[LargeFormat] Wollensak Extreme Wide Angle Lenses

[Tim Atherton]

Hi Clive
>
> The idea of limiting the aperture may be due to focus shifts on stopping
> down (?) and increasing lens aberations as the aperture is opened
> up wider
> than the stated f stop. Both of these effects would have affected the
> reputation of the lens as photographers tried to push the boundaries
> perhaps......


I'd thought about focus shift, but it doesn't appear to be a problem going
from wide open to closed down.

And yes, it may well be as soft as heck if I shot at the wider than 12.5
setting (which I haven't tried). And I don't think it covers 8x10 at 12.5,
never mind more open (but it does at f22) - it just lets in more light to
focus and get a general view of the scene...


> I guess as the f9.5 was a lot more expensive to construct then is would
> make sense to the factory to continue producing the f12.5 and to drop the
> f9.5. Is yours a series III or IIIa?

It's labelled as neither. It's very similar to the one in Steve Simmons LF
book - but his is the yellow dot version rather than the pink @ ... (don't
ask me the difference) and a different shutter.

Mine says "Wollensak 6 1/4" (159mm) f12.5 Anastigmat Extreme WA" and is in a
Rapax shutter.

tim