Optar 90 mm design type

[lungovw]

Hi Everybody,

I just bought a Graflex Optar 90 mm W.A. f/6,8 nº742105N.

What is the contruction type of this lens?


Large format greetings from Sao Paulo,



Wagner

[Dan Fromm]

4/4 double Gauss.

[Don Dudenbostel]

I'm not up on lens design but what other wides share this design. I have both the 90 and 108 WA Wallensak and assume both share the 4/4 design. Is the WA Dagor similar? Angulon? Seems like Nikon used a similar design for their 24mm RF lens but not certain. Not a wide lens but I believe my 203 7.7 Ektar is a 4/4 design as is the RD Artar.

[Dan Fromm]

Don, 4/4 double Gauss types have elements like this: (( (( | )) )), where | is the diaphragm. WF Ektars, the Cooke Ser. VIIb, Meyer Aristostigmat, some Leitmeyr Weitwinkels (Ole Tjugen has one that isn't), f/6.8 Dallmeyer and Ross WAs, ... are of the same type. Understand that all of these differ in the surfaces' curvatures, elements' thicknesses and spacing, and glasses used.

Y'r 203/7.7 Ektar (and my 203/7.7 Kodak Anastigmat) and Artars, Aviars, Celors and Dogmars are all () )( | )( (). There are some 4/4 lenses that are () )( | |) (|, where |) is plano-convex.

The WA Dagor and Angulon are 6/2 lenses. I'd bet that y'r 108 Wolly WA is more complex than any of these.

As far as I can tell, design type needn't have a lot to do with much that's important. For example, the 65/6.8 and 90/6.8 Wolly WAs are 4/4 double Gauss with the same coverage and maximum aperture as the equivalent Angulons and both types shoot equally well. Or, some say, equally badly.

[lungovw]

Thanks for the information. I have and tried already two other 4/4 double Gauss. One is a Wollensak Velostigmat Wide Angle Ser III f 9.5 8x10 6 1/4" Focus. It works very well in 18 x24 cm with enough lens quality for me. The other one is very old stuff: an Omnar from Emil Busch F:4,5 F=25,5 cm. As I use them in very old wood cameras I can't tell what is unshapness and what is camera shake or film x gg positioning.

With this Optar I intend to do snapshots in new years' eve party using some flash bulbs in a 7" reflector in a 4x5 Pacemaker. There might be some vignetting but that may also contribute to the atmosphere.

Thanks again and best wishes,

Wagner Lungov

[Dan Fromm]

Wagner, look here http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/...lensak_14.html for some Wolly cross-sections. I don't think your f/9.5 is a 4/4, the cross section shows it as an 8/4. To check yours, count reflections from one cell. If 4/4, there will be four strong reflections and no weak ones, if 8/4, four strong and two weak. The weak reflections may be hard to see.

Cheers and Happy New Year,

Dan

[Don Dudenbostel]

Thanks for the information.

[Mark Sampson]

Don't forget that most Graflex Optars are OEM'd Wollensaks. They tell me that late Optars were made by Rodenstock, but I don't think I've seen one of those.

[walter23]

I just got a 90mm f/6.8 raptar (same as the optar). From what I've done so far with it I'd say it'll be perfect suitable for your application. Sharp enough for me and covers just fine.

[Grant Evans]

I just got a 90mm f/6.8 raptar (same as the optar). From what I've done so far with it I'd say it'll be perfect suitable for your application. Sharp enough for me and covers just fine.

I saw a really clean copy of this lens (90mm f6.8 Raptar that is) online for under $200. Does this lens have enough coverage for 5x7 as well? Have you done both color and B&W with it? Would appreciate any feedback you have about the quality of this lens.
Thanks for your time.