Voigtlander lenses for 4x5 Format?

[Csholl]

Hi,

I have a question regarding Large Format and Voigtlander lenses. Can you use a Voigtlander screw-in mount in a 4x5 lens board? I'm assuming I would need a retainer ring. Not sure though, since a lot of the Voigtlanders are for Leica cameras. Also, what Voiglanders are there for 4x5 format as far as wide angle lenses go. I looked up Voigtlanders on ebay and get a lot of Leica one's (28mm). Does anyone have experience with a 65mm or 75mm lens for large format? I just want to know for future reference if possible. thx.

[Oren Grad]

The lenses for 35mm format that are labeled Voigtlander that you see for sale on eBay and elsewhere are made by Cosina, which licensed use of the Voigtlander brand. Cosina does not make large format lenses. The Voigtlander company that made large format lenses is long out of business, and produced its last large format lenses in 1972. See Arne Croell's article for more information:

https://www.arnecroell.com/voigtlaender.pdf

[paulbarden]

A Voigtlander lens made for 35mm won’t provide enough coverage for 4x5.

[Corran]

Not well known, and I've never seen an image from one, but there are these:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266517282642

I've always wanted to try one of these, but lost my opportunity to buy one for $600 some years ago.

[Dan Fromm]

http://www.arnecroell.com/ voigtlaender.pdf

[Mark J]

Having analysed both the Angulon and Ultragon designs recently ( on the computer ) I do think that there's just a rarity premium on the Ultragons, it doesn't seem to offer anything outstanding in performance, though it is a little different in its balance. There may be hands-on traits that the vintage fans like, though.

[Csholl]

Yeah, I saw those too, but there way too expensive for an old lens. I'll probably opt for a Rodenstock or Schneider when the time comes.

[David Lindquist]

Having analysed both the Angulon and Ultragon designs recently ( on the computer ) I do think that there's just a rarity premium on the Ultragons, it doesn't seem to offer anything outstanding in performance, though it is a little different in its balance. There may be hands-on traits that the vintage fans like, though.

Very interesting. The two designs are quite different. (Just looked at Cröll's paper cited above by Dan and Oren.)

David

[Mark J]

Yes, looking back at my archives, I think because the Angulon goes a bit wider ( its design is better for that ), I had compared the 90mm Angulon against the 115mm Ultragon.
It's gets messy with the Angulon design, because the one you can find is the 1932 patent, which is fully symmetrical and not that good. I believe there is a second Angulon design that was designed some time later and sold in the 50's/60's that is slightly asymmetrical in thicknesses, as seen from the cross-sections in the brochures, and better.
I did experiment with the 1932 design and it improved, but I can't pin down my version of that, quickly.

Anyway here is the Ultragon ( 2nd patent example is the better one ) at f/5.5 and f/22.
I analysed it out to 5x7" ( just to see how it held up - really it's a 4x5" lens with movement).
Like a few lenses of the earlier eras, it has rather too much on-axis performance at full aperture, which compromises the stopped-down astigmatism levels in the field.
The Angulon is of quite similar performance when stopped down, but a bit different at full aperture. Sometimes it can be basic things like the length of the optic in relationship to its focal length ( these are both very short ) which limits the performance when stopped-down.

A sharper modern alternative at 1/5th the price would be the early-70's Fujinon-W 125mm f/5.6 !

[David Lindquist]

Thank you very much!

David