Wray 2" (50mm) f1.0 copying lens...

[alf_beharie]

Does anyone know anything about the Wray (of London) 2" f1.0 copying lens?

I have just bought one cheap on ebay with the intention of converting it for

use on my DSLR (if thats even possible?) but apart from that I know absolutely

nothing about it and I have'nt been able to find anything about it on Google or

Yahoo either.

Can anyone here help?

Some history of Wray of London lenses would be nice but I also would like to

know if its a highly rated lens or not.

Thanks for any help in advance.

Alf.

[rainer_t]

May be, this link will be inspiring for you ...

 

http://www.ksmt.com/eos10d/eos_nikki_body12.htm#060904

 

... albeit, I have to admit, if you look on the results ...

 

http://www.ksmt.com/panorama/060903enoshima/060903enoshima.htm#wsoft

 

... you might ask, if its worth it.

[anthony_r]

"would like to know if its a highly rated lens or not"

 

You get what you pay for.

[kparratt]

"you get what you pay for" does apply to new products, but is not really applicable to second-hand items. I've picked up real gems for lunch money. One can be lucky.

 

The lens. It will be an interesting exercise just trying it out at all apertures and image scales. I suggest you plan a schedule of tests and go for it. My guess is that it will perform best in the 1:10 to 1:20 range and between f8 and f11, simply because this is typical for the majority of copy lenses. Having f1 just makes it easier to compose and focus in copy situations. On a modern camera, and used at full aperture could produce some pleasant surprises with portraits, completely dropping out background detail.

 

Have fun, and let's see what you can do with it.

 

Cheers, Kevin.

[h._p.]

It's definitely the case that, with second hand stuff, "you get what you pay for" is seldom true. I've had some amazing bargains on stuff that other people didn't want but I did.

[dave_s]

I dont know anything about this lens, but:

 

(a) if your lens is the same as the one in the link Rainer T listed, then it is from an oscilloscope camera. (C.R.T. = "cathode ray tube").

 

(b) you may have trouble focusing it, if it doesn't have a focusing helix

 

© you may have trouble attaching it to your camera, if it has a weird mounting thread

 

(d) you may not be able to make infinity with it (for example, if it needs a shorter registration distance to the film plane than is allowed by your camera).

 

(e) if you can attach it to a bellows, you can use it as a macro lens, but I don't know if it would be any good.

 

All of Anthony, Kevin, and H.P. are correct. There are bargains to be had in used lenses, but sometimes equipment is cheap because it no longer has any practical use. Keep us posted on how this project works out.

[oskar_ojala]

I would guess that this lens is optimized or a certain magnification ratio and would be crap on infinity focus. You also have to build something to adapt it to the mount you want, probably losing infinity focus in the process. In other words, a very specialized lens.

[akira]

According to the link Rainer T suggested, the working distance the lens provides when it could ever be mounted on Canon EOS DSLR is about 50mm. The lens itself is optimized for 1:4 magnification, but the magnification factor that the lens and EOS combo provides seems to be a lot larger.

 

The owner of the website tried this lens on his EOS 5D and 10D, and found out that the lens won't cover the full frame but can cover the DX size imager. He also provides sample images (close-up of a tube container of glue with big red "G17" logo) in different aperture settings (f1.0 to f4.0).

[kparratt]

This may be of use. It's made by Rodenstock primarily for adapting enlarging lenses and the special Rodagon-D 1:1 objectives for precise copy and macro work. Details of the focusing unit at: http://www.linos.com/pages/no_cache/home/shop-optik/rodenstock-foto-objektive/vergroesserungstechnikccd/?sid=13388&cHash=83dc2ea03d#sid13388

 

It is in fact very similar to a focusing module made by Leitz for a focusing stage. They are however really worth having if you are interested in close-up copy work. They take any standard enlarger lens thread (Leica screw mount), and are beautifully engineered.<div></div>

[alf_beharie]

...For the two great links...Shame I cant read Chinese, or is it Japanese?

The other lens mods on there are very interesting too.

[alf_beharie]

Quote: "I dont know anything about this lens, but:

(a) if your lens is the same as the one in the link Rainer T listed, then it is from an oscilloscope camera. (C.R.T. = "cathode ray tube")."

 

Interesting, I never noticed the CRT on the front till you mentioned it...I thought it might have referred to the lens coating but looking closely at the Wray it does'nt seem be be a coated lens at all.

Not all CRT lenses are as poor quality as the Wray 2" 1.0 though...The Helios 40 and 40-2 85mm f1.5 lenses were originally made for use in oscilloscopes but they also work very well on film and disgital cameras

 

Quote:

 

"(b) you may have trouble focusing it, if it doesn't have a focusing helix"

 

It does'nt but then again it does'nt really need one as its strictly for macro use where the subject is brought into focus by moving the lens closer or further from the subject, rather than by turning a focus dial.

 

Quote:

"© you may have trouble attaching it to your camera, if it has a weird mounting thread"

 

Actually I had no trouble at all, I just fitted a T2-M42 adapter onto the rear of the lens then fitted the lens to my DSLR via an M42 adapter.

 

Quote:

"(d) you may not be able to make infinity with it (for example, if it needs a shorter registration distance to the film plane than is allowed by your camera)."

 

With the lens as it is there is no chance whatsoever of getting infinty focus...it will only focus on subjects about 2" away and being so fast the DOF is extremely shallow.

But I noticed that in Raynors link above there are some pictures apparently taken with the Wray 2" f1.0 at infinty focus!

I cant read the text on how this was acheived but some of the the pictures of the lens itself suggest that he somehow may have reversed the front element?

 

Quote:

"(e) if you can attach it to a bellows, you can use it as a macro lens, but I don't know if it would be any good."

 

I could fit it to a bellows but as its not a very sharp lens its probably best to keep it as close to the sensor or film plane as possible...Plus move it further away and you would lose a few f-stops.

Thanks anyway.

[alf_beharie]

Quote:

"This may be of use. It's made by Rodenstock primarily for adapting enlarging lenses and the special Rodagon-D 1:1 objectives for precise copy and macro work. Details of the focusing unit at: (link)

It is in fact very similar to a focusing module made by Leitz for a focusing stage. They are however really worth having if you are interested in close-up copy work. They take any standard enlarger lens thread (Leica screw mount), and are beautifully engineered."

 

Thanks but the Wray really is'nt worth such extravegance and for macro use you dont need a focusing module anyway...A T2-M42 adapter fits ok.

[alf_beharie]

Thanks everyone that responded...It did'nt take long to find out that the Wray is basically a pile of ^%%*!...But maybe I can find some use for it...A paperweight for instance!

[dave_s]

Alf, thanks for the update. If you don't have another use for it, it might be a very good magnifying loupe.