Looking for the 200mm Hypergon fan lens for 20x24 camera. This lens is extremely rare, about the diameter of a salad plate, and gives 24x28 coverage. Would allow me to use the camera at tripod height without DOF issues of 30" Goerz Artar. Are there available specs on this lens for an attempt at remanufacture thru Edmund Scientific etc? Or is this an impossible wish.

-- Mark Stevenson (marks@cwo.com), August 26, 2000

Answers

have you tried Lens & Repro in New York City? They always seem to have a few Hypergons for sale.

-- Ellis Vener (evphoto@insync.net), August 26, 2000.

Yes I have contacted them and spoke with a gentlemen who had seen a single one of these lenses in 3 decades although not of this particular focal length. I understand there are many Hypergons but only a few with huge coverage and these few are very rare.

-- Mark Stevenson (marks@cwo.com), August 26, 2000.

Mark, There is at the bottom of the classic lens threads a post on the Hypergons. Wisner is planning, or has, brought out a modern version. All the Hypergons have huge coverage due to the design, but the 200mm could be a bit rarer, I don't know. Good luck with your hunt.

-- Doug Paramore (dougmary@alanet.com), August 26, 2000.

The good news: pages 54 and 55 of "A History of the Photographic Lens" by Rudolf Kingslake give design details on the Hypergon. Exact dimensions are given for the 100 mm focal length lens, these would just be doubled to get 200 mm. A footnote gives the German, US and British patent numbers, which should give further information.

The bad news: The elements are deeply curved and thin. This combination is extremely difficult to make and I would guess a custom job to be in the category of "if you have to ask, you can't afford it."

-- Michael Briggs (MichaelBriggs@earthlink.net), August 26, 2000.