No brand lens question...

[Robbie Bedell]

I have a 'bottom of the drawer' lens that I just resurrected. It came to me years ago on an ancient speed graphic which had been given to me by a friend. I played around with it at the time, but put it away placing it in the 'bad lens' catagory. The negatives and prints I made from it were not impressive (shot hand held at about 8-11). But now I am not so sure about that. It is tiny and in an old Betax shutter. The only writing on the lens is 'Symmetrical Wide Angle 6 1/2 x 8 1/2.' The lens seems to be about 160mm or so. The f-stops start at f16. Wide open the lens is very, very, very soft (which is why I put it in storage), but it sharpens up at about f132. I am guessing the lens might be a Wollensak, but that is only a guess, as I have done research and found nothing similar. I am thinking now I will shoot some at f132 and more to see how the negs look. I have been under the weather, so it maybe a while before I get to it. I may also try it wide open for some, well, softer looking still lives. Please don't ask me to 'ask the lens' as the last time I was seen talking to my camera my wife nearly had me commited. My question is, has anyone ever come across a similar lens? I would photograph it, but it just looks like a small black-painted lens in a Betax. Thank you! Robbie

[arri]

It sounds like a wide angle rectilinear design. This lenses were very slow and not realy usable at full open aperture.
On a small part in the middle of the image shows a kind of sharpness.
Stopped down, f/32 or so, this lenses are still usable glasses.

I think it were made in UK and not in USA.
In the 19th century a lot of lensmakers made retiliear lenses after Dallmeyer designed the first one of it in 1871.
You can find a lot of lenses made in this years without a makers name. Maybe a trader don´t wants it on the lens to sell it under the traders name. Other reasons can be possible as well.
I have a Petzval lens here in the moment and it has no maker or name or any other data engraved. Very strange but often found.

Try the lens well stopped down, I guess you will get good quality images.
I use a lot of this old lenses and I like the characters of it.

[Dugan]

According to www.alphaxbetax.com , Wollensak made a lens by that name.
Be sure to check the Lens & Shutter Compendium....it's a wealth of information.

[Robbie Bedell]

According to www.alphaxbetax.com , Wollensak made a lens by that name.
Be sure to check the Lens & Shutter Compendium....it's a wealth of information.

Thank you Dugan, Yes, I saw that in alphabetax. That's what made me guess it migth be a Wollensak, but there is nothing that looks similar. Will check the Compendium...

[Robbie Bedell]

It sounds like a wide angle rectilinear design. This lenses were very slow and not realy usable at full open aperture.
On a small part in the middle of the image shows a kind of sharpness.
Stopped down, f/32 or so, this lenses are still usable glasses.

I think it were made in UK and not in USA.
In the 19th century a lot of lensmakers made retiliear lenses after Dallmeyer designed the first one of it in 1871.
You can find a lot of lenses made in this years without a makers name. Maybe a trader don´t wants it on the lens to sell it under the traders name. Other reasons can be possible as well.
I have a Petzval lens here in the moment and it has no maker or name or any other data engraved. Very strange but often found.

Try the lens well stopped down, I guess you will get good quality images.
I use a lot of this old lenses and I like the characters of it.

Thank you Arri! Yes I will try it next stopped down more than I ever did before. I will see what it does...

[Chauncey Walden]

Robbie, are the lens diaphragm markings actually in modern f/stops (16, 22, 32, 45, 64) or say in the Uniform Standard system (16, 32, 64, 128, 256)?

[Robbie Bedell]

Robbie, are the lens diaphragm markings actually in modern f/stops (16, 22, 32, 45, 64) or say in the Uniform Standard system (16, 32, 64, 128, 256)?

Hi Chauncy, They are the standard stops. One wierd thing is that, while the threads of the lens screw into the shutter without any problem, the fit is a bit 'loose', making me wonder if the lens is original to the shutter. Being so old it would not surprise me if it had been switched out. But the lens does seem to sharpen up a lot at 32 and 64, so who knows. The speed graphic had seen a lot of use and tend to think it was a newspaper camera in New York, where it was given to me.