Question about Wollensak Velostigmat "Focus" Series II

[holmburgers]

I recently acquired a Wolly Velostigmat 8-1/4" f/4.5 Focus Series II lens.

I found practically the same lens on eBay, except that it did not have the word Focus, just "Series II".

Is there a practical difference, such as mine being a soft focus lens, or is it just a case of changing manufacturing details at some point?

The one on eBay went for $112; is mine of equal value, you reckon?

Thanks much

 

[Jon Shiu]

I don't know about your lens, but normally "Focus" just refers to focal length..

Jon

 

[holmburgers]

Here's the eBay auction I'm talking about -> http://cgi.ebay.com/Wollensak-Velos...675883898?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item2a111f337a (click "See Full Description")

I'm pretty positive, though I always start to question these things when I'm away from home and don't have it in front of me, that mine is identical to this one except that it has the word Focus.

 

[Jon Shiu]

that seller, dagor77, tends to get relatively high prices for his items, due to his writing and low starting price.

Jon

 

[removed account4]

a great resource when trying to figure out some of these "older" lenses
is the "info" section seth has at cameraeccentric.com

the velostigmat series II 4.5 is in catalogs from the 30s + 40s
i don't see any of the listing with "focus" in the name / on the lens &c.

do you have the lens with you ? does it say "focus " on the rim of the lens or
was it part of the description when you purchased it ?

you might drop dagor77 a pm via ebay and ask HIM if there is a difference ?
he is one of the good guys, and knows his stuff

 

[removed account4]

that seller, dagor77, tends to get relatively high prices for his items, due to his writing and low starting price.

Jon

he should publish a book of some of his descriptions

 

[holmburgers]

Ok, I confirmed with my roommate (who has the pleasure of working from home) that it indeed does say Focus. That's very interesting indeed...

I will contact dagor77, good idea, thanks!

 

[Rick A]

It refers to the length of the lens, 8-1/4"focus, series II lens.

 

[Jon Shiu]

You'll notice that the word FOCUS comes directly after 8 1/4" f4.5, meaning it refers to the focal length (not to the Series II).

Jon

 

[holmburgers]

That doesn't explain the discrepancy beteen mine and the eBay lens, but I guess it's just an innocuous change in manufacturing details?

 

[jbbooks]

Ok, I confirmed with my roommate (who has the pleasure of working from home) that it indeed does say Focus. That's very interesting indeed...

I will contact dagor77, good idea, thanks!

Ask your roommate if the lens is marked on the outer ring of the objective with an index mark and numbers from 0 to 5. If so, you have the version that allows you to selectively focus from sharp to slightly blurred by turning the ring. That would be consistent with the word "Focus" appearing where it does.

 

[jbbooks]

And, by the way, if that is what you have; I would definitely give you more than $112 for it.

 

[Fotoguy20d]

The shorter lenses (below around 9 or 10 inches) do not have the selective focus ring. Like any other Tessar, you can manually achieve the same type effect by tweaking the spacing between the front two pieces of glass.

FWIW, my 7" Series II does have the word Focus. I'd guess it was just a detail that changed at some point. Mine is hard to read but I think its serial number is around 107000.

Dan

 

[jbbooks]

The shorter lenses (below around 9 or 10 inches) do not have the selective focus ring. Like any other Tessar, you can manually achieve the same type effect by tweaking the spacing between the front two pieces of glass.

FWIW, my 7" Series II does have the word Focus. I'd guess it was just a detail that changed at some point. Mine is hard to read but I think its serial number is around 107000.

Dan

I have not seen one and I know the Vade Mecum says the same as you, but I have read where there were exceptions. If so, then his might be one of those. For me, the question is, "Does it have the adjusting ring?"

 

[holmburgers]

OK, mystery solved.

John & Rick were right.

Despite having the same exact specs as that eBay lens, mine is engraved differently so that the word Focus comes directly after 8-1/4".

I've created a MacGuffin and at the same time led you guys on a wild goose chase..

 

[John Kasaian]

Some Wolly Velostigmats had a moveable dial to control the softness. I'm not sure if the focus designation pertains to that feature or not.
They are really nice lenses though! Nicely soft when shot wide and tack sharp when stopped down. A Series II was my first 4x5 lens

 

[luvcameras]

You can read all about the Velo II here on my Soft Focus Lens Page Dead Link Removed

Note that the shorter focal lengths on the Velo II's do NOT have the Soft Focus feature, making them a cheapy Tessar type lens.... selling for $ 75-150..... Velo II's with Soft Focus sell for 3 and 4 times that amount.

Dan

 

[Jim Noel]

I have a 12" with variable soft focus. It odes not say "Focus". Also, it goes from sharp to extremely soft.

 

[holmburgers]

I'll be getting some film soon to test it out. The trick is that the shutter is shot, so I'm gonna have to do this old fashion style.

Dan, thanks for the link; great stuff.

 

[holmburgers]

So, even though the 8-1/4" is advertised for 5"x8" plates, I've found that it does cover 8x10". However, I haven't tested it at infinity, just indoors and relatively close distances (no more than 10 feet).

 

[fanuja]

triple convertable velostigmat series I f 6.3 focus 6 1/2 inches

I have a similar question on the above lens which is set in a ilex shutter. I really don't know what it's for because I am strictly a 35 RF person. It seems as though I can find plenty of info on series II lenses, but hardly anything on the I series. From what I can find it appears to be used on a medium format camera.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Joe

 

[Jon Shiu]

You can find the Wollensak catalogs on cameraeccentric.com

Jon

 

[Whiteymorange]

OK, Here's one that is not in the catalogues, as far as I can tell. It's engraved "Bell Velostigmat Wide Angle" and it's in an Wollensak "Autex" Shutter. the focal length appears to be about 8", so my guess is that it's for 5x7, though as a wide angle, it could cover far more than that. It's a bit dirty and I haven't taken any pictures with it or of it, so this post is a shot in the dark, so to speak. I can't find any reference to it on the web and only find "Bell" and Wollensak connected on any listing for the high speed work the Bell Labs contracted to Wollensak in the middle of the 20th century. This gear appears to be much earlier, maybe 20's or 30's.

Ring any "bells?"

 

[luvcameras]

Could be the lens off of the Bell Panoramic Camera

Dan

http://www.antiquewoodcameras.com/bells.html

 

[Whiteymorange]

Hi Dan,
Great link, but it doesn't look like that. I'll post a pic of it when I get back to my school studio where it sits in a box of other goodies I'm checking out for my friend Dick.

And thanks for all the great stuff you put on your website! I use it for research all the time.

Whitey