Are these lenses good for anything?

ragc · Nov 26, 2006

Just bought these two lens/shutter combos on eBay for $28.00 + S/H:

1) Heavy Duty Alphax Shutter w/ Wollensak-Dumont CRO 75mm f/2.8 Oscillo-Anastigmat Lens, serial no. C65296.

2) Alphax Shutter w/ Wollensak 75mm f/1.9 Oscillo-Anastigmat Lens.

I am interested in the shutters. Are the lenses good for anything? I believe them to be flat field lenses for oscilloscope photography, but could they be used? In what format (I shoot 5x7 and 4x5), if any?

The large f value of the lenses intrigues me.

The 'Heavy Duty" shutter has no f stop dial and the aperture control is in the back, for access internal from the oscilloscope camera's box. I assume that the lever can be extended and a dial added to the lensboard. Is there a way to calculate f-stop from iris measurement? It doesn't have a time scale either, although it has the external ring that sets time. Can I determine the time settings and make a scale based on the other shutter's?

The second shutter (with the f1.9 lens) is almost identical to the one I have on my 5x7 camera now, which is great, and has the slider f-stop dial on the face. Neither have flash terminals, as far as I know, unlike my current Alphax shutter. I don't use flash, so I don't care.

glennfromwy · Nov 26, 2006

You may find a use, such as macro photography, for the lenses. I stuck one on a camera once, and given enough extension, it will cover 4X5 and possibly 5X7, if you have enough bellows. Most people, myself included, tend to see them as pretty useless. The shutters themselves can be hard to use, as a lot of them don't have threads on the back. Thus, no practical way to mount them. I have mounted them, but it ain't easy, or even pretty, sometimes. I use them occasionally for mounting barrel lenses on the front and don't use the shutter's aperture.

David H. Bebbington · Nov 27, 2006

ragc said:
Just bought these two lens/shutter combos on eBay for $28.00 + S/H:

1) Heavy Duty Alphax Shutter w/ Wollensak-Dumont CRO 75mm f/2.8 Oscillo-Anastigmat Lens, serial no. C65296.

2) Alphax Shutter w/ Wollensak 75mm f/1.9 Oscillo-Anastigmat Lens.

I am interested in the shutters. Are the lenses good for anything? I believe them to be flat field lenses for oscilloscope photography, but could they be used? In what format (I shoot 5x7 and 4x5), if any?

The large f value of the lenses intrigues me.

The 'Heavy Duty" shutter has no f stop dial and the aperture control is in the back, for access internal from the oscilloscope camera's box. I assume that the lever can be extended and a dial added to the lensboard. Is there a way to calculate f-stop from iris measurement? It doesn't have a time scale either, although it has the external ring that sets time. Can I determine the time settings and make a scale based on the other shutter's?

The second shutter (with the f1.9 lens) is almost identical to the one I have on my 5x7 camera now, which is great, and has the slider f-stop dial on the face. Neither have flash terminals, as far as I know, unlike my current Alphax shutter. I don't use flash, so I don't care.

The only answer is - try them out! These lenses were of course intended to record oscillograph traces (not very bright, hence the large aperture) and were designed to give optimum definition at full aperture and a given (close) subject distance just long enough to fill a (35 mm?) frame with the oscilloscope tube. Performance will fall off a lot under any other circumstances but might be "interesting" - who knows?

Regards,

David

jimgalli · Nov 29, 2006

Nice projectiles if you have barking dogs in the neighborhood driving you nuts. Or shoot them out of a potato cannon just for the fun of it. They're worthless for photography though.

Harrigan · Nov 29, 2006

jimgalli said:
Nice projectiles if you have barking dogs in the neighborhood driving you nuts. Or shoot them out of a potato cannon just for the fun of it. They're worthless for photography though.

I made this shot of a dandelion with an oscillo raptar on 4x5 and I don't think it's worthless, is it? I suppose the dandelion is also considered a useless flower as well. vile ugly horrible weed.

jimgalli · Nov 29, 2006

Harrigan said:
I made this shot of a dandelion with an oscillo raptar on 4x5 and I don't think it's worthless, is it? I suppose the dandelion is also considered a useless flower as well. vile ugly horrible weed.

