Curious about Hypergon

[conrad_hoffman]

Some of my old photo books show the C.P. Goerz Optical Works Hypergon

wide angle. It has this cool rotating center "filter", solid metal

actually, that's driven by an air jet. Supposedly you give 1/6 of the

exposure without the filter, then the rest with it in place and

rotating. Anyway, has anyone here used or have one of these things?

It appears to have only two elements, almost half-spheres. How is/was

the optical quality?

[john lehman, college alask]

Optical quality is said to have been very good, considering that they were used on 8x10, 11x14 or 16x20 cameras :-) They are being produced today (although not by Goerz) -- View Camera magazine had an article about them a year or two back.

[david_goldfarb]

Wisner offers them made to order, but I don't know that he's actually manufactured any.

 

http://www.wisner.com/Page20.html

 

Lens and Repro often has them (which is to say--the price is such that they stay in stock for a long time)

 

http://www.lensandrepro.com

[leonard_robertson]

Here is an interesting link on Hypergons:

http://www.cameraquest.com/hyper.htm

[conrad_hoffman]

Thanks all! Great link Leonard- wish I could buy one for the 1914 price.

[alex_lofquist]

The first part of the exposure was made with the rotating "filter" on it. Then it was removed by a stronger blast of air to dislodge it.