Brass lens identification

k_jupiter · Oct 5, 2007

I have a smallish brass lens, about 1 1/4 inch in diameter, has a rotating disk for f-stops. Reads on the side: "The Scientific Lens Co. Extm W.A. Anastigmat S24

It has an aperture scale from 16 to 256 which I know is really f16 to f64.

What will it cover?

Age? History?

Any ideas as to it's value?

tim in san jose

PHOTOTONE · Oct 6, 2007

I have a couple of lenses that match your description as to size and function. In general this is an early extreme wide angle lens. The ones I have cover 8x10 and have a focal length of between 155 and 165mm. They can be very sharp stopped way down. (smallest hole). I don't think these are extremely rare.

k_jupiter · Oct 7, 2007

PHOTOTONE said:
I have a couple of lenses that match your description as to size and function. In general this is an early extreme wide angle lens. The ones I have cover 8x10 and have a focal length of between 155 and 165mm. They can be very sharp stopped way down. (smallest hole). I don't think these are extremely rare.

I may have to mount this on my 5x7. See what the coverage is.

Thank you.

tim

Mark Sawyer · Oct 7, 2007

Joe Harrigan had an article on these little brass wide-angles in the July/August `07 issue of View Camera.

I have a couple of these types of lenses, a 125mm Nehring and a 165mm Compute. Both cover 8x10, and I'll agree with Joe's assessment that these are nice little lightweight wide angles, and quite sharp at small apertures.

My guess at the age is about 1895 to 1915. It's almost certainly a wide-angle rapid rectilinear/aplanat. They're not particularly rare (I've seen a few from The Scientific Lens Company), and it's "pretty good condition" value is (again, a guess) in the $150 - $250 range.

Ole · Oct 7, 2007

If it says "Anastigmat" on the lens, it's not likely to be an Aplanat/ WA Rectilinear. the difference won't be great, however - the good WA Aplanats were surprisingly good!

I use a 3 1/4" WA Rectilinear on 4x5 and a 15cm WA Aplanat on up to 24x30cm. They are certainly good enough for contact prints, and only lose a little sharpness on the corners on modest enlargements. An anastigmat should be even better...

walter23 · Oct 8, 2007

I've tried to snag a couple of these on ebay recently (Scientific Lens Co. 8x10 wide angle lens). My max bids were in the $100 range and I lost out. I blamed collectors of brass lenses for shelf display (grr) but maybe the culprit is that View Camera article (which I hadn't seen).

Brass lens identification

k_jupiter

PHOTOTONE

k_jupiter

Mark Sawyer

Ole

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walter23

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