Price for a Verito lens?

MattCarey · Apr 5, 2005

Hello,

I got interested in doing some portraits in an older style. This is covered a lot here and elsewhere (it is great to be able to search the archives--thanks guys/gals!). Also, I have an old Burke and James catalogue that mentions Verito lenses for portraits. However, when looking on the web, these seem to go for a lot of cash. What is a reasonable price for such a beast?

I noted that some people also recommend the Heliar lens design. I may give my 105mm Ektar (supposedly a modified Heliar) a go wide open on the ol' mini-speed.

By the way, I checked the old catalogue, and these were not particularly expensive lenses in their day.

Thanks a lot.

Matt

David A. Goldfarb · Apr 5, 2005

I think these were actually quite expensive lenses in their day. Look at camera prices from the same period, and if I remember correctly, a Verito is two or three times the price of one of the standard 8x10" flatbed cameras.

I think I paid around $250-350 more or less for each of my two Veritos--11.5" and 14". The 18" tends to run more, and the short ones are a bit rare.

The Ektars that are Heliar-types are the 100mm/3.5 Medalist lens and the 105/3.7 that I think was targeted for the baby Graphic. I've adapted the Medalist one for 35mm, and it's an outstanding lens, so I think it would be a great place to start. Here's a page on the adaptation--

Dead Link Removed

I find that the Heliar-effect is strongest with a lens that is on the long side for the format, so if you've got the 105/3.7 Ektar, try it maybe with a 6x6 or 645 back on the Speed, if you've got one.

jd callow · Apr 5, 2005

David's prices are right on the money for the good ones or those in shutter a little high for those that are suspect. I have been watching them on ebay. Matt PM me if you don't have a RFH I would be happy to lend you one for time so you can experiment.

smieglitz · Apr 5, 2005

Matt,

The price of Veritos has really increased the last couple years. About 3 years ago I picked up a couple of 18" Veritos on eBay for about $200 each. Now I see them go for about $450 or higher depending on whether they are in barrel or shutter. A 22.25" front extension element cost me about $300 a couple years back. I also managed to pick up a 14.5" Verito for $150 and an 11.5" one (in malfunctioning Studio shutter) for $225 IIRC about 2 years ago. Also bought a couple 8.75" Veritos for under $225 each in the same timeframe. That would be difficult to do in today's market.

However, about 2-3 months ago I picked up a 7" Verito in working shutter for $125 on eBay using "buy it now". Four days later another 7" Verito in barrel brought around $480 IIRC. So, if you are at the right place at the right time...

Can you tell I like 'em?

Joe

jimgalli · Apr 5, 2005

I think I paid $285 for my 18" Verito and that was a couple of years ago. Prices are climbing on all of this kind of item as more folks are climbing aboard LF and learning about different ways to do things.

Jeremy · Apr 5, 2005

There are other soft focus lenses from that era you can also look for which don't carry the price tag that the Veritos now carry. i.e. Wollensak Vitax or Kodak Portrait Lenses.

MattCarey · Apr 5, 2005

David A. Goldfarb said:
I think these were actually quite expensive lenses in their day. Look at camera prices from the same period, and if I remember correctly, a Verito is two or three times the price of one of the standard 8x10" flatbed cameras.

I think I paid around $250-350 more or less for each of my two Veritos--11.5" and 14". The 18" tends to run more, and the short ones are a bit rare.

The Ektars that are Heliar-types are the 100mm/3.5 Medalist lens and the 105/3.7 that I think was targeted for the baby Graphic. I've adapted the Medalist one for 35mm, and it's an outstanding lens, so I think it would be a great place to start. Here's a page on the adaptation--

Dead Link Removed

I find that the Heliar-effect is strongest with a lens that is on the long side for the format, so if you've got the 105/3.7 Ektar, try it maybe with a 6x6 or 645 back on the Speed, if you've got one.

Hello David--I thought I would hear from you on this one!

I have a 6x9 back, so this may be a good thing to try. I am amazed by this idea, as I consider the 105 ektar to be one of the sharpest lenses I have. At f11 or f16, I am scanner limited for resolution. I need to check it wide open!

I waited until I got home to check the prices on the lenses. Here are some numbers from 1939, all are 14 1/2 inch lenses. All these are listed as "portrait" lenses. All cover 8x10.

