Large Dalleyer

[bill spears]

Anyone shed some light on this ?

Dallmeyer triple achromatic, weighs about 3.5kg, overall length 9", diameter across the front lenshood 5.5" (front element diameter 3.5")
I gather the achromat was a very early design of lens which was replaced by other types ?
Doing a very crude measurement of focal length it was showing around 35 inches ! I stress though I'm not familiar with measuring these things.

Wondering what it's primary use would have been....... landscape ? Or what format it would cover ?

Thanks

 

[gandolfi]

that's a big one...
Portraits on a large (ULF) size?

I don't know about coverage... Ask on LF forum, and you'll get answers...

(I'd love to try this out on one of my big cameras...)

 

[goldenimage]

thats looks like that one that Jim was selling over at LFF a while back

 

[bill spears]

Yes I'd love to try it out too.

I'd like to see what Gandolfi could do with it aswell !

 

[rrankin]

These were a different design of lens patented ca. 1860 and produced from about 1861. I have a much smaller one than yours, but the focal lengths went up to 50". The center field was so flat that they set a new standard in lenses and were used as early 'copy lens'. The London Science Museum had a one-off 72" one made to copy Raphael cartoons. The Lens Vade Mecum points out that, although these are truly triplets, they share nothing except lens count with the later lenses called 'triplets' from a different concept entirely.

Cheers, Richard

 

[rrankin]

BTW, my smaller one is in my free lens lending library if someone does want to try one, although far from 35".... It is currently out on loan but should be back soon. Approx 7 1/2" focal length, f9, covers up to 6 1/2 x 8 1/2".
Richard

 

[bill spears]

Richard thats interesting, thanks.
I was unsure the focal length I'd measured was done correctly but from what you're saying it seems about right.

Regards