Again, a find from the warehouse: A Wollensak Velostigmat 9 1/2 in. f4.5 lens in a Betax shutter. This is not the famous, dial-able soft-focus version, but the straight anastigmat lens. It has some separation starting at the edges of the rear cell, as shown, and a curious rim of red tape added to the front of the barrel by some (probably long dead) previous owner. The tape has been crudely removed in one section, possibly to check for that moveable soft-focus element. The tape serves no function and can be removed, though I doubt it will be easy to do the stuff is pretty dry and hard. The shutter works at every speed, but erratically. A CLA is definitely called for. The glass has the usual compliment of dust, cleaning scratches and a bit of removable haze, but it has no major problemsno chips, scrapes or dings. It is uncoated. In short, this is a nice old lens and shutter, well worth reviving. I include a test shot, wide open at 4.5 in the images. It is a negative scan, minimally processed for displayno fiddling.
Coverage on these is good for 5x7, perhaps full plate of even 8x10 at portrait distance, stopped down, but the beauty of the lens is in it's soft, creamy out-of-focus areas, so stopping down seems to miss the point. I'd shoot 5x7 and be done with it, but you do what you want with the thing after you get it.
Asking $115, shipping included in CONUS. International will add a premium. 100% guaranteed. You don't like it, you ship it back and pay only for the return postage. I take Paypal. All proceeds, minus the APUG 3% go to the Photographic Historical Society of New England.
Coverage on these is good for 5x7, perhaps full plate of even 8x10 at portrait distance, stopped down, but the beauty of the lens is in it's soft, creamy out-of-focus areas, so stopping down seems to miss the point. I'd shoot 5x7 and be done with it, but you do what you want with the thing after you get it.
Asking $115, shipping included in CONUS. International will add a premium. 100% guaranteed. You don't like it, you ship it back and pay only for the return postage. I take Paypal. All proceeds, minus the APUG 3% go to the Photographic Historical Society of New England.