Carl Zeiss Tessar f4.5 $154.50
Voigtlander Portrait f6 $49.50
Voigtlander Heliar f4.5 $129.50
Wollensak Verito f4 $42.50 (barrel)
Wollensak Verito f4 $42.50 (studio shutter)

The cheapest anistigmat/general lens in the 14" range I see is a Carl Meyer Double Anistigmat for $49.50. The rest seem to be in the $80+ regime, with many above $100.

For comparison, a Korona 5x7 was $29.50, and an 8x10 was $37.50.

Matt

removed account4 · Apr 5, 2005

matt -

keep an eye out one ebay. from time to time there are people that list them in the wrong place, or suggest that the studio shutter is "broken" or only " open and closes" or they have no idea what they are selling. i used to search " 'wollensak' + lens " and make out okay ... i picked a 14" verito in a shutter with original lens cap for 170 incl. shipped a year + ago. at that time the same lens in the same condition was selling for 4-500$.

jeremy is right though, there are other portrait lenses from that era, in the wollensak stable, that are pretty sweet and don't command a huge sum of $. the vitax is a f3.8 and has a diffusion < de-focus > knob that moves the rear group so when you stop down you can still soften. they don't have nearly the same following as the verito.

jay-tepper(.com) used to have a boatload of portrait lenses with a bullet proof return policy (return it for any reason get a full refund no questions asked). sometimes he is a little slow on the email ...

good luck!
-john

David A. Goldfarb · Apr 6, 2005

Good tip about the "broken" Studio shutter. I think I got a surprising deal on one of the Veritos that way. The shutter worked just as it was supposed to, of course.

Thanks for the price list. The Veritos do come out a little cheaper than I expected, but if you think of a Korona as kind of like the Tachihara of its day, and imagine what a lens that's a little more than an 8x10" Tachihara costs, it's still not cheap.

MattCarey · Apr 6, 2005

mrcallow said:
David's prices are right on the money for the good ones or those in shutter a little high for those that are suspect. I have been watching them on ebay. Matt PM me if you don't have a RFH I would be happy to lend you one for time so you can experiment.

That is a very cool and generous offer! However, with a toddler in the house--who is just taking his first steps--I am nervous enough about my own equipment. I would hate to be the guy whose kid got peanut butter on your lens!

Matt

MattCarey · Apr 6, 2005

smieglitz said:
Matt,

The price of Veritos has really increased the last couple years.

I wonder if there are other people like me remembering their childhood pictures. We used to get yearly family and individual kid (5 kids!) portraits. A huge truck (I remember it as an 18 wheeler) would come to the house. The studio was in the trailer. I remember that it was run by a dairy (either Carnation or Foremost, I think). The flashbulbs would go off, burning our retinas. I really like those pictures. I wonde if others are remembering this as well.

This was the 60s. The other thing I have going is my mother's collection of photographs from the 30's. My grandfather was a mortgage banker for BofA in Hollywood. We have autographed pictures of Micky Rooney and Shirley Temple, to name a few.

Of course, the most recent inspiration is the above mentioned Burke and James Catalog. Nice baby portrait on the front. There's at least one more on eBay now--very addictive.

In the back of my mind, I also wonder how many of these lenses are going to the glamour photographers.

Just some thoughts,

Matt

smieglitz · Apr 6, 2005

MattCarey said:
I wonder if there are other people like me remembering their childhood pictures...Matt

Somewhere I have a picture of myself in cowboy garb upon a pony in the front yard of my parents 2nd home in the city taken by a travelling photographer.

Then there are those neat B&W photo booklets with the scalloped edges...

Joe

Dave Wooten · Apr 6, 2005

Alas I don't have a verito, but I did get my picture taken on the pony.

MattCarey · May 23, 2005

MattCarey said:
I noted that some people also recommend the Heliar lens design. I may give my 105mm Ektar (supposedly a modified Heliar) a go wide open on the ol' mini-speed.

Well, after a few false starts I finally have a few tests of the 105mm Ektar wide open. Below are a couple of shots I took with my mini-speed. These were done hand-held, f3.7 (wide open), ~<1/50s. The film was HP5+ in F76+ 1+9. Negative scans.

My wife is used to me using long-ish lenses and really tight shots, so she didn't realize that I was using her as a test of the bokeh.

Between camera shake, rangefinder focus, moving kid and me dropping the wet negatives on the floor, I am amazed that this trial resulted in anything usable.

I think there is some good potential in the lens.

Matt

David A. Goldfarb · May 23, 2005

It's got the Heliar look, especially the one in the middle.

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