Aldis Uno Anastigmat 4.75-inch f7.7 (Wollensak)

[SXR_Mark]

This Aldis Uno Anastigmat 4.75-inch f7.7 lens came from a Houghton Butcher Carbine 120 roll-film camera. There is nothing on the camera to identify a specific model. It has a rising front standard and 6 focus positions, marked 5,7, 10, 15, 25 feet and infinity. My limited experience of folders suggests this is a relatively sophisticated model. The camera is clapped out but the lens is almost perfect (after cleaning) and the shutter works as well.

The Uno lens (made by Wollensak) is a 3-elements in 2-groups lens. The front group is a doublet. The information leaflet below shows it is a simple achromat (biconvex and biconcave doublet), and the reflections would seem to confirm this. The rear element has very little curvature. Maybe it is just a field flattener. The patent info on the back of the lens dates it to after 1912. It is of course uncoated.

I cannot remember where I found this leaflet picture.



This is my lens:




I am guessing this is a lens that would sit below a Cooke triplet in terms of optical performance and cost, but would offer the advantage of only 4 air-glass interfaces and hence less flare and better contrast. The maximum aperture of f7.7 is quite modest of course by today's standards but is the same as the Dialyte and Rapid Rectilinear lenses that I have.

I was not expecting a strong performance when used with my Oly OM-D E-M5. Of course, I am only probing the sweet spot at the very centre of the image circle but I have to magnify the image I record many more times than would be the case with an image recorded on 120 film. Therefore, any inherent defects will be revealed. However, the performance was a pleasant surprise. It is not, of course, razor sharp wide open. That would be too much to expect from this type of lens. But is is decently sharp even wide open and reveals a lot of detail. I found contrast to be very good (though I always use a hood and compose carefully with uncoated lenses to keep the sun to my back or side). Also, I found the out of focus areas to be gently blurred. I did not see any colour fringing on in-focus edges. Some green fringing can be seen on out of focus edges..

The sample pictures below were all taken this morning in nice winter sunshine. This no doubt helps the lens shine. All were taken with the lens wide open and the only PP is a default curves optimisation (but results without this are still good).

I welcome comments and additional information on the camera and lens.

Mark

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[kds315*]

Very nice!

[danfromm]

Um, not made by Wollensak. Made by Aldis.

I have a 4.75"/7.7 Uno in barrel, have used it on 2x3 Graphics front-mounted on a #1 shutter. Agree with you about the good contrast, which with film means, among other things, that it gives good color saturation. I don't agree with you on sharpness. Mine separates fine details poorly in the center of the field and in the corners at all apertures. Basically a nice usable lens if one can live with an f/7.7 maximum aperture, but always and everywhere in the field a little soft.

Tiny little thing, even better than a 101/4.5 Tessar pour epater les bourgeois. It doesn't take much to get a decent picture, does it?

I have another, slightly longer (focal length not engraved), f/7.7 Uno in a busted Lukos II shutter. The shutter can be held open so I've shot it on a 2x3 Speed Graphic. Same story.