Wollensak

Wollensak

Wollensak, formally known as the Wollensak Optical Company, was an American optical and photographic equipment manufacturer based in Rochester, New York. Founded by Andrew Wollensak, the company became one of the most significant American producers of camera shutters, photographic lenses, cine lenses, projection lenses, and later audio-visual equipment. Wollensak operated in the same Rochester optical ecosystem as Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, Graflex, and other American camera industry suppliers.

For LeicaLensList, Wollensak is relevant because of its rare connection to Leica screw mount, LTM, and M39 photography through E. Leitz New York. During and after the Second World War, Leitz New York sold or assembled certain Wollensak-made lenses for Leica screw mount cameras, most notably the Wollensak Velostigmat 90mm f/4.5. These lenses are uncommon and occupy a specific collector niche within Leica-compatible American optics. Most Wollensak lenses were not Leica lenses, but the confirmed Leitz New York examples make Wollensak a valid historical make for LeicaLensList.

History

Founding / Early Years

Wollensak was founded in 1899 in Rochester, New York, by Andrew Wollensak. Andrew Wollensak had previously worked at Bausch & Lomb, one of Rochester’s major optical firms, before establishing his own company. The business was originally focused on producing camera shutters, a practical and technically demanding part of early photographic equipment.

By 1902, Wollensak had expanded from shutter manufacturing into lens production. This move positioned the company as a complete photographic optics supplier, capable of producing both mechanical shutters and optical lens assemblies. The company grew during a period when Rochester was one of the most important centers of American photographic manufacturing.

Lens Production and Shutter Development

In the early twentieth century, Wollensak developed a strong reputation for camera shutters and photographic lenses. Its shutter lines included names such as Optimo, Betax, Alphax, and Rapax. These shutters were used across many large-format, press, and folding camera systems.

The company also produced a wide range of photographic lenses. One of its most important lens names was Velostigmat, introduced after Wollensak acquired the Rochester Lens Company and its Royal Anastigmat lens patents. The Velostigmat line became one of Wollensak’s major photographic lens families and appeared in many focal lengths and configurations.

Growth in American Photography

During the first half of the twentieth century, Wollensak became a major supplier to the American photographic industry. Its lenses and shutters were used on cameras from multiple manufacturers, including large-format cameras, press cameras, folding cameras, movie cameras, and projection equipment.

Wollensak was not primarily a camera body manufacturer. Its importance came from its role as an optical and mechanical supplier. This made the company comparable to firms such as Ilex, Bausch & Lomb, and Kodak’s optical divisions, rather than to camera makers such as Leica, Canon, or Graflex.

Leitz New York and Leica Screw Mount Lenses

Wollensak’s most important connection to Leica history came through E. Leitz New York. During the 1940s, especially in the wartime and immediate post-war period, German Leitz production and international supply were disrupted. In this context, Leitz New York used Wollensak optics for certain Leica screw mount lenses.

The best-known example is the Wollensak Velostigmat 90mm f/4.5 in Leica screw mount. These lenses are often engraved with E. Leitz New York and Made in U.S.A.. They are unusual because they connect American optical manufacturing with the Leica screw mount system. Collector discussions and market references also mention longer Wollensak Velostigmat lenses, including 127mm examples, but each lens should be verified individually before being treated as a confirmed Leica-compatible production model.

War, Cinema, and Audio-Visual Products

During the Second World War, Wollensak produced optical equipment for military and technical use. After the war, the company continued to manufacture photographic lenses, cine lenses, projection lenses, and shutters. It also became well known for Fastax high-speed cameras, Cine Raptar lenses, Velostigmat cine lenses, and other movie-related optics.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Wollensak became increasingly associated with audio-visual products, including tape recorders and educational recording equipment. The brand became familiar in schools, offices, and home recording environments, especially under later ownership by Revere Camera Company and 3M.

Decline and Closure

Wollensak reached its peak in the mid-twentieth century, but the American photographic industry changed rapidly. Competition from Japanese camera and lens manufacturers, changing consumer markets, and corporate ownership changes weakened the company’s position. Wollensak passed through ownership by Revere and later 3M.

The company eventually ceased operations in 1972. Despite its closure, Wollensak remains a recognizable name among collectors of American lenses, large-format shutters, cine lenses, vintage tape recorders, and rare Leica screw mount optics.

Product Lines

Leica Screw Mount and Leitz New York Lenses

Wollensak’s LeicaLensList relevance centers on rare Leica screw mount lenses associated with E. Leitz New York. The most important confirmed example is the Wollensak Velostigmat 90mm f/4.5 in LTM. These lenses were made in the United States and are often treated as part of the small group of American-made Leica-compatible lenses connected to Leitz New York.

Because Wollensak produced many lenses for non-Leica systems, not every M39 or adapted Wollensak lens should be considered Leica-compatible. Each example requires verification of mount, flange distance, rangefinder coupling, and original use.

