Hypergon - the ultimate wide angle

Ian Grant · Jul 11, 2006

Every now and again I search Ebay for a Hypergon . . . . the current 2 listed are way over the usual prices.

I do have a tendency to use wide angle lenses, when I used 35mm I had a great 19mm tamron, now using pre-dominantly 5"x4" I use a 65mm Super Angulon, and 90mm Grandagon.

As I now shoot more 10"x8" I have a perverse hankering for a Hypergon . . . .

Does anyone here own & use one, if so what are their experiences

Ian

JohnArs · Jul 11, 2006

Hypergons are gone!
I did not have one but saw pictures taken with one and was not at all impressed!
The gones are not as sharp as a today's MC wideangel lens!
In the wider lenses you really see much improvement in sharpess but not at all strong on the longer lenses!

jimgalli · Jul 11, 2006

Never had the peasure, and don't expect to. They could re-name it Hyper-Price. Of course it is the only 140 degree lens on earth, but still.....

Maybe we can get Cooke to re-invent it.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 11, 2006

Wisner advertised a modern Hypergon on his website, but I haven't heard of one actually being manufactured.

Not as wide as a Hypergon, you might look for a 120mm Berthiot Perigraphe or Nikkor SW. Both cover 8x10" and are a bit more reasonable in price.

ReallyBigCameras · Jul 11, 2006

Just how wide do you want to go? While not cheap, a 110mm Super Symmar XL will cover 8x10, cost less than a Hypergon and have vastly superior performance. I use mine regularly on 4x10, but it will hit the corners of 8x10.

For an angle of view similar to your 65mm on 4x5, look for a 130mm f12 Rodenstock Weitwinkel Perigon. This is a tiny little lens (sold in barrel, but the elements directly fit a Copal/Compur No. 0 shutter) that was made during the late 1950s. It's basically an updatd version of the Series V Protar. It won't cover the same 140 degrees as the Hypergon, but it does cover about 110 degrees which is enough for 8x10 with a bit of movement.

Kerry

Dan Fromm · Jul 11, 2006

A 110 that covers 8x10? What a narrow view it sees!

Save your pennies, Ian, look for an 88.5 Super Aviogon. Covers > 120 degrees, i.e., 325 mm. See http://geoserver.disat.unimib.it/web/mda/fotointerpretazione/prima parte corso_2006.pdf for more info or use Google.

Or go down a couple of sizes, look for a 44/5.6 Super Aviogon. Covers 4x5, same angle. I know they exist, one of my neighbors has one and it has sat in my lap.

Cheers,

Dan

Roger Krueger · Jul 11, 2006

My understanding is that Hypergons are completely uncorrected, and need to be used at very small stops to even approach decent.

Heresy here I'm sure, but if I need more than my 120° 35mm APO Grandagon can give me I'll stitch, thanks.

removed account4 · Jul 11, 2006

all that said, i think it would be pretty cool to shoot a lens with a 'fan' afixed to the front. i guess there would be enough weight that the camera, tripod and all wouldn't fly away.

i can already imagine talking to the policeman: " ... didn't turn the fan-thingamajig very fast but the whole thing just lifted off and i haven't seen it since --- any news of a UFO that has 3 legs? "

-john

JG Motamedi · Jul 11, 2006

Roger Krueger said:
My understanding is that Hypergons are completely uncorrected...

Well, not quite; Hypergons are completely symmetrical, a construction which basically "erases" many forms of abberation. That said, my understanding is that they did have to be stopped down to f32 to avoid the evils of spherical abberation.

kb244 · Jul 12, 2006

jnanian said:
all that said, i think it would be pretty cool to shoot a lens with a 'fan' afixed to the front. i guess there would be enough weight that the camera, tripod and all wouldn't fly away.

i can already imagine talking to the policeman: " ... didn't turn the fan-thingamajig very fast but the whole thing just lifted off and i haven't seen it since --- any news of a UFO that has 3 legs? "

-john

You know what the little fan is for right?
With very wide angle lens theres always the issue of vigenetting, the fan when spun will darken the center as much as it darkens the outside, so you get an ultrawide shot with even ammount lighting accross the plane.

removed account4 · Jul 12, 2006

kb244 said:
You know what the little fan is for right?
With very wide angle lens theres always the issue of vigenetting, the fan when spun will darken the center as much as it darkens the outside, so you get an ultrawide shot with even ammount lighting accross the plane.

yup, pretty cool isn't it ?

( kind of like a center filter that spins around and around and around and around and ... )

-john

Dave Wooten · Jul 12, 2006

I thought it was to keep flies off the front element!

jimgalli · Jul 12, 2006

Can someone please explain why a 3/16" scratch will wipe $150 of value from a Symmar but you'll pay $3600 for something with an entire fan on the front??

Dave Wooten · Jul 12, 2006

jimgalli said:
Can someone please explain why a 3/16" scratch will wipe $150 of value from a Symmar but you'll pay $3600 for something with an entire fan on the front??

Well here in the desert as you know Jim, a bit of a breeze can be a lifesaver...

John Koehrer · Jul 12, 2006

jimgalli said:
Can someone please explain why a 3/16" scratch will wipe $150 of value from a Symmar but you'll pay $3600 for something with an entire fan on the front??

Maybe if the Symmar were manufactured WITH the scratch it wouldn't lose value like that.

Steve Hamley · Jul 14, 2006

No, no, no. Jim, you just need to start selling your scratched symmars with fans.

Steve

uraniumnitrate · Jul 17, 2006

For anyones interest this is how the hypergon look like!

Hypergon - the ultimate wide angle

Ian Grant

JohnArs

jimgalli

David A. Goldfarb

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ReallyBigCameras

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Dan Fromm

Roger Krueger

removed account4

JG Motamedi

kb244

removed account4

Dave Wooten

jimgalli

Dave Wooten

John Koehrer

Steve Hamley

uraniumnitrate

Hypergon - the ultimate wide angle

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