300 Wollensak Velstigmat Variable Focus lens

A number of you were quite helpful to me with suggestions with what to do and what to get for my foray into LF. I've been a portrait photographer for close to 27 years now in 35mm and MF. I've spent close to a year now auditing this forum and others reading about LF.

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I've let all this advice and these articles soak in and it became clear to me in a flash what I wanted and the price I wanted to pay it.

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I purchased a 360 Doctar Optics F6.7 Tessar from Mr Cad for $737 U.S. I purchased a 300 F 4.5 Wollensak Velostigmat VF from equinox for $285. I've attempted to purchase a Toyo 810M or a 810MII but have been unsuccessful so far. When I do get the 810M,I'll be using this combo to contact print pop paper.

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Anyone have the history of the Wollensak Velostigmat? Mine was obvioulsy used and used a lotk, so I know the photographers that used this lens loved it since it has not been abused. Its brassy and old, but just handling it gives me visions of this lens in action in an oldtime studio. I now the front rotates from a value of 0-5 but I can also rotate the front of the lens in front of the shutter and I need to know it this normal. I cannot get the lens to open or close, so can anyone clue me in on this?

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I know that this was considered a true soft focus lens, but would love to know more the history behind the people who designed and the people who used it.

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This is a great forum and thanks to all who steered me the right way for the right price.

I used a Wollensak Variable Focus Velostigmat Series III 300mm for a

while, and I really liked it. (This comes from a fan of the

Velostigmats in ALL forms, so forgive my gushing.) It EASILY covers

8x10 and gives the added advantage of being a sharp or diffused-focus

landscape or portrait lens. I think it was in Adams' <i>Examples -

The Making of 40 Photographs</i> that he described the properties of

the true soft focus lens as allowing the front elements to be varied

in their spacing, producing the pictorialist look he so loathed. I,

on the other hand, really like that look. So, "0" is the sharpest,

and "5" is the softest. I used mine a lot more on "0" than "5", and

I found the focus sweet. Mine was mounted in a raggedy but

functional #5 Alphax - big shutter, but big lens. (My Alphax stuck

open; the Betax will do the same. Talk to Steve Grimes if you are

intimidated by shutter repair.) Remember a 300mm f/4.5 lens is over

2.5" in diameter, and these are low contrast, hand-made, uncoated,

usually bubble-filled lenses where the rotation of the front element

creates an air space, enhancing flare and further reducing contrast.

If you use it for landscapes, plan on developing a lot of film at

N+2. Portraits of Granny, on the other hand, at f/4.5 on the "5"

setting are tough to beat.

I agree with Chad, this lens has a most pleasing image even at the

zero setting and I use it often in my professional portrait business.

I use the 12" with 4x5 and 5x7 and mostly don't use the diffusion dial

above #2. Portraitists and pictorialists had different reasons for

wanting a soft-focus image. The pictorialists wanted their

photographs to resemble wall art where the portraitists had a more

economic agenda--to diminish retouching. I have scanned a page from

Wollensak's 1916 catalog describing this lens and it's use and I'll

leave it on the server for a couple of weeks at:

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http://users.erols.com/cwdean/velo.jpg

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(Maybe someone can tell me how to code the above to make it a hot

link?)

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Let me know if it doesn't work...........and good luck!!!!

Jonathan,

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I, too, have this lens but my outer ring with the #1,2,3,4,5 settings

is frozen at 0. I have tried to move it but nothing happens. I even

used one of those blue rubber grippers for jar lids and still no

movement. I am afraid of getting too brutal or trying any chemicals

or WD-40 so I guess I'll live with it unless someone has some secret

or there is a secret button or lever somewhere that I don't know

about.

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Wayne, there's a pretty good chance someone has worked on the lens and

secured the ring so it won't move--probably a commercial photographer

who didn't want it accidently slipping into the diffused mode. A lens

technician like the venerable S.K.Grimes may be able to return it to

it's original state.

Hey, CW, try this (you'll have to view the source:<br><br>

<a href="http://users.erols.com/cwdean/velo.jpg">Velostigmat docs</a>.

Looking the lens over, I think I have the Series II Velostigmat.

The front of the lens rotates alright but I cannot make out the

zero-five settings so I will probably send this lens to S Grimes for a

CLA of the shutter and also see if I can have something done with the

engravings.

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The part of the lens in front of the shutter, that is, all of the

lens in front of the shutter can be rotated and is this normal or

something that needs to be fixed/addressed? In other words, the front

of the lens, and the lens itself can be rotated even though I

accidently did this once and only once,for fear this is not as it

should be. Being new to LF, I have no idea if this is normal or not.

Incidently HOW DO I GET THIS LENS TO OPEN AND CLOSE?

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After about a year of reading about soft/soft focus/pictoral

lenses, I was in a dilemma about what lens to go after. I had not

purchased Jay Allens book on soft focus lenses, but I happened to see

a people/portrait on the F32 website shot by you, Chad Jarvis, taken

with the Wollensak and that sold me period.

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If any of you folks out there are interested in checking out my

style of people/portrait work, go to www.focalfix.com, click on

gallery, and then either J Brewer-digital or J Brewer-carnaval.

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Thanks in advance to any who can answer my questions about the

operation of Wollensak

Was just directed to this thread from the Large Format list and also

have a 300 F 4.5 Wollensak Velostigmat VF in a studio shutter. If

your lens is in a studio shutter then there is only one set of blades

for both shutter and aperture - if that's what you mean by being

unable to open and close the lens...... When you fire the shutter it

opens to the set aperture then closes again.

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Would be very interested in reading the Wollensak literature on the

lens that someone else posted - the link is now dead. Would be

delighted to give the literature a permanent home on the f32.net

large format web site.

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Does anyone have a new link for the document or perhaps they could

send it as an attachment?

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Cheers.

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Clive <a href="http://www.f32.net">www.f32.net</a>

Check out:

http://www.f32.net/Images/Equipment/velostigmat.jpg