For Sale Ilex Acuton 215mm f/4.8 8x10 Lens

Ilex Acuton 8-1/2" (215mm) f/4.8 lens in an Ilex No. 3 Synchro Shutter. This is a convertible 8x10 lens which converts to a 14" f/10 lens if you remove the front lens group, so two lenses in one. Of course it could also be used on 4x5's with large movements. The lens is in good shape, the glass looks clean except for four tiny spots in the front element. These are about 1mm each and look like small bubbles. The shutter is in good shape, speeds sound reasonably accurate, aperture moves freely and the flash sync has been tested and works.

$200

I have long suspected that the difference between this lens and the f5.6 version is the shutter--the copal 1 vignettes where the ilex is larger aperture allowed---

I have the caltar 215/5.6 convertable and would like to see if this is true--SO--can you measure the diameter of the front element and rear element...as well as the front and rear cell diameters--if they are the same, then the glass is almost certainly the same and it's the same optical formula--that's my logic---but they LOOK IDENTICAL---even the size of the glass inside the cell, the type of cell, etc....the one Ihave has very large coverage too....never shot at 8x10 but I think it just may cover stopped down sufficiently.

or was this done before and I"m way off?

There was also a Caltar 215 f/4.8 which I believe is the same lens. I suppose it could be the same lens as you have too. Here's one that Mr. Eddie Gunks was selling awhile ago and it looks identical: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)