Most of the lenses offered here are between 100-150 years old. You should expect them to have seen some use over the last century. I try to detail any defect that I see. I bought most of these to use and changing formats has made some of these extra to my needs. I try and give any info I can on them and have used many of these in the field. It has taken many years to acquire these lenses and I hope to pass them on to users because they should be used. Wide angle brass is not popular and most photographers have a hard time with these type lenses. Please keep in mind most of them have slow apertures and render images softer in the corners wide open. Their unique rendering quality is very nice in my opinion and certainly lower contrast than a modern mc optic. We use them for the history, for the connection to the past, for the love of brass.
All prices here include usps priority mail shipping to continental usa. Other areas please contact me for additional shipping costs. Paypal payments are the easiest way to go or you can send a usps money order.
All prices here include usps priority mail shipping to continental usa. Other areas please contact me for additional shipping costs. Paypal payments are the easiest way to go or you can send a usps money order.
Darlot Wide Angle Hemispherical No. 1 70mm f:12 - $350
I believe this is the no. 1 Darlot wide angle hemispherical lens. I have the lens marked as f:12 and 70mm. I have used this lens in the past on a 6x9cm view camera but not recently. My notes were certainly for use in the field. Lens comes mounted in a linhof type recessed lens board. The front glass of the lens measures approximately 7/8" across. These short focal length wide angle brass lenses are very rare and it took me a good long time to find this lens. It was purchased from antiquecamera.net many years ago. The glass has some minor marks on the front lens. Lens comes with the original lens flange and of course 3 lever aperture stops. Lens is engraved with B.F. & Co. the usa distributers of Darlot lenses. You can't see any of the barrel markings without unscrewing the front element.
I believe this is the no. 1 Darlot wide angle hemispherical lens. I have the lens marked as f:12 and 70mm. I have used this lens in the past on a 6x9cm view camera but not recently. My notes were certainly for use in the field. Lens comes mounted in a linhof type recessed lens board. The front glass of the lens measures approximately 7/8" across. These short focal length wide angle brass lenses are very rare and it took me a good long time to find this lens. It was purchased from antiquecamera.net many years ago. The glass has some minor marks on the front lens. Lens comes with the original lens flange and of course 3 lever aperture stops. Lens is engraved with B.F. & Co. the usa distributers of Darlot lenses. You can't see any of the barrel markings without unscrewing the front element.
R & J Beck 3" (75mm) W. A. Rect - W.H. Walmsley & Co. Sole American Agents - $150
Another very rare short focal length wide angle rectilinear lens for 6x9 format and more. I have not tested this lens is in a while but it may do 4x5. Please inquire if you want me to check the full image circle. Lens comes with a period brass mounting flange that I am calling non original. It has a very slight different color lacquer or shellac on it than the barrel but fits the lens well. Some ass jack cut a portion of the original aperture wheel but it still works fine. It has stops down to f:45.2. I have no idea why one would cut the wheel like this but it is what it is and the lens is not common at all.
Emil Busch Wide Angle Aplanat No. 1 Series C (105mm) f:16 Sold
Shortest focal length in the Emil Busch Wide Angle Aplanat series. Emil Busch WA Aplanats are superior wide angle aplanat (rectilinear) lenses and very good optics. This lens will easily cover 5x7 format and comes with a non original T.T.H. brass flange. Rotating wheel stops down to f:64. Clean glass no issues on the optics the no. 1 aplanat is one of the hardest to find being such a short focal length not many were produced.
Barre London Wide Angle 4x5 f:16 - $75
Obscure lens manufacturer that I have never seen before. This is certainly a wide angle rectilinear type lens. I have not used this one in some time but from memory it is around 105mm lens. The lens has a modern type iris marked 16, 32, 64 and 128. Glass is clean and lens comes with the original mounting flange.
Ross No. 3 Wide Angle Symmetrical 5" (127mm) - $175
Moderately short focal length wide angle rectilinear type design. Ross made super lenses their wide angle symmetrical series is excellent. This is a great focal length for 5x7 and covers up to 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 according to the Ross lens charts. Very clean glass hardly a mark on this vintage glass. Aperture stops down to f64 and clicks in at every aperture. There is no flange for this lens.
R. Morrison 5-1/4" (133mm) no5 Wide Angle make offer!
The lens is not marked with focal length but it did test out pretty close to the above. There is a miniature no. 5 engraved to the lower right of the N in Morrison. That might be either for a no. 5 lens or 5" focus, not sure. It has the serial number, period Capitol A period then tiny 5 around 1/2 the other font size. The front element is more steeply curved and the rear a bit more flat. No issue throwing good light onto my 5x7 screen. As far as I can tell this is a variation 3 Morrison wide angle (with hood). Lens comes with the original front lens cap but no flange. R. Morrison worked under C.C. Harrison and later went out on his own. Certainly he used knowledge of the globe lens in his own wide angle optics, which were apparently highly regarded.
