Dallmeyer (J.H.) Oscillograph · 76mm f/2.8

{"overview":"The Dallmeyer 76mm f\/2.8 Oscillograph is a specialist fixed-focal-length lens made by the long-established London optical maker J.H. Dallmeyer. As its name indicates, it was designed for oscillograph and instrumentation recording work rather than general pictorial photography, capturing cathode-ray traces and similar high-contrast subjects at close to 1:1 reproduction.","market_narrative":"Today this is a niche industrial lens with a thin auction record, and hammer prices for clean copies at UK auction have ranged from £69 to £119, putting the median around £94. Because it lacks a standard photographic mount and a wide buyer base, even tidy examples sell for modest sums at saleroom level, and condition matters far more than provenance to what it is worth.","buying_guide":"Inspect the elements for fungus, internal haze and cleaning marks, since instrumentation lenses often sat in laboratories for decades before being decommissioned. Check the iris for oil on the blades and confirm the aperture ring moves smoothly; also look for separation around cemented groups and verify that the barrel mount is intact, as adapting one to a modern camera is the main practical hurdle.","specs":"Key specifications from the supplied data are limited to a 76mm focal length and an f\/2.8 maximum aperture, with the lens designated by Dallmeyer as an Oscillograph type for instrumentation use.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Dallmeyer 76mm f\/2.8 Oscillograph worth today?","a":"Recent UK auction hammer results sit between £69 and £119, so a typical clean example is worth roughly £90–£100 in the current market."},{"q":"How much does a Dallmeyer 76mm f\/2.8 Oscillograph sell for at auction?","a":"It sells for a two-figure to low three-figure sum, with the two recorded UK hammer prices being £69 and £119 depending on condition."},{"q":"Why is the price so low for a Dallmeyer lens?","a":"The Oscillograph was built for scientific recording rather than pictorial photography, so demand is limited and the value reflects its specialist, non-standard-mount nature rather than the strength of the Dallmeyer name."},{"q":"Is it usable on a modern camera?","a":"Only with custom adaptation, as it was supplied for instrumentation rigs rather than a common camera mount, which is one reason hammer prices stay modest."}],"confidence":35,"reasoning":"Only two unverified sales records and no detailed SPECS or variant data were supplied, so factual grounding is thin and confidence is capped accordingly."}