and $175 Alphax Sychro (which is what I have). The latter was $222 barrel mount and $228 Alphax Synchro.

Given that the lens is currently on a Linhof Technika board, wich does not appear to have been altered, it has now entered my thick head that maybe the lens can be mounted on a normal Copal board without mucking around with the size of the hole.

Do you know if I can mount the lens in a modern shutter and thereby get a better range of shutter speeds?

By the way, the store had an earlier Wollensak, 16" with f3.5. It was a monster.

[Mark Sampson]

Assuming the lens is already in a shutter, (Alphax? Ilex #3?) any good repair shop can tell you what the compatibility wooud be. They might even be able to sell you a pre-drilled board. Assembling a lens onto its board is usually no problem, although a spanner wrench is a good thing to have. Try talking to SK Grimes or Frank Marshman at Camera Wiz, I'm sure there are many others.

[jnantz]

rory:

i have my 10" on a speed graphic board. i never thought about changing the shutter from the alphax to something more modern. mine works fine, but i can see why you would want to have some faster shutter speeds. when i am shooting with lights ( sometimes an the 5x7, sometimes on the 4x5 ) , i am able to shoot wide open, and when outdoors i usually have it on the speed graphic so i have a shutter that can run as fast as 1/1000s with the alphax on "b or t".

for the 14" i had to have sk grimes make me a special lensboard since the shutter was too big for my tiny lensboards that the 5x7 i use has .... :)

i can only imagine how big the 16" must have been, i have a vitax and verito ( both 14" lenses) and they are HUGE!

if you want, i can send you a pdf of the instructions i have with the lens. contact me off-board if you want me to send it to you:) ... it has info on the lens, lighting diagrams &c...

- john

[Ernest Purdum]

The shutter furnished with the 10" f6 Veritar was an Alphax #4, which is larger than the modern shutters. Slower film and/or neutral density filters might reduce your need for faster shutter speeds. The mounting hole needed is also larger than that of the Copal.