Hi,

I just picked up a Graflex 10" Tele-Optar f 5.6 lens that I plan to use to make portraits. Any comments on the performace of this lens and are there any preferred f-stops that will give the best quality. Thanks

The 10" Tele Optar is very good for portraits of head shots and busts. 3.4 and full length are doable if you have the room.

This is not the sharpest, contrastiest of lenses, but for portraiture that's an asset.

I think you'll find it sharpest at f 16 and above, but encourage you to test the lens on a friend and the wider apertures and see what you get

Thnaks Les,

I sent the lens off along with my existing lens board for drilling and mounting. I will give it a go upon it's return in about a week. I will post to this topic, my impressions of this lens.... Thanks

Would your 10" Tele Optar be the same as my 10="Woolensak F4.5 (254MM)lens, S/n E21051.
What year was mine made?
What is the serial # on your lens and is it a coated lens? I can see coating on mine.
I bought mine just for portraits mainly, but what is like doing lanscapes?
And, how has your lens testing gone on portraits?

10" wollensak Telephoto
Does any one have one mounted in a shutter
I wan't to use it with my Arca Swiss Rail camera as well but I would like to know what
Shutter to get.

Regards

Johnkpap

The lnes originally came in a Graphex shutter. I doubt there are many of these in new shutters because

A. The Graphex shutter is bullet proof
B. The a new lens/shutter is cheaper than the cost of a used Copal even before machining.

Quote:

On 2001-12-18 04:52, johnkpap wrote: 10" wollensak Telephoto Does any one have one mounted in a shutter I wan't to use it with my Arca Swiss Rail camera as well but I would like to know what Shutter to get. Regards Johnkpap

Graphex/Rapax (they're the same) #3. This is not the same size as Ilex #3 or Copal/Prontor #3. Hard to find.

I take it you have one in barrel and have been using it on a Speed Graphic. Your best bet is probably to buy one in shutter and sell yours.

Cheers,

Dan

Quote:

On 2001-12-18 04:52, johnkpap wrote: 10" wollensak Telephoto Does any one have one mounted in a shutter I wan't to use it with my Arca Swiss Rail camera as well but I would like to know what Shutter to get. Regards Johnkpap

I've been thinking about how you can put your 250/5.6 tele lens into or in front of a shutter.

I'm not an expert. The best thing you can do is ask an expert, e.g., Steve Grimes (www.skgrimes.com), how much he'll charge to put the lens in a shutter. He may come up with a better less expensive solution than the ones I sketch below. Then you can make the economic decision to mount the lens or sell it and buy one in shutter. I suspect that buying one in shutter will cost less, overall, than mounting it in front of a shutter, but its an empirical question.

The least expensive way MAY be to put it in front. Question is, in front of what?

I have a 250/5.6 TeleOptar in #3 Rapax. Its rear cell is 41.0 mm diameter, too big to go cleanly, with the rear cell inside the shutter, in front of a Copal #1, diameter 40.0 mm. Pity, because various Polaroid versions of the Copal #1 press shutter can be got quite cheaply. Might work dirtily in front of a #1. I have a 210/9 Konica Hexanon that mounts dirtily in front of a #1 via a $75 adapter S. K. Grimes made for me. The lens sits entirely in front of the shutter opening, its rear cell is probably 15 mm in front of the shutter's leaves; might not cover 4x5 because of vignetting by the shutter, covers 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 just fine. If you search hard, you should be able to find a Polaroid MP-4 shutter, probably with a Tominon 135/4.5 in it, under $50. A shutter from a Polaroid CU-5, DS-34, or DS-39 might do, but not all of those cameras have #1s, some, with shorter lenses, have #0s. I think you'd want one with a 127/4.7, these things typically go on eBay for less than $30.

Your barrel lens would go cleanly in front of an Ilex #3. See Mr. Grimes' site for info on them. #3 Universals are available fairly cheaply ($20-30 + shipping) as part of Tektronix C-12, C-29, and C-30 (a and b) oscilloscope cameras. Based on a sample of two, they all need to be overhauled. Mr. Grimes wants $65 for the job. And an adapter for the lens would be needed too. It isn't possible to put a lens in a 'scope camera #3 because the shutter's rear is threaded internally but not externally. Mounting such a shutter on a board requires a custom flange that screws into, not onto, the shutter; the shutter sits entirely in front of the board, the flange goes behind, and the board is clamped between the two. This setup leaves nowhere to screw a lens' rear cell into the back of the shutter. Sorry, I didn't ask for a price on an externally threaded flange.

Hope this helps,

Dan