Yes, I like that one! However, I think I would be even happier if the effect were a little less obvious. Note taken about the wider apertures. I rarely shoot my Rolleicord at apertures less than f5.6, so that is an area I need to explore.
Understood - you want something like the over-hyped "Petzval" look.
If you look at my tree example, the trunk of the tree is fairly detailed. It is just that I included so much image veiling flare in the image that there isn't much contrast.
Perhaps this is more of what you are looking for - courtesy of a 1939 vintage lens on a Zeiss Ikon 521-2:
You should note, however, that the relatively limited depth of field is a major contributor to the outside of the main subject blur and character.Memorial Bench - October 2024
- MattKing
- 1
A newly installed memorial bench facing toward one of my favorite sites in the North 40 Lands...
Yes, I like that one! However, I think I would be even happier if the effect were a little less obvious. Note taken about the wider apertures. I rarely shoot my Rolleicord at apertures less than f5.6, so that is an area I need to explore.
]Not sure if soft focus lenses were ever made for medium format?.
Relatively modern camera, relatively modern lens.On my journey's, I came across this one, a Kershaw King Penguin Eight-20.
Relatively modern camera, relatively modern lens.
Thanks for that link. Very interesting reading! The specific design parameters that result in some lenses being "soft focus" is something I have been meaning to investigate, and that link answered many of my questions.If you are open to large format, in the early 1900s, soft-focus lenses were en-vogue for that “painterly look.”
For instance, Wollensak Verito Diffused Focus Lens.
Verito | Wollensak - Apenas Imagens
Wollensak's soft focus lens, Verito has its most iconic images probably in pictures of Hollywood stars. Simple in construction and especially designed for studio portraits, it adds a halo that can go from very discreet to completely dominate the image.apenasimagens.com
Not sure if soft focus lenses were ever made for medium format?
But it will give you that glowy, smeared-out smooth look, as if it was shot 120 years ago.
That does look like it might be a contender.On my journey's, I came across this one, a Kershaw King Penguin Eight-20.
Yes, maybe not exactly what I am looking for but close enough to go on my list of possibilities. However, it looks like the "available" part is a lot better for those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean than it is on my side.It's 1950's, 6x9, takes 120 film, a two element plastic lens, cheap, available. The OP will have to decide if it's relatively relevant.
If any of those take 120 film, would you please be kind enough to provide some brands and models?I have a few 6x6/6x9 folders/tube/TLR cameras with triplet lens, and they render old school when wide open and relatively close.
From your link, I went a little further down the rabbit hole and found this link, which discusses many of the early soft focus designs (in French, but my browser did an OK job with translation to English). https://www.galerie-photo.com/soft-focus-objectif-portrait-flou.html
Wow! You're driving a hard bargain here and it will take some searching to find one that checks all those boxes. If you have a shutter speed tester and some repair skills you can sometimes increase shutter speeds on box cameras or cheaper single-speed cameras by tensioning the simple shutter springs. There are ways around most anything today.I just finished the first roll of film from each of my two new lo-fi cameras -- FPP Debonaire, and Agfa Clack.
So far, my biggest irritations with using these cameras are:
- poor indication of framing in viewfinders. Both cameras take rectangular negatives, but the viewfinders are square
- no double exposure prevention
- slow shutter speeds (1/50th sec. on the Debonair is marginally OK, but 1/35-ish on the Agfa Clack is tripod territory for me)
- it is not easy to add filters to the unthreaded fronts of these simple cameras, which might be helpful for exposure control
Up until now, I have been searching for a Zeiss Ikon Box Tengor located in the USA. I love having a couple of options for aperture and focus distance, but the deal killer for me is the slow shutter speed, which I believe may be only 1/25th sec(?)
So, I am probably looking less at box cameras, and more at medium format folders, 120 film, only. And I while my original requirement was for 6x9 negatives, I am adding 6x4.5 cm as a possibility. The 6x6 cameras are OK, but only if the camera will also take 6x4.5 negatives.
Which medium format foldering camera has a less-than-fully-modern lens -- and which also has a viewfinder that is not terrible for accuracy, double exposure prevention, and shutter speeds of at least 1/60th sec (and preferably 1/100th or greater)? Or is all that too much to hope for?
Which medium format foldering camera has a less-than-fully-modern lens -- and which also has a viewfinder that is not terrible for accuracy, double exposure prevention, and shutter speeds of at least 1/60th sec (and preferably 1/100th or greater)? Or is all that too much to hope for?
Which medium format foldering camera has a less-than-fully-modern lens -- and which also has a viewfinder that is not terrible for accuracy, double exposure prevention, and shutter speeds of at least 1/60th sec (and preferably 1/100th or greater)? Or is all that too much to hope for?
One can dream ;-)Wow! You're driving a hard bargain here and it will take some searching to find one that checks all those boxes. If you have a shutter speed tester and some repair skills you can sometimes increase shutter speeds on box cameras or cheaper single-speed cameras by tensioning the simple shutter springs. There are ways around most anything today.
Sounds good! I have not yet completely decided just how bad or good I want this the lens to be, so for now I am considering a fairly wide range of lenses.Zeiss Nettar folders from about WWII onwards have double-exposure prevention, triplet lenses, and a reasonable range of shutter speeds. The viewfinders are squinty but I wouldn’t say “terrible”. (If you happen across a Nettar 516, it has a pop-up viewfinder that may be easier to use than the later optical ones built into the top deck.) The lenses may not be “bad” enough for your original goals, but the 6x9 models would be worth a try.
I am sure you are right about that. My entire experience with red window film winding is limited to only two rolls, so far. One roll had one accidental double exposure, and the other roll had one skipped frame, where I thought I took the snap, but apparently, I did not.the best double exposure prevention, is a consistent process
Yes, the 518/12 does have it, but the few that I've bought or traded for had the double exposure prevention gummed up and not working or working sporatical. Fairly easy repair/clean job. The Novar is a triplet and a very good one at that. Might just be to good for you even wide open. If it is to sharp wide open with no blooming or glow you can always get the proper size skylight filter and doctor the filter with a thin layer of swirly glue, strawberry jam, apricot jam etc. one of the finest color portraits of my daughter was shot with my Nikon F2AS, 105mm f2.5 AIS with a light coat of strawberry jam on a UV filter. The jam was fairly heavy toward the outer edge of the filter and very, very light in the center. I know it sounds stupid, but it really works as well as or better than petroleum jelly.I just bought a Zeiss Nettar 517/2 which is a 6x9cm folding camera.This one comes with the 105/6.3 Novar-Anastigmat in a Vario shutter. I believe this is the most basic lens (cheapest) they offered on that model. I think it is a triplet, said to be pretty good at smaller apertures, but has more "character" wide open.
@John Wiegerink, I think you are right. Apparently the Zeiss Nettar 517/2 I bought does not have double exposure prevention, but a later model, the 518/2, did come with that feature. I could not find any of the 518/2 models for sale, but a similar model, the 518/16 (6x6 model), mostly came with faster lenses.
I have looked at a few 4x5 pinhole cameras, but at this time I am not seriously considering large format -- although those big gorgeous soft focus lenses are very tempting!
I agree, you can't get more image character than that.I would suggest a Zero Image 6x9 pinhole. Makes great pictures!
I do have a list of pinhole cameras that I am considering, including those made by Zero Image. When I decided to investigate lower tech photography, I started out convinced that a pinhole camera is what I really wanted. However, after looking at a lot of medium format pinhole images, I felt like most of them were a little too vague for me. I did see some larger format pinhole photos that I was really attracted to.I would suggest a Zero Image 6x9 pinhole. Makes great pictures!
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?