Wollensak 8x10 lens

[chrisofwlp]

I recently aquired a Wollensak 8x10 f/12.5, 6 1/4" lens. at first i thought it was an enlarging lens because of 1) its relativley small size ( less then 2" in diameter, and 2) it is an 8X10 lens that has a built in apeture yet no shutter.
the Apeture goes from 12.5-64, it has no "click" stops and the adjustment from wide open to stopped down requires less then a half insh of adjustment (if that makes any sense). I ran a quick google search and apperently this same lens had an accompaning shutter at some point in its life time. any other info that could be provided on this lens would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Vaughn]

I have one in a shutter...

Fun little lens. It does not really cover 8x10 well at infinity -- the corners tend to be unsharp with the possibility of dropping off in illumination in the corners also. Nice and sharp in the center -- easily covering 5x7. Focusing much closer than infinty would eliminate most of these "problems".

But it does have a nice quality of light about it. And I wrote "problems" because for some of my images the "problems" can be turned into pluses. Dark, unsharp corners can help direct one's attention to the center of the image. I am doing a series of my 3 boys in the landscape -- since the exposures are usually 30 seconds or so (and thus the boys are rarely perfectly still), the characteristics of the lens adds to image.

I do not use it much, but I keep it my camera pack because I have the space and it weighs next to nothing. Used carefully, it is a fine lens for 4x10 (I have a darkslide I cut in half to get two 3.5x10 images on a piece of 8x10 film.)

Vaughn

PS, I have a Zone VI 8x10 -- not a very good camera for such a short lens...way too long of bellows to get that tight in.

 

[jimgalli]

I've got it's little brother 135mm f12.5 that will just cover 8X10 and is very sharp and surprisingly contrasty in the right light. Interior Church Las Mesitas in my gallery here was done with that lens on 8X10. I think you'll find the groups will spin right into a size 3 Betax shutter with no machine work. Old WA lenses are never as good in the corners as modern stuff. It's a lens that I almost never shoot at wider than f64.