I haven't found anything about this lens in old threads. It's a Calumet-Caltar 10" in a very large Ilex shutter. Does anyone know anything about vintage, provenance (rodenstock?) or other general info? It appears from color negatives and prints to be reasonably sharp and contrasty--I have it on loan, would like to buy, and am seeking any information this deeply knowledgable group may have... Let me also say, as a newbie, how much I have learned from and appreciated this forum. Thanks!

-- sharon gervasoni (lightmonke@aol.com), March 07, 2000

Answers

Sharon: You may have one of the older lenses made my Ilex Optical Company for Calumet. Ilex and Calumet worked together on developing and bringing to market many of the older lenses. According to an article in View Camera Magazine a few years ago, the German lense manufacturers would not allow Calumet to put its name on their lenses for many years. Finally, Calumet was kicking their ass so hard in the marketplace they say the light. I suspect the lens you have is a four element design which is close to the Kodak Wide Field Ektar in formula, since you say the shutter is very large. They were a popular professional lens and capable of good work. Hope this helps, Doug.

-- Doug Paramore (dougmary@alanet.com), March 07, 2000.

I have a 10" (254 mm) Caltar in a #3 Ilex that will cover 8 X 10 with a tad of movements at infinity. It is coated. I have no idea of its age but was told it is a tessar type design, 1 positive cell and one negative cell.

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), March 08, 2000.