Does any one know the year the 135mm f/4.7 Optar was introduced and the year it was discontinued? I know it's a common lens and must have been in production for a long long time.

Thanks!

A Graphic Optar is a Wollensak Raptar rebadged. A Graphex shutter is a Rapax rebadged.
The catalogs at http://www.cameraeccentric.com/info.html suggest the Raptar was introduced in the 1940's.

45PSS wrote:

A Graphic Optar is a Wollensak Raptar rebadged. A Graphex shutter is a Rapax rebadged. The catalogs at http://www.cameraeccentric.com/info.html suggest the Raptar was introduced in the 1940's.

Didn't Rodenstock make some of the 135/4.7 Optars?

Quote:

Didn't Rodenstock make some of the 135/4.7 Optars?

Yes, once Wollensak quit manufacturing lens for cameras.
The Super Graphics use Rodenstock Optars, some Pacemakers may use them also.
The Super Graphic was introduced in 1958.

Thanks!

I knew that the Raptars were introduced in the 40's but was wondering when the Optar branded 135mm lenses came out.

Also, is there anyway to identify a Rodenstock Optar from a Wollensak Optar?

When were the last 135mm Optars made?

The Rodenstock made lens say Rodenstock Optar on the lens rim.
From what I seen repairing Anniversary's I would say the Optar name started in 1947 with the introduction of the Pacemaker series of cameras.
All Anniversarys I've serviced have Zeiss or Schnider in Compur shutters.
http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_9.html lists many of the common lens used on Graflex Corp. cameras.
The Optar name is not present prior to the Pacemaker and the Optar name is applied to many focal lengths made for Graflex starting with the Pacemaker.

45PSS,

Thanks so much for the info! It's what I was looking for.

I don't know about the 135mm Optar, but I have a uncoated Optar 6 3/8" F/4.5 with a serial number of 289450 that pre-dates the Pacemaker camera's. So the Optar name starts at least in the early 40's. It is in a No. 3 non sync Graphex shutter.

78ltd wrote:

I don't know about the 135mm Optar, but I have a uncoated Optar 6 3/8" F/4.5 with a serial number of 289450 that pre-dates the Pacemaker camera's. So the Optar name starts at least in the early 40's. It is in a No. 3 non sync Graphex shutter.

That's the 162mm Optar. I added "6 3/8" in my table on my web Optar page thanks.

http://oresteen.com/optar_lens.htm

I wish Wollensack have had better records of serial numbers so we could piece the history together better.

My135 Optar is a 929,xxx serial number. My 90mm Optar is a 293,xxx and my 65mm is a 883,xxx. The 90mm is close to yours but how close in years I have no clue.

According to the filing Folmer Graflex made on Monday June 22nd, 1942, the name "Optar" was first used on May 8th, 1942. They had the trademark granted on October 27th, 1942. So at least we know it's no earlier than that.

78ltd wrote:

According to the filing Folmer Graflex made on Monday June 22nd, 1942, the name "Optar" was first used on May 8th, 1942. They had the trademark granted on October 27th, 1942. So at least we know it's no earlier than that.

Thanks! That is great info and I'll add it to my page.