Unknown ball lens

JohnSiskin

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I haven't posted here for many years. And so it goes. I just got a ball lens, similar to a Goerz Hypergon. The glass is very small, less than 1cm. Focal length is about 30mm, shorter than any Hypergon I know of. Covers about 5 inches, amazing! The lens has no markings. The glass isn't in great shape. It has 3 apertures built in. I am building a dedicated camera for it. Does anyone know anything about this lens? Any suggestions. Thanks for your attention
 

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JohnSiskin

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So, here’s the new camera. To explain it in detail I’m going to need the services of Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman. I’ll get to that in the next couple of days. A couple of stats: the lens has a focal length of about 29mm at the hyperfocal distance. Working aperture is about F64, but there is another viewing aperture that might be f16? The lens is a 2-element job and looks like it could be some sort of custom Goerz Hypergon. Still not any production lens Goerz lens ever made. THE LENS COVERS A 4X5 INCH SHEET OF FILM. Coverage is about 120º. The camera has a Graflok back which can hold 4x5 sheet holders and several roll film backs. I built the camera to match the lens. This camera might just be unique, in the original sense of the word.
 

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Dan Fromm

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Hmm. A 29 mm that covers 4x5 covers an angle of abour 138 degrees. OP, your report in post #2 above doesn't quite compute.
 

gone

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I'd like more pics of the rest of the camera, if possible. Just for the the Fractured Fairy Tales.
 

Nodda Duma

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With those numbers — and I’m guessing you measured 29mm from the flange or back of the lens which isn’t the focal length — it’s a non-Goerz 4x5 version of the Hypergon prescription. I do not know who made it, but I know pretty closely what the prescription is. Coincidentally I’ve been looking at the Hypergon design in detail lately.

-Jason
 

Donald Qualls

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So, basically a very wide pinhole with enough actual glass to expose in a second or two instead of minutes...
 
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JohnSiskin

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momus said:
I'd like more pics of the rest of the camera, if possible. Just for the the Fractured Fairy Tales.
Click to expand...

I don't know what the Fractured Fairy Tales are unless Rocky and Bulwinkel are involved? Here's a couple of shots. I will be doing a post on this eventually
 

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JohnSiskin

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I know that Goerz never made a production Hypergon in this size. I don't know who else might have made it. It does resemble a Hypergon. American Goerz produced some Hypergons that must have been after WW 2 that were coated. I have one. The coverage isn't as exciting as one would like because of the barrel. Anyone else you can think of who might have produced this lens?
 
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JohnSiskin

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Donald Qualls said:
So, basically a very wide pinhole with enough actual glass to expose in a second or two instead of minutes...
Click to expand...

Well actually the exposure is quite long, the aperture is about f64 in the center. If you dodge the exposure to even it out, an exposure of about a minute or so is likely. It is possible to change the focus, a little, but it would be tough to do because the lens is quite dark, even with the largest aperture. Also, possibly sharper than a pin hole. But similar to a pin hole
 
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JohnSiskin

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A couple of pictures
 

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JohnSiskin

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One more sample
 

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abruzzi

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Nodda Duma said:
Coincidentally I’ve been looking at the Hypergon design in detail lately.
Click to expand...

that little throwaway comment needs some elucidation.

Given what hypergons sell for these days, and their sort of legendary reputation, I've always wondered if one of the chinese lens shops (that make so many cheap lenses for digital cameras) might give a repro hypergon a go?
 

Nodda Duma

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I’ll just say that the optics cannot be made by any run-of-the-mill optical shop.
 
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