Trying to identify a new purchase

Sean McGown · Oct 28, 2020

Hello all. First post here. I recently picked this up:

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/105894988

I'm thinking Anniversary but am still foggy on the fine points of identification. So everyone knows, I had this delivered to my home in South Carolina but I'm in Rio de Janeiro (2nd home) so I can really touch the camera itself.

I did see that there is a Wollensak lens but I don't think this is a good starter lens. Photo attached.

I was thinking of picking up an Optar 135mm f/4.5 for a "get started" lens. Any other suggestions? Anyway, this looks like it's going to be a project. Seems like it was somebody's experimental camera.

Donald Qualls · Oct 28, 2020

That Enlarging Raptar would probably work fine if the camera has a working focal plane shutter. Lots of folks will claim enlarging lenses aren't "optimized" for normal scene distances, but in practice, it will only make a difference once you have the skill to manage focus in a way where very minor aberrations matter.

However, yes, that looks like an Annie to me -- I've got one (mine has the Kalart rangefinder on the side instead of the Meyer on top). You'll likely need to replace that pack-film Polaroid back; that film is impossibly expensive now -- and that means you'll need to acquire and install a suitable spring back focusing panel. I'd prioritize that over getting a "better" lens.

138S · Oct 28, 2020

Sean McGown said:
I was thinking of picking up an Optar 135mm f/4.5 for a "get started" lens. Any other suggestions?

If you think in a 135mm tessar then the obvious direct rival is the Xenar, also a Tessar design. The average Xenar may be a bit better than the average Optar, but all depends on the particular sample, etc...

The Xenar takes 40.5mm regular screw-in filters, while the Optar (IIRC) requires an slip-on adapter, if planning to use filters then the Xenar looks a more convenient choice. For the case the in camera shutter fails, also shutter will be different, the xenar may come with a very standard size 0 compur while the optar probably will have a graphex.

Here you have scheneider data for xenars and others: http://www.hyam.net/blog/archives/3961

I'm in love with the convertible Symmars, as a "get started" glass I would think in a Symmar 150mm convertible to 265mm, once converted it's a nice portrait lens that may work exceptionally nice for head&shoulders portraits. Well, it's the lens I started LF with...

The Symmar 135 covers a 190mm circle @f/16 and it is converted to 235mm...

removed account4 · Oct 28, 2020

nice !

when you get home, make sure the metal edges on the FP shutter's slit openings are not bent and the shutter is not seized. its not hard to calibrate it so it will still work for general use ( make sure you store it un-tensioned ). great thing about those cameras with FP shutters is you can use just about anything you find as a lens...

have fun!
john

Dan Fromm · Oct 28, 2020

Donald, the RF is on the side, near the shutter release. Lousy not very informative pictures.

Donald Qualls · Oct 28, 2020

Dan Fromm said:
Donald, the RF is on the side, near the shutter release. Lousy not very informative pictures.

That makes sense -- the top RF came later, and isn't operated by a side arm like the Kalart I have and that I now see in the photo you posted above). A properly calibrated RF is great on this kind of camera, especially if you mount a Grafmatic in an ersatz Graflok back. No ground glass needed, just merge the images, frame and pull the trigger.

Sirius Glass · Oct 28, 2020

I looked at the photos, closed the tab and then a minute later I went back to look and the page has been taken down.

Donald Qualls · Oct 28, 2020

Sirius Glass said:
I looked at the photos, closed the tab and then a minute later I went back to look and the page has been taken down.

I guess Goodwill doesn't keep their listings up for the buyer to compare received vs. shown the way eBay and Etsy do.

shutterfinger · Oct 28, 2020

Anniversary Speed Graphic.
Open the bed, with the front standard/bellows fully retracted into the body turn the camera upside down, look at the bottom side of the camera top on the handle side with a flashlight. Record and post the 6 digit number ink stamped there.
Hugo Meyer rangefinders were made for a specific lens focal length. They were made for a few focal lengths 127mm and 135mm the most common. If calibrated for the 162mm it will not calibrate to a 135mm but it might calibrate to a 152mm.

Sirius Glass · Oct 28, 2020

More information at:

https://graflex.org/first-time.html First Time Visitors
https://graflex.org/helpboard/ Forums
https://graflex.org/technical-information.html Technical Information
https://graflex.org/articles/ Articles
https://graflex.org/cameras/ Cameras
https://graflex.org/related.html Related Sites - somewhat out of date

shutterfinger is our got to guy. He also will make repairs and adjustments

ic-racer · Oct 28, 2020

If on one has pointed it out yet, that lens is USA manufactured, coated, has 4 element in 3 groups and, as enlarging lenses go, pretty fast. It is designed for 4x5" enlarging and should work well in that capacity if it is not covered with fungus, haze or scratches. I think 6 3/8" focal length was used in the Kodak Autofocus enlarger (Kodak also made a 163mm f4.5).

outwest · Oct 29, 2020

I knew several folks who held that lens in high esteem for enlarging.

Sean McGown · Nov 13, 2020

Thanks to everyone for all of the information. Yes the pics are awful. And, it's going to be a while before I can actually get my hands on the camera. See, I'm in South America and it's a little tough to get back to the states right now. Eventually, I will though, and then the fun will begin. I just posted another thread with a second speed graphic I purchased which has a different lens and shutter combo.

Rick A · Nov 13, 2020

outwest said:
I knew several folks who held that lens in high esteem for enlarging.

I do.

mshchem · Nov 13, 2020

I still have a couple of nice Wollensak enlarger lenses. Nice lenses, that example has the symbol showing it has "Wolcote" Wollensak's version of lens coating. Kodak called theirs Luminized. It's a nice lens, the later versions became Graphic Raptars. The camera is the challenge. Might be less expensive to find a 4x5. Or as has been mentioned find a 4x5 back. That lens will cover a 5x7 negative as an enlarger lens. Make sure you have enough bellows extension on the camera. You should have at least 10 inches, maybe a bit more. At infinity that will require 162mm of bellows. Kind of an odd combination. I used a lens like that for years for 4x5 and 5x7 enlarging with excellent results.

Trying to identify a new purchase

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