What is this lens - Dynar Voigtlander 6 1/2 inch - What should I do with it?

[Sully75]

Hi there,

I have a Dynar Voigtlander 6 1/2" lens I got with a 5x7 camera on ebay.

I haven't been able to find much information on this lens. Is there any chance it covers 5x7? This camera (an old Kodak no.33) had a split back, so I'm thinking maybe it was covering 5x3.5 when the camera was being used (it hadn't been used in many years).

It's in a Wollensak shutter. The shutter is busted, I guess missing an air cylinder. Does anyone have a picture of this shutter with the F stops listed? It looks as though the plate has fallen off. If I wanted to get a new shutter for this lens, is there anything that would have the same thread, that would be commonly available? I'm thinking about using it with a lens cap initially.

Someone on a different post advised that the lens might have some value auction wise. Any idea roughly what that might be? I'm very short on funds, and wouldn't mind having some extra cash to invest in film and other necessities, but if it's a cool lens that I will want down the road, and I won't get much for it, I'll hold onto it.

Thanks for your advice
Paul

 

[Sully75]

ps for the record, I'm mostly interested in doing portraits, so if this lens would cover the bleeding edge of 5x7 without any movements, I'd probably be ok with that.

Waiting for some positive paper to mess around with the lens.

 

[jimgalli]

Basically a Heliar with a smaller maximum aperture. Excellent lens. You're lucky to have it. Better on half frame 5X7 for portraits though.

 

[Sully75]

Jim,

Probably won't cover 5x7, would cover 4x5? What do you think?

Thanks
Paul

 

[Sully75]

Any suggestions on how to judge the f stop of the lens?

 

[Fotoguy20d]

Any suggestions on how to judge the f stop of the lens?

Focus at infinity and measure the distance from the glass to the center of the lens. Now measure the minimum diameter of the lens optics. Divide the length by the diameter and you have the f stop.

Dan

 

[Sully75]

Dan,

Thanks...when you say minimum diameter of the optics, are you talking about the aperture blades, or some part of the glass itself?

 

[Fotoguy20d]

Most likely it will turn out to be the aperture blades but I've occassionally had a shutter that opened wider than the glass diameter.

 

[Fotoguy20d]

From the serial number, this lens dates to around 1900 (+/- a couple of years). From the Vade Mecum:

Dynar f5.2, f6.0 4.75in for 3.25x4.25in, 5.5, 6.0, 7.125in Layout V018.
The 1915 USA list has 4.75in for 3.25x4.25in; 5.375in for 3.5x4.5in; 6in for 4x5in; 6.5in for 3.25x5.5in; 7.125in
for 5x7in; 8.25in for 6x8in; 10in for 6.5x8.5in; 12in for 10x8in.
The Dynar covers up to 60° and was sold from 1903, and into the 1920's as an f5.5

So, the 6 1/2 should cover 4x5 with perhaps a bit of movement. And, your calculation should get you to about f5.5-f6

 

[jimgalli]

Yes, it's intent was for 9X12 or 4X5. Half frame 5X7 is close to 9X12. A bit taller. Definitely not a 5X7 lens.

 

[Sully75]

Thanks again. Any idea what I could use for a shutter?

 

[Sully75]

bump! Regarding the shutter...is there anything I could buy as a replacement? Or should I try to have this one fixed?

 

[pgomena]

If you're serious about using it, put it in a new shutter. Finding parts for the old one will be tough, and it looks a bit tattered. Several vendors could help you. S.K. Grimes is one, lensn2shutter.com is another. It'll cost you a bit.

Peter Gomena

 

[jimgalli]

bump! Regarding the shutter...is there anything I could buy as a replacement? Or should I try to have this one fixed?

No direct replacements without expensive machine work. So a couple hundred for a Copal 1 and another 2 or 3 hundred for a machinist to make adapter bushings, you'll have a $555 lens that's worth at least what the Copal cost.

 

[guy1966]

According to my 1914 Z.T. Briggs catalog, the Dynar is a F/6 Triplet. The 6 1/2 inch is shown as covering 3 and a quarter by 5 and a half wide open. It sold for $25 as just the lens cells and $ 30 fitted to an iris diaphragm barrel. The catalog descriptions reads as follows:

The Dynar lens is of an entirely new construction, made of colorless Jena glass, famous the world over for it's great light transmitting power, uniformity of definition and the brilliancy of the pictures it produces.

It consists of three seperate lenses, so arranged as to obtain extreme rapidity. This lens is excellently adapted for the most rapid instantaneous exposures.

That's it!

 

[removed account4]

hi sully75

how about shooting paper negatives with it
low/even light. i made a cardboard lenscap for one of my older lenses
its easy .. black cardboard and tape ... all you have to do is think of slow
emulsions ( iso 6 sometimes ) and count in seconds ...
you could also use a hat or dark slide for a shutter ...
have fun!
john

 

[Sully75]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the info. I'm thinking about selling the lens...my main interest is in 5x7 and this won't cover it. All things being equal, I'd love to hold on to it, but I am poor

What would you think a fair price for this lens would be? It has a semi working shutter, a fully functional aperture. The glass is reasonably clean, there is some inner dust, definitely needs a cleaning, probably nothing that would affect image quality though.

Any thoughts? I have no idea. Not sure if I put it on ebay, anybody will know what it is. Suggestions?