Help with BETAX #3 lens

[ericantonio]

Pictures below.

Here's a 159mm Wolly. I think I'll finally try to figure out what's wrong with it. I'm usually shooting like f/16 or something smaller and then process it like "meh, just give it a little more time in the dev" type thing. Negs usually come out okay. Shutter sounds slow anyway, I think. Not sure.

But I sent my Compur to Mr. Paine and sent him a pic of this Betax and he said he's not sure what's up with it.

Was wondering, if there's some sort of "stopper" missing inside? Or maybe the plate is off? Or maybe I should just tape a piece tape and make new F-stop markings by measuring what's there? Or maybe I should shoot with a known good lens and a known good aperture and see if it process the same? Anyone seen something like this before?

Note the aperture and the pointy thing.

[Vaughn]

Someone fiddled with it to allow for brighter viewing. Mine stops at 12.5. I believe Wolly normally stopped it at 12.5 because of increased diffusion or some other image-destroying factor that occurs wider open than f/12.5. I am wondering if focus shift might be a problem, too.

You can measure the aperature diameter and calculate the actual f/stops if you want to double check the scale.

PS -- my copy of this lens is a piece of crapola. I need to take it apart some day to see if someone put the lens elements back incorrectly -- or I just got a crappy copy. It does not even do a decent job on 5x7.

[ericantonio]

Someone fiddled with it to allow for brighter viewing. Mine stops at 12.5. I believe Wolly normally stopped it at 12.5 because of increased diffusion or some other image-destroying factor that occurs wider open than f/12.5. I am wondering if focus shift might be a problem, too.

Ahhh, makes sense.

You can measure the aperature diameter and calculate the actual f/stops if you want to double check the scale.

REALLY?!! How do I do this? Links? Vids?

[Corran]

That could totally be my old 159mm Wolly which I sold some years ago, which was on a Betax #3 and a Linhof board IIRC . It opened up past f/12.5 for focus/viewing but was very hazy when opened that wide. I wouldn't worry about it, it's pretty normal from what I read, mostly from Vaughn! I used it on 8x10 and indeed it wasn't a good lens - very bad on the periphery even stopped waaay down.

[ericantonio]

That could totally be my old 159mm Wolly which I sold some years ago, which was on a Betax #3 and a Linhof board IIRC . It opened up past f/12.5 for focus/viewing but was very hazy when opened that wide. I wouldn't worry about it, it's pretty normal from what I read, mostly from Vaughn! I used it on 8x10 and indeed it wasn't a good lens - very bad on the periphery even stopped waaay down.

HEY! It *COULD* be! I totally forgot where I got this lens anyway. So you think the 12.5, where the aperture is closed like 1/3 of the way, is really 12.5? So wide open would be....? No bueno? Don't even shoot it at that range? Yes it is pretty hazy wide open, maybe that's why I'm like "dang, I'm getting old or something! I can't see out this lens!". Hahaha.

[RedGreenBlue]

I have an 8x10 B&L Zeiss Protar that is similar in that the aperture should stop at f/18 but it opens further to uncover all of the glass. The nice thing about this is how bright it is for composing. I do need to stop it down to focus though. I've assumed that a previous owned did this or had it done. I know the scale is accurate, so it's actually a nice feature.

So my suggestion is that if you find the aperture scale is correct, you might like being able to compose wide open and there would be no need to fix it.

Scott

[Corran]

Yes, I think f/12.5 is indeed 12.5. I seem to remember the "max" aperture for focus being something like f/6.5, but that's just a guess from my...hazy memory .

[ericantonio]

I have an 8x10 B&L Zeiss Protar that is similar in that the aperture should stop at f/18 but it opens further to uncover all of the glass. The nice thing about this is how bright it is for composing. I do need to stop it down to focus though. I've assumed that a previous owned did this or had it done. I know the scale is accurate, so it's actually a nice feature.

So my suggestion is that if you find the aperture scale is correct, you might like being able to compose wide open and there would be no need to fix it.

Scott

Yeah, cause for the most parts, my negs come out okay. If they were shifted, it'll be like 3 stops dark!!

[ericantonio]

Yes, I think f/12.5 is indeed 12.5. I seem to remember the "max" aperture for focus being something like f/6.5, but that's just a guess from my...hazy memory .

Thanks so much!!! Amazing how it comes around....