I'm beginning to switch from a DX camera to an FX (OK, not really-- 4x5 to 5x7), and need some advice on a few old lenses. I bought four to use on my Chamonix 045n, but as someone here told me, they are just too big and heavy. So, I bought a Gundlach Korona 5x7 with 4x5 back. It will hold just about anything, anything I can afford anyway. I bought the lenses to take family portraits (mostly family, a few individual.) I've been using uncoated Heliar 15cm, Tessar 165mm, and Dagor 240mm for this on 4x5, plus a quarter plate Petzval or two. Those lenses worked well, especially the Heliar.

The lenses I am wondering about are: (1) 1920s Wollensak 12 inch Velostigmat Betax 5, (2) Edward Wood 14 in. pillbox from 1854, (3) Voigtlander 8 in. Petzval from 1848, (4) Voigtlander Petzval from 1865 (tube is at machine shop getting flange made, but the rear element glass is roughly 2.25 in. diameter.) I'm just not sure about 5x7 coverage for family portraits (usually 3-5 people,) and if either of the Petzvals will be useful for individual portraits (do have a 4x5 back for the camera.)
--->What format were the 8 in. Petzvals designed for?

I'd really like a 300mm Heliar, but those in shutter cost a small fortune. I might end up getting one next spring, I don't know. Love those Heliars! I thought about having SK Grimes make an adapter for a 300mm barrel Heliar for my Betax 5, but I've not seen anything online that suggests that's possible. My other thought is to buy a longer nice old (1860s) Petzval that's more like 10 or 12 in., but might have trouble mounting something like that on my 4.25 inch lens boards. The really nice 12 inch Petzvals also seem to be priced at a higher "altitude" than I'm willing to spring for. A long Wollensak Vesta with built in shutter might work for me.

While I'm at it, now for a final question. The Korona does have a Packard shutter (which works but I haven't tried it yet.) It will give 1/25s. However, even using Efke 25 film with the f3.5 Petzvals, that's not fast enough. If I stop the Petzvals down it will slow them of course, but then I lose a lot of the Petzval charecter. Has anyone tried using an ND filter of some kind between the elements, instead of in front of the lens? The 1865 Petzval does have a slot. Would that work OK, or is there danger of degrading the image? I've been fitting something like a 7 stop ND inside the hood.


Kent in SD