75mm Tominon

[waynecrider]

I just got a 75mm Tominon in a Copal shutter unknown model. Can anyone tell me the sweet range for this lens. I read where it's not great at infinity, but where does it shine at the short end? I plan to use it on a 3x4 and 6x9 up close.

 

[Bandicoot]

When Polaroid supplied these for the MP-3 and MP-4 4x5" copy cameras, the manual says the 75mm Tominon is good for magnifications "up to 4x".

The next longer lens Polaroid sold was a 105mm that was described as good for "up to 1.5x", and the one after that was the 127mm good for "up to 1x". The next shorter lens is the 50mm, stated to be good for "2x to 5x".

No minimum magnification limit is stated for the longer lenses, but assuming that the intention was not to have too much overlap between the lenses, I've assumed that the 75mm is best from about lifesize up to about 3x. I haven't used mine often enough to have a really good feeling about whether this assumption is entirely justified, but on the other hand nothing has been so bad as to make me think that it is wrong either.

I think the 127mm is the best of these ex-Polaroid lenses by far (and the Ysaron is better than the Tominon) but for things around twice life-size the 75mm is not a bad lens, certainly it is very good value for the money.


Peter

 

[Dan Fromm]

Wayne, ask the lens. In my experience MP-4 Tominons are a little variable. Since yours is in, not on, shutter it isn't an MP-4 lens but I suspect my experience is applicable.

A few people have reported that the 75/4.5 Tominon in shutter (not the MP-4 barrel lens) covers 2x3 at infinity. MP-4 75s didn't cover 2x3 at infinity for me so I doubt that the one in shutter does, but whether it does is an empirical question. Please ask put the question to your lens and report back.

 

[Bandicoot]

Wayne, ask the lens. In my experience MP-4 Tominons are a little variable. Since yours is in, not on, shutter it isn't an MP-4 lens but I suspect my experience is applicable.

Polaroid supplied the 75mm in an in-shutter version for the MP-3 camera as well as the barrel version for use with that camera's screw-in shutter. They are not as common and are not listed in the MP-3 manuals I have but I think are in some old Polaroid price lists: I have used two, as well as the barrel versions. Maybe the in-shutter version wasn't continued as an option for the MP-4, I don't know.

A few people have reported that the 75/4.5 Tominon in shutter (not the MP-4 barrel lens) covers 2x3 at infinity. MP-4 75s didn't cover 2x3 at infinity for me so I doubt that the one in shutter does, but whether it does is an empirical question. Please ask put the question to your lens and report back.

Coverage seems to be the same for both versions, which my testing showed just cover 6x7 at infinity, no larger. They were designed for 4x5 at greater than life-size, so at infinity neither the image quality nor the coverage are anything to write home about...


Peter

 

[Dan Fromm]

Peter, thanks for the info. I raised the possibility of a difference between the 75/4.5 as delivered in shutter and as delivered in barrel because a couple of people, some, IIRC, here, insisted vehemently that theirs in shutter covered 2x3. Mine in barrel, like yours, absolutely positively didn't cover.

This may come down to the difference beween illuminating a format and putting good image in the corners. Some people think that fuzz in the corners is ok. I've never had the 105/4.5 Tominon, have had and tried 75/4.5 and 135/4.5 at distance. Wouldn't use either at distance on any format.

Cheers,

Dan

 

[Bandicoot]

I raised the possibility of a difference between the 75/4.5 as delivered in shutter and as delivered in barrel because a couple of people, some, IIRC, here, insisted vehemently that theirs in shutter covered 2x3. Mine in barrel, like yours, absolutely positively didn't cover.

This may come down to the difference beween illuminating a format and putting good image in the corners. Some people think that fuzz in the corners is ok.

My approach when testing coverage has always been to focus the centre of the image on the house on the hill opposite me, about half a mile away. Then, assuming the corners are illuminated, first with a 7x loupe I check that the corners are sharp, and after that I peer through the corners of a clipped GG to see if there is mechanical vignetting, and if there is, whether it will disappear at a 'reasonable' usable aperture.

I was a while ago that I tested the 75mm Tominons, and I can't remember whether they illuminated the corners on 6x9 or not, but that would have been the testing procedure I would have used so whether they illuminated or not, it would have been the maximum sharp coverage that I wrote down in my 'little black book' as being 6x7.

I see that for the 127mm Ysaron, also for the Polaroid MP-3, I wrote:

Just covers Half Plate (not 5x7) needs stopping down for edge sharpness. At 1:1 on 10x8, free of mechanical vignetting at f22.

Whereas for the 75mm Tominons I noted that it covered 6x7 at infinity and wrote no more. That's because I will ocassionally use the Ysaron at infinity (I don't own an Ysarex), but the 75mm I only use in its intended 1.5x-4x macro range - at which point it covers 4x5 with no problems.

In other words - I think you're probably right.


Peter

 

[jimgalli]

Most of them had a little stand off that held them a few inches away from teeth. Dentists used them. They're great at 1:1 and all points beyond.