Experiences with WA and extreme WA lenses for 11x14

[Greg]

Have always been interested in WA and extreme WA lenses for 11x14. To begin with am leaving out Hypergons... the prices they fetch are just way beyond most of our budgets. On this end several years ago acquired a 5.9” No. 5 Gray Periscope barrel lens and amazingly SK Grimes was able to mount it into a Copal #3 shutter for me. Then last year acquired a 200mm f/6.5 TAYLOR-HOBSON Cooke Series VIIB WIDE ANGLE from a forum member. Also had SK Grimes mount it in another Copal #3 shutter. Just love to use both WA lenses but honestly the 5.9” No. 5 Gray Periscope proves to be just too much of an extreme WA lens for me most of the time. Exactly centering the lens, with respect to the back standard, has been my Achilles heel. Finally am in the process of putting together a solution... Attach a very, very small LED penlight flashlight to the center of the GG facing forward. Then replace the front lensboard with one that has a mirror glued to its back. Once I adjust the front standard to reflect the image of the LED penlight back to the center of the GG, I should have the lens perfectly centered on axis to the back. Still working on this... attaching the small LED penlight to the GG proving to be me Achilles Heal.

Really wanted to acquire a Pantagon that was up for auction and compare it to my 200mm f/6.5 TAYLOR-HOBSON Cooke Series VIIB (and use the best of the two) but was very, very much outbid on that auction. Schneider's and Rodenstock's 210mm WA lenses just command to high of selling prices for me to absorb, plus both seem to be quite huge. Also just really like the look of vintage WA and extreme WA optics when printing the images on Salted and Platinum/Palladium paper.

Curious of what other optics say between 200-250mm that cover 11x14.

Comments on this subject most welcome.

[William Whitaker]

10" wide-field Ektar. Not much left for movement, but still.

I used mine on 7x17.

[Oren Grad]

The other "usual suspects" will be 210 Angulon and 240 Computar. Behavior of the former may vary by vintage, and with both the usual debates about illumination vs usable coverage apply.

[Greg]

10" wide-field Ektar. Not much left for movement, but still.

I used mine on 7x17.

Just found my misplaced 1961 Burke & James catalog. It lists the following optics:
9 1/2" f/5.6 Schneider Symmar
10" f/8.7 Laack WA never heard of it
10" f/16 Luxar WA never heard of it
10" f/18 Rodenstock WA Protar formula?
10" f/12 Steinheil Ortho never heard of it
10 1/4" f/12.5 Bausch & Lomb V again a Protar variant?
10 3/4" f/6.8 Goerz Dagor
and your 10" f/6.3 Kodak WF Ektar

[Greg]

The other "usual suspects" will be 210 Angulon and 240 Computar. Behavior of the former may vary by vintage, and with both the usual debates about illumination vs usable coverage apply.

Did once acquire a 210 Angulon. You're right, "may vary by vintage". My sample definitely illuminated 11x14 but useable coverage was more like 8x10 with some movements.

[Bernice Loui]

*200mm Rodenstock Grandagon.
*210mm Schneider Super Angulon.

+Center filter as needed.
Keeping the film flat, camera precise alignment from front to rear standards, will be interesting.


Bernice

[Whir-Click]

Wollensak Velostigmat Series III f/9.5 11x14 (9”) and Wollensak Extreme Wide Angle Series IIIa f/12.5 11x14 (also 9”). Both come or fit directly into Alphax/Betax shutters and the latter in particular offers huge additional coverage when moderately stopped down.

[Hugo Zhang]

Dallmeyer has a 9" wide angle f/6.5 lens that covers 12x15" plate. I put one on my 11x14 camera two years ago and it did cover the ground glass nicely. I have not used it on film yet so no idea how the contact print would look.

Schneider 210mm Super Symmar XL covers 11x14 nicely and it is a very sharp lens. But it is big as well.

[Corran]

Really wanted to acquire a Pantagon that was up for auction and compare it to my 200mm f/6.5 TAYLOR-HOBSON Cooke Series VIIB (and use the best of the two) but was very, very much outbid on that auction.

I also bid on that auction, wondering if that Pantagonal lens would cover 8x20. I guess it went really high because it was in shutter. Some years ago one sat in Europe on eBay for I think over a year for less, but never sold. I tried to get it cheaply but they wouldn't budge on the price.

Anyway, I don't shoot 11x14 but considering my 305mm G-Claron "Dagor" covers 8x20, I think the 240mm G-Claron of that design should cover 11x14. I could be wrong.