So, I've noticed the ads for the Hypergons (60, 75, 120) selling currently at Lens and Repro, and a 75 mm I believe at MPX, for quite a bit more. For those who haven't heard of them, they are the widest angle lenses ever, I would gather, for 8X10 and up, with the 75 and possibly the 60 mm covering 8X10: about 135-140 degress! Pix are easily found on line with a web search on "Hypergon". My question: anybody any experience at all in using one of these, particularly the 75 mm on 8X10? The only pix I've ever seen are some shots in Tokyo done on 4X5 Polaroid that are also easily found w/ a web search. We'll assume for the moment that I can trick my 8 x 10 camera into focusing a 75 mm lens (it will focus a 90, and I suppose I could use some kind of recessed board), and can get the baseboard not to show (might be masking for a 4X10 panorama anyway). What has anybody's experience been with "the incomparable Hypergon?" Any pix?

Thanks,

Nathan

-- nathan congdon (ncongdon@jhmi.edu), September 24, 2001

Answers

The fellow who used to run http://www.photoemporium.com/ in Chicago showed me an 11 X 14 contact print made with one - don't recall the f.l.

It was, as he said, perfectly rectalinear, but I was somewhat underwhelmed with the quality as further from the center. Looked worse than what I would find acceptable from an older Tessar or even the T.R.'s. But then It might have been just a work print.

Maybe you could ask to see one made with Ron Wisner's when he gets your 12 X 20 done?

-- Sean yates (coalaandice@yahoo.com), September 24, 2001.

I own a 60mm Hypergon lens in a dedicated camera for the 18 x 24 cm formar and have used it some ten years ago with quite amazing results. There are several clues to good results. One is to use non- sensitized film (such as the films that are used in documentation of some medical ultrasound examinations, sensible only to blue and violet) so that the absent color correction of the does not affect the result. Another is to focus the picture at f/22 and shoot it at f/32, which will result in compensation for the focus difference between visual and chemical focus. And the last is to remember that the corners of the picture will only get 0,1 percent of the center illumination, due to the Hypergon design, and that you will have to compensate for this, at least if you want to use the full coverage of 140 degrees. You will have to do as follows: Fit a lens cap to the lens front that will allow to block any light to the camera innard when the spinning wheel is in front of the lens as well as when it has swung out. Start with the spinning wheel in place and the cap in place. Open the drawer of the plate holder and start exposition by removing the lens cap, instantly pressing the blower that turns the spinning wheel. When you have reached 99% of the planned exposure time, press the release lever that swings the spinning wheel down and immediately close exposure by refitting the lens cap. Close the drawer of the plate holder. You will be amazed by the results. If I have not expressed myself preperly, ask me by mail for details or explanations. M.

-- Milos Mladek MD (milos.mladek@gmx.at), March 23, 2002.