[LargeFormat] Bargain Lens

[Ken Hough]

Many years ago I started recementing lenses as a profession. I bought
a partial remains of Gundlach manufacturing. lots of glass and shutters. I 
had many RRs.  Every company made RR lenses. Very simple and cheap to 
make. They suffer a few problems though. If you try to use them beyond 
their rated coverage. G-M lenses are really a pair of cemented substraits 
front and rear(as are most companys RRs). They do not always let you 
enlarge the image. These are for contact prints. Do not expect alot in an 
enlargement. They are of course designed to straighten vertical and 
horizontal lines. The lens is probably is a 8-12-17. The 12 and 17 inch cells 
should be used on the rear of the shutter.
Ken

From:           	Mike Kirwan <mkirwan@pacbell.net>
To:             	largeformat@f32.net
Subject:        	[LargeFormat] Bargain Lens
Send reply to:  	largeformat@f32.net
	<mailto:largeformat-request@f32.net?subject=subscribe>
	<mailto:largeformat-request@f32.net?subject=unsubscribe>
Date sent:      	Sat, 06 Jul 2002 10:10:31 -0700

[ Double-click this line for list subscription options ] 

I picked up a very old Gundlach Manhattan 17"+ 12" Convertible Rapid
Rectlinear Lens at a garage sale for $1.50. It is mounted in a working
Regino pnumatic shutter (speeds T, B, 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, 1/5, 1/2 and 1). I
have made one test shot using on my 4x5 using TMX-100 and viewing the
negative under a loupe was suprised at how sharp this old lens is. Also
interesting is the coverage, it has a very large image circle and looks lo
cover 5x7. It is a small lens, about the same size as my 90mm f6.8 Angulon.
I suspect it came off a late early 1900's drop bed camera like a Kodak Pony
Premo No2 .

The removable front element has a focal length of 17" the rear element has a
focal length of 12" and combined seem to have a focal length of 10". The
aperture scale has three scales, one for the combined elements and runs from
f8 to f64, the 12" scale runs from f16 to f64 and the 17" combination runs
from f22 to f64.

I have scoured my resources and searched the web and cannot find any
reference to this lens and wonder if any of you folks could help with any
information, especially how the elements should be arranged for the 12" and
17" focal lengths. It all seems to work in whatever combination you set them
up for, so I guess there has to be a preferred way,

Best - Mike



_______________________________________________
LargeFormat mailing list
LargeFormat@f32.net
http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat
        ******Ken Hough Photographic Repair******
         Specializing in Deardorff Refinishing
          Lens Recementing and Shutter repair
          Contributor to McKeowns Price Guide
                   Deardorff Section
           Custom machined Photographic items
           Text Contents Copyright 1999 KHPR
          http://deardorffcameras.0catch.com/
                   Est. 1980