Gundlach Wide Angle Symmetrical 5x7 - $100
These were again of the wide angle rectilinear type lenses. I collected almost all of the Gundlach wide angle lenses as I grew up in Rottenchester, NY and felt the need for some reason. That's no excuse as piles of lenses were made there! Clean glass with original mounting flange. Aperture wheel is marked only 1 to 6. It's probably f16 - f128. I have some rarer Gundlach wide angles 10x12 and 11x14 that are still in my user pile inquire if interested.
Emil Busch Weitwinkel Aplanat No. 2 Series C (150mm) f:15 - Sold
Second shortest focal length in the Emil Busch Wide Angle Aplanat series. Emil Busch WA Aplanats are superior wide angle aplanat (rectilinear) lenses and very good optics. This lens will cover 8x10 format. Rotating wheel stops down to f:64. Glass shows a few light marks but will shoot great.
R.D. Gray Extreme Angle Periscope No. 5, 5.9" or 150mm lens covers 11x14
The Extreme Angle Periscope is one of the early super wide field lenses covering up to 115 degrees. Lens is mounted in a brass Wollensak Regular air actuated shutter. Glass is clean showing a few tiny marks but very nice glass for this vintage lens. Shutter works but slow speeds are very slow. Lens comes with a mounting ring of sorts. I will post a photo if anyone has interest in this rare lens. I don't know what other 150mm lenses cover 11x14 but there are very few that are up to it. The aperture is marked from f14 to f64 but opens wider than f14.
Emil Busch Wide Angle Aplanat No. 3 Series C (190mm) f:16 - Sold
Emil Busch WA Aplanats are superior wide angle aplanat (rectilinear) lenses and very good optics. This lens should sharply cover 10x12 and possibly up to 11x14 but throws a huge image illumination beyond that. As I recall I used in for effect on 12x16" format but the corners were not sharp wide open and has massive coma on the outer part of the circle. This is way beyond the lens "coverage" but the effect is fun to try. Rotating wheel stops down to f:64. Clean glass no issues on the optics. There is no flange with the lens.
Wollensak Extreme Wide Angle 10x12, f:12.5 190mm Coated Alphax 4 - Sold covers 11x14 @ small stops
Many people are familiar with the 8x10 159mm version of this lens but the longer focal lengths are rare. The lens is coated. Yes it is believe it or not very rare. Some of these lenses were coated but most not and I've never seen another one or longer that has been coated. Plenty of 8x10 and 5x7 versions are coated however (I currently use the 108mm 5x7 coated version f12.5).
Lens originally came in barrel but it threaded right into the Alphax 4 shutter. Original lens barrel is included. Please do not separate the lens barrel from the lens it belongs to it and rare. The Alphax 4 came from some random lens and it opens much wider than f12.5. The lens is soft wider than 12.5! This is an amazing lens and was my main shooting lens when I was working with 8x10. The coverage is huge and does 11x14 stopped down. The wider opening aperture is very nice for image framing but I focus it at f12.5. Very sharp lens and while the shutter has weight it's still slim so packs up nicely. Easily out covers the 210mm Computar and a wider lens. If I still shot 8x10 I would never give up this lens it is my favorite focal length on 8x10. I bought the lens from the Univ of Michigan at a sale they had believe it or not. It is my belief true or not that they purchased it new back in the day. I had to fight for it and glad I got it.
If you do 11x14 there really aren't many options in a 210mm type lens. The Super Angulon 210mm is a beast I had one. Computar doesn't really cover unless it's centered perfectly. What else a 6.5 Cooke Anglic uncoated? There are a couple others but great option for 11x14 super wide, coated in shutter. The price may seem high but for the size and sharpness this can't be beat.
Ross Zeiss Series V Anastigmat 212mm f:16 Sold
Very rare Ross London Zeiss Anastigmat 1:16 212mm. These are early Series V Zeiss Protar wide angle lenses. If you research these you will find that Zeiss allowed Ross to make these lenses f:16 instead of the standard f:18 Series V Protar. Not many people even know of these lenses but dig deep and you will find the information. Very early production lens before they were called Series V so not labeled Series V but it is. This lens has huge coverage and I hear it can do 12x20. I know in the past I mounted this up to my 12x16 camera and it covered the format with maximum lens movement. These are very desirable lenses and 212mm Series V Protar lenses are very hard to find. These Ross made versions are even more scarce. The waterhouse stop wheel is marked 16, 22, 32, 45 and f64. Very small lens with huge coverage so if you need a great sharp wide angle for ULF this is a very unique lens. Glass shows very well with a few pin specs but very nice clean optics. The lens will come with modern front and rear plastic push on caps and the original mounting flange.