WOW! I just love being proved wrong. I'll have to go for a walk and see where those elements landed in the sagebrush. That is a PRETTY photo.

Lee L · Nov 29, 2006

I was given a Tektronix oscilloscope camera a long while back. It was loaded with 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" 3000 ASA polaroid pack film, masked full frame. The lens is an Ilex Oscillo-Paragon 75mm f:1.9 with a marked reproduction size of 1:0.85 in an Ilex No. 3 shutter that goes down to f:16. I've tested it for a couple of close-ups with a 6x9 film back, and with enough extension I it should cover 4x5. I haven't tested that yet. The few negs I did shoot came out very well. I certainly wouldn't throw it at the neighborhood animals, or even the odd javelina, and if I ever start shooting a lot of 4x5 1:1, it'll be my go to lens.

Lee

Dan Fromm · Nov 29, 2006

Harrigan, tastes differ. I don't like fuzzy images and wouldn't use a lens that couldn't do much, much better than your example. But as I said, tastes differ and if you're happy with what your Oscillo Raptar does for you then I'm happy with you. But I still wouldn't have one in the house.

Cheers,

Dan

ragc · Nov 29, 2006

Well...I'll experiment with the lenses and see. The shutters are incredible! The larger one probably a full 2+" accross. They certainly will be used!

Lee L · Nov 29, 2006

Harrigan's shot appears to me to have been shot pretty wide open, with very shallow DOF and very little contrast within the section that's in focus. Given that, the size it's shown, scanning and web reproduction vagaries, I wouldn't pass judgement on how sharp it is from this post. It does have nice bokeh.

Lee

Harrigan · Nov 29, 2006

The shot I made was wide open at f1.9 to take advantage of the extreme limited depth of field. I am also WAY out of the lenses intended magnification which adds to the softness. This image isn't about sharpness at all but the lack of it. Comparing them to standard macro lenses is amusing to say the least!

You can't get the type of sharpness you're used to from a normal lens and trying to will be futile. For those who want to get tack sharpness out of them pitch them in the garbage because you'll be hard pressed to get any sort of good sharpness out of these. For those who are not pure technical sharpness junkies and enjoy very limited depth of field, extreme bokeh and strange sharpness qualities these might be worth playing around with.

MichaelHarris · Jan 28, 2007

I just got a mint example of one and can't wait to try it. My shutter is threaded so it will be easier to use. Oh yeah, I loved the "weed" shot.

removed account4 · Jan 28, 2007

i am very late to this thread, but i was gonna suggest they would be nice macro lenses and shooting wide open would give a nice soft dreamy effect if you into that sort of thing ( i am but i have never had the pleasure if using one of THESE lenses ...)

Harrigan said:
The shot I made was wide open at f1.9 to take advantage of the extreme limited depth of field. I am also WAY out of the lenses intended magnification which adds to the softness. This image isn't about sharpness at all but the lack of it. Comparing them to standard macro lenses is amusing to say the least!

You can't get the type of sharpness you're used to from a normal lens and trying to will be futile. For those who want to get tack sharpness out of them pitch them in the garbage because you'll be hard pressed to get any sort of good sharpness out of these. For those who are not pure technical sharpness junkies and enjoy very limited depth of field, extreme bokeh and strange sharpness qualities these might be worth playing around with.

right on!

have fun -
john

darinwc · Feb 1, 2007

I used a hot glue gun to lock an alphax shutter to a lensboard.. its very sturdy yet the glue can actually be removed easily if I ever need to. Allthough it actually had threads that the glue could grip well.. not sure how well it would work without threads.

i've also used rubber bands wrapped tightly around the rear flange to temporarily hold a shutter to a board.

spongeboy · Feb 4, 2007

Shutters good....Lenses bad.

Are these lenses good for anything?

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