Wollensak Enlarging Raptars

[chip j]

Anyone know anything about them? I have a 50 & a 90 coming from ebay because they were clean & cheap, and because I'm a bit of an antiquarian. Thanks!

 

[Bruce Osgood]

I've heard the 90 is an outstanding enlarging lens for Medium Format, especially 6x7 negatives. I have no first hand experience.

 

[chip j]

The glass is supposed to be clean.

 

[fotch]

I think it use to be considered pretty good back in the earlier days of photography.

 

[Rick A]

I have two 90mm enlarging Raptars, both NOS when purchased, stellar performing lens. Originally designed to cover 6x9 format, no light fall off in the corners with 6x6, 6x7, barely any with 6x9, and tack sharp. These were state of the art when first introduced, and can stand up to any Schneider or Rodenstock of the same design. Only drawback, finding a mounting plate for the odd size body. Fortunately for me, one of mine came with an adapter for larger mount. Oh yeah, I just remembered I have a no. 2, for 4x5 (it's a rebranded Wolly sold as a Solar), my go to lens for 4x5, and I have Schneider Componon s and Rodenstock Rodagon sitting beside it.

http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/wollensak_4.html

 

[Jim Noel]

Raptars were among the best as long as they were manufactured,which I believe was into the 70's. At appropriate apertures they are still very good. I like them because the prints do not have the sharp cut-off, cut and paste look of many of the more highly advertised and regarded lenses. Trees look like trees, and people look like people, not like pieces cut from a magazine and inserted into the image.

 

[chip j]

Thanks for that, Jim!

 

[John Koehrer]

Mr cranky pants loves to share his opinions(usually negative) whether or not he's had first hand
experience with a particular item or not.

 

[Zathras]

Speaking of Enlarging Raptars, does anybody here have any info on the Wollensak Enlarging PRO Raptar lenses? One of these, a 161 0r 162mm, found its way into my collection a while back. I've not had the opportunity to print with it as my darkroom is temporarily out of commission. It does seem to have a higher build quality than the regular Enlarging Raptars. I wonder how it will perform optically.

 

[jjphoto]

Speaking of Enlarging Raptars, does anybody here have any info on the Wollensak Enlarging PRO Raptar lenses? ...

Ditto.

I'm the proud owner of a Wollensak 114mm F5.6 Enlarging PRO Raptar which I bought from a seller here over a year ago. Catch is, it's a big catch, that it didn't actually arrive. But I paid for it so I still own the damn thing! Assuming it even got here, if some one in Melbourne or Australia finds one kicking about, surely there can't be another one here, chances are that it's actually mine.

I have a 90mm Enlarging PRO Raptar too. If any one has any technical info about Enlarging PRO Raptars or wants to sell one please PM me.

Chip, the Enlarging Raptars are 4-3 Tessars so the key here is to have low expectations.

JJ

 

[Paul Howell]

I have a 50mm, 90mm, 135mm and 162mm. All are basic 4 element lens, stopped down to F 8 or 11 I find Wollensaks to be as sharp as newer 5 element lens. I don't use the 162mm very often, I don't have the XL column for my D3, so I usually use a 135 or 150 for 4X5, still the 162 is a very good performer. The 50mm is rather slow at F4, sometime I have a hard time with focus and need to switch to a 2.8.

 

[Rick A]

Since I almost never print 135 film beyond 8x10, I use my 90 for it. I prefer it to my El-Nikkor 50/2.8.

 

[Rick A]

I use my 75mm Ektar for 35 instead of my Nikkor 2.8 also. My logic (or rationale) is evenness of illumination and center-to-corner sharpness. Seems to work out well.

Yup.