Velostigmat Lenses

The Velostigmat name was one of Wollensak’s most important photographic lens lines. Velostigmat lenses were produced in many focal lengths and formats for still cameras, press cameras, large-format cameras, cine cameras, and projection use. The Leica-related 90mm f/4.5 Velostigmat is especially important for LTM collectors.

Raptar and Cine Raptar Lenses

The Raptar name was used for several Wollensak photographic and cine lenses. Raptar lenses appeared in still photography, motion picture, projection, and industrial applications. Cine Raptar lenses are especially relevant to movie camera collectors and users of vintage C-mount optics.

Camera Shutters

Wollensak was one of the major American shutter makers. Important shutter names include Optimo, Betax, Alphax, and Rapax. These shutters were used on many American cameras and lens boards, especially in large-format and press photography.

Cine and Fastax Equipment

Wollensak produced cine lenses and was associated with Fastax high-speed camera systems. These products were used in scientific, industrial, military, and motion analysis contexts. This part of the company’s history connects Wollensak to technical imaging rather than only consumer photography.

Projection and Enlarging Lenses

Wollensak also manufactured projection lenses, enlarging lenses, and optical components for audio-visual equipment. These products became especially important as the company moved more heavily into educational and institutional AV markets.

Tape Recorders and Audio-Visual Products

In its later period, Wollensak became widely known for reel-to-reel tape recorders and audio-visual equipment. Although this is outside the main LeicaLensList focus, it explains why the Wollensak name is familiar beyond camera collecting.

Technical Characteristics

Feature	Description
Company Type	American optical, shutter, photographic, cine, and audio-visual equipment manufacturer.
Founder	Andrew Wollensak.
Historic Base	Rochester, New York, United States.
Main Products	Camera shutters, photographic lenses, cine lenses, projection lenses, high-speed cameras, tape recorders, and AV equipment.
LeicaLensList Relevance	Rare Leica screw mount lenses associated with E. Leitz New York, especially the Wollensak Velostigmat 90mm f/4.5.
Important Lens Names	Velostigmat, Raptar, Cine Raptar, Enlarging Raptar, Pro Raptar.
Important Shutter Names	Optimo, Betax, Alphax, Rapax.
Common Lens Mounts	Large-format barrel and shutter mounts, C-mount, cine mounts, projection mounts, and rare Leica screw mount examples.
Optical Character	Vintage American rendering, generally lower contrast than modern lenses, with practical optical designs optimized for press, cine, projection, and general photography.
Collector Appeal	Strong among large-format photographers, shutter collectors, cine lens users, and Leica collectors interested in rare Leitz New York lenses.
Corporate Ownership	Later associated with Revere Camera Company and 3M.
Closure	1972.

Market Reception

Wollensak is regarded as one of the important American photographic optics manufacturers of the twentieth century. The company was especially respected for practical, durable shutters and a broad catalog of lenses used across still photography, motion picture, projection, and technical imaging.

Among large-format photographers, Wollensak is valued for shutters such as Betax, Alphax, and Rapax, as well as for classic photographic lenses such as Velostigmat and Raptar models. Among cine lens collectors, Wollensak is known for compact C-mount lenses and Cine Raptar optics used on 16mm and other movie camera systems.

For Leica collectors, Wollensak occupies a much smaller but highly interesting niche. The E. Leitz New York Wollensak Velostigmat 90mm f/4.5 is the key Leica-compatible lens associated with the make. It is not a typical third-party LTM lens in the modern sense, because it sits within the unusual wartime and post-war context of Leitz New York supply. This makes Wollensak important for LeicaLensList as a rare American Leica screw mount connection, but not as a general Leica-system lens manufacturer.

Sources

• Science Museum Group, Wollensak: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/cp101684/wollensak
• Graflex, Rudolf Kingslake, A History of Rochester Camera and Lens Companies: https://www.graflex.org/articles/kingslake/
• Historic Camera, Wollensak Optical Company: https://historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/librarium2/pm.cgi?action=app_display&app=datasheet&app_id=4
• AlphaXBetaX, Wollensak Timeline: https://alphaxbetax.com/wollensak-timeline/
• Wollensak Photography Historical Society, Velostigmat Series II: https://www.wphsociety.org/post/the-wollensak-velostigmat-series-ii
• Bolex Collector, Wollensak Lenses: https://www.bolexcollector.com/lenses/40wollensak.html
• L-Camera Forum, Wollensak Velostigmat 90mm f/4.5 Leica Discussion: https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/165595-wollensak-velostigmat-9045/
• MIR, Wollensak Velostigmat 90mm f/4.5 Leica Screw Mount: https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/RF-Nikkor/Leica_RF/Leica_Velostigmat90mmf45.htm