Very rare Ross London Zeiss Anastigmat 1:16 212mm. These are early Series V Zeiss Protar wide angle lenses. If you research these you will find that Zeiss allowed Ross to make these lenses f:16 instead of the standard f:18 Series V Protar. Not many people even know of these lenses but dig deep and you will find the information. Very early production lens before they were called Series V so not labeled Series V but it is. This lens has huge coverage and I hear it can do 12x20. I know in the past I mounted this up to my 12x16 camera and it covered the format with maximum lens movement. These are very desirable lenses and 212mm Series V Protar lenses are very hard to find. These Ross made versions are even more scarce. The waterhouse stop wheel is marked 16, 22, 32, 45 and f64. Very small lens with huge coverage so if you need a great sharp wide angle for ULF this is a very unique lens. Glass shows very well with a few pin specs but very nice clean optics. The lens will come with modern front and rear plastic push on caps and the original mounting flange.
Rodenstock Weitwinkel Bistigmat 18x24 - Make offer!
Wide angle for 8x10 coverage. I can't remember the lens design of this one but not a war lens I don't think. Standard Bistigmat lenses are fairly common but the wide angles not as much. Brass shows use with lacquer worn off and patina on part of the lens barrel that gets handled. Glass shows a couple pin size nicks on the rear glass no problem to use. The Bistigmat and Weitwinkel Bistigmat have a special lens barrel designed to accommodate for focus shift. Common issue with some lenses including dagors where the focus of the lens shifts plane as you stop it down. The barrel has two settings one for focusing and one for adjusting after you focus.
Scientific Lens Co. NY Kosmos Wide Angle 11x14 - Sold
From memory this is 210-240mm range wide angle for 11x14. The lens does cover 11x14 by a hair so maybe better for 10x12 or 8x10 if you need big movements. Glass shows few pin specs on the front but otherwise looks good. It has a black painted lens mounting flange and front and rear plastic caps (rear cap fits flange ring so smaller one needed when mounted).
Ross No. 7 Wide Angle Symmetrical 9" (228mm) $1000 (i don't want to sell it price)
I should not have to mention how exceedingly rare the long focal length wide angle lenses are. These were made for ULF cameras and this lens is charted out by Ross to cover 12x15". Very few of these were made and even less exist today. Glass shows a few light nicks on the front lens and some specs on the rear glass. The lens will still shoot fine. I hesitate to sell this lens as it would be a great optic to use on my 12x16" camera. I don't have the camera on the west coast with me so I am listing it with major hesitation as I know I will probably never find another one. Lens has it's original mounting flange and aperture wheel stops nicely down to f64. Most wide angle rectilinear types are tiny this one is simply gorgeous. The front lens barrel measures 2-3/8" across. Original lacquer is in good shape and just a damn nice lens excepting the nicks on the edge of the front glass.
R.D. Gray Periscope #6, 12" - $150
The No6 Periscope is charted out by Gray as a 12" lens for 8x10 wide open and 14x17 stopped down. Beautiful lens with very clean glass. No flange or waterhouse stops included. I can make a cardboard template for stops if you need a pattern to help make stops. Any 12" lens that covers 14x17 is worthwhile to have in a ulf kit, and a great focal length for 14x17.
R. Morrison No. 8 Wide Angle 14x17 - Sold
New arrival that I have not even mounted up yet. Lens is marked 14x17 and has a No 8 on the other side of the barrel. On the R. Morrison lens chart this lines up with the No. 8 wide angle 14" lens. Lens barrel shows little original lacquer and has a fairly serious patina on the brass. Clearly it was used and handled to remove the brass coating like that but it's original and I never shine up these old lenses. You could polish the brass but please do not the original patina should be left intact in my opinion. Glass looks great showing a few tiny marks on the front lens that will do nothing. Flange and rear element unscrew easily but the front is held tightly in place. I can free it up when I get some time to work on it. I did camera repair for a living (in the past) so pretty sure I can get it loose.
Ross 24" f8.0 Homocentric - Sold
Nice Ross 24" or 600mm F8.0 Homocentric. The few Ross lens catalogues I have seen only list the homocentric up to a 10" size. Longer versions appear to be special order optics so this lens is not common. From what I understand the lens is a 4 element double gauss wide angle. Perhaps originally used for process or copy work. As such it should cover a massive plate, and possibly even up to 16x20 or more. I do not have my ULF camera currently here so I can't test the coverage of this lens. Obviously the 4 element double gauss wide angle design was used for decades and many famous lenses are of this design such as the wide field ektar and many others. The glass is pretty good shape showing a lot of hairline cleaning marks on the front lens. There are some tiny specs on the rear lens and some bubbles in the glass but I don't feel these will have any effect on using the lens. Rare chance to grab a longer wide angle lens for ULF. Lens will be supplied with the original mounting flange.