Graflex Optar or Wollensak Raptar

Sorry to post this single question. I neither know what's the morre appropriated forum to do it, because in reality I am not a beginner. Let's go ahead.

 

I have two Wollensak lenses: Graflex Optar 6.8 and Wollensak Raptar 3.5 (Alphax shutter), both of 90mm, and I suppose that both of them are wide angles for the 4x5 size. The Optar seems more modern, but the Raptar is more rapid (3.5). However, the Raptar goes up just to 100 + B + T and the Optar up to 400. The Raptar has not a device to open and close the lens. I have to set it to T (that is side by side with the 100).

 

After exaustive search at the internet and literature I did not finde NO ONE referente to the 3.5 Wollensak Raptar (there are a lot of other 3.5, but not this one).

 

Thus as I intend to sell one of them, I wonder what's the most interesting and useful for my Crown Graphic Special 4x5. In terms of money, I know that the Optar have a better price.

 

Finaly, I seems a little strange to me a wide angle with 3.5 when the most of them are 6.8 (angulon, optar, etc). I know there are a lot of technical features regarding the subject. What about?

I'm not familiar with your lenses, but I would guess that the f/3.5 version is probably a normal lens for 6 x 9 cm and wouldn't cover 4x5.

I'd agree with AJG that the f/3.5 is most likely meant for a miniature Graphic(2 1/4x 3 1/4) and would vignette seriously on 4x5.

 

I just looked at my Miniature Pacemaker Crown(which I've only used a few times, and not in a very long time) and it has a 101mm f/4.5 Ektar. 90mm would be on the wide end of normal for 2 1/4 x 3 1/4(90mm is considered "normal" for 6x7).

 

f/3.5 is also quite fast for a 4x5 lens, and without coming through big lists of lens I seriously doubt that anything approaches that fast outside the 127-175mm range. My widest 4x5 lens is a 75mm Nikkor-SW f/4.5, and it's an absolute monster-I've used it on my Speed Graphic, but the camera won't begin to fold with it mounted.

 

Your Optar probably WILL work on your 4x5 speed.

85 mm f/3.5 and even f/3.2 Raptars (and Velostigmats) were fitted on Ciro-flex TLRs for 2¼-inch square. KEH had what sounds like your lens, and described it as for 2x3

(they don't have it now: see the ad at www.keh.com/shop/90-f3-5-raptar-alphax-sync-bt-2x3-lens.html )

There is no lens of 90mm and f/3.5 aperture that'll cover 5x4 and be useable wide open.

 

Most Raptars had a Tessar-like optical configuration, which definitely wouldn't cover 5"x4" in a 90mm focal length.

The 90/6.8 Optar/Raptar is a four elements in four groups double Gauss type. A wide angle lens for 4x5, but with marginal coverage.

 

There's no guarantee that the 90/3.5 Raptar is a tessar type. It could well be a triplet. To find out which it is, count reflections. A tessar's rear cell will have two strong and one weak reflection (possibly hard to see), a triplet's two strong. Either way, as has already been mentioned, not a lens for 4x5.