Busch Vademecum sets

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 12, 2006

I bought Jason's Busch Vademecum Satz II (minus the 15 cm objective and flange) and had the good fortune to have a flange and lens caps that fit it perfectly, so I've been experimenting a bit--no actual photographs yet.

Can anyone explain how the corrector lenses work? If I am reading the instructions correctly, I think I'm supposed to focus wide open with the corrector in place (corrector I for lenses from 4-10.5" and II for 11" and longer), stop down and remove the corrector for the exposure, and I'm guessing that the corrector is supposed to compensate for focus shift that may occur when stopping down, but in practice, at least with a loupe on the groundglass, it seems better just to refocus at the taking aperture.

In any case, these look like interesting, relatively soft lenses, but with nice coverage, and sharp enough stopped down for contact prints.

Ole · Oct 13, 2006

Again, Cameraeccentric has the answer: http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/busch/busch.html

The correction plate is intended to correct the focus shift between "optical and chemical focus" - when plates were only sensitive to blue and UV. It says it should not be used with orthochromatic plates, if my understanding of the French text is correct.

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 13, 2006

Ahhh...the French is clearer or perhaps later than the English instructions that I have.

Ole · Oct 13, 2006

Glad you think so - I feel English and German are enough "foreign languages", and I have no plans for learning French as well!

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 13, 2006

I think you've got the part about the "chemical and optical focus" right.

The next part says, "The corrector lenses are only used for focusing, the filters ("screens") for making exposures with orthochromatic plates. To make exposures with ordinary plates, remove the corrector lens after focusing."

So I guess in 1911 "ordinary plates" maybe were more orthochromatic (UV sensitive, I suppose) than "orthochromatic plates"? Following this procedure of focusing with the corrector lens, stopping down and removing the corrector lens definitely doesn't bring the image into the best focus in the visible spectrum.

Ole · Oct 13, 2006

"Ordinary plates" had no extended sensitisation dyes, and were only sensitive to blue and UV light. When orthochromatic plates were introduced, it was a great advance! Orthochromatic plates (and films) have sensitivity extending into green and yellowish green, which matches the visual or "optical focus". These relatively simple meniscus lenses pass a lot of the UV which is absorbed by thicker lenses, so you may find a heavy bias towards the blue end of the spectrum.

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 13, 2006

I've attached a quick test shot. This is the 15cm wide combination of 35+25 cm without the extension tubes, medium yellow filter (one of the three filters that comes with the set), f:25, about 3/4 sec, Polaroid 4x5" Type 55, on my Sinar 8x10" P with 4x5" reduction back. I used about a cm of rear fall. Scan at 1000 dpi from the neg (the detail is at full resolution). I processed the film about 50% extra (30 sec. total at room temp.) thinking I would need more contrast, but this was actually unnecessary.

Ole · Oct 13, 2006

There's a nice little trick that photographers knew all about when these lenses were new, which just about everybody has forgotten about....

You'll sometimes see old pictures of street scenes with seemingly impossible DoF - the street just in front of the camera is just as sharp as buildings in the far distance, and the tops of the closest buildings too. No tilt or swing can do this, since the sharp objects are not on a plane. So how did they do it?

Answer: Use a single element behind the stop. The field curvature makes infinity focus in the center coincide with 2-3 meters in the corners!

Jerevan · Oct 13, 2006

David A. Goldfarb said:
I've attached a quick test shot.

Aaah. The famous Goldfarb view. I can't get enough of it, I think.

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 13, 2006

Yes the field curvature is fairly dramatic with one cell. I'll have to try that.

Dave Wooten · Oct 13, 2006

Impressive

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 14, 2006

Here's another test shot with just the 75cm cell behind the stop, which normally covers 20x30". I put the two extension tubes on the front threads to cut down the image circle a bit. This is at f:83, 32 sec., medium yellow filter, 4x5" Polaroid Type 55 developed normally for 20 sec., scanned at 1000 dpi from the neg (detail at full resolution), and I used about 15mm of rear rise on my Sinar 8x10" P with 4x5" reducing back, lots of rail, and a second rail clamp so I could use two tripods. In lieu of a shutter, I just pulled the Polaroid envelope and pushed it back in after 32 seconds.

It's got a bit of a glow--definitely not as sharp as a modern lens (okay, I'm not usually using modern lenses past f:45, but I normally wouldn't have to either), but not a bad look for big negs destined for contact printing.

Dave Wooten · Oct 14, 2006

These are awesome shots Dave, I especially like the skyline in the background, in relation to the subject architecture.

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 14, 2006

Thanks, Dave. I'm just amazed that these simple tiny lenses work as well as they do.

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 14, 2007

So I sent this set off to Tim Sharkey (lensn2shutter.com) to have it mounted in a Copal Press #1 shutter, and this has produced some interesting side effects.

First off, I should mention that Tim is in Snohomish, Washington, where they just had these big floods, and his shop was flooded while my lens was there (fortunately all lenses, shutters, etc. were on the second floor), but this only added a week or two delay, and when he was ready to finish it, he had a power outage, so some of the threads were actually turned manually so he could get some projects out the door while waiting for the electricity to come back on, and he says the threads actually came out cleaner this way.

So anyway, the Busch Vademecum comes normally with a barrel that has a 19mm maximum aperture, but the cells are 34mm in diameter, and the Copal Press #1 has a maximum aperture of 30mm, so that makes everything about a half to a full stop faster. At longer focal lengths, that's a very usable extra stop. At shorter focal lengths, it becomes an interesting soft focus lens at the new maximum aperture.

The attached image is with the 205mm wideangle combination (the soft focus effect is stronger in the wide configurations) with a 45cm cell in front, 35mm cell in back, f:8 (around 26mm aperture), 1 sec. (isn't Melchior a fantastic baby who can hold still for long exposures!), Polaroid Type 55 print scan, Sinar 8x10" P with reducing back, window light. On my monitor, the print has more light in the shadows than the scan does. If you want to see the neg scan, which bears a closer resemblance to the print than the print scan, go to http://www.echonyc.com/~goldfarb/who/21.htm

Photo Engineer · Jan 14, 2007

David;

Unfortunately, I see vertical streaks in the sky. Could that be the coating defect we have had posts about here? I doubt if that is a processing defect knowing you, but it could be a scanning artifact. I was just wondering.

PE

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 14, 2007

In the first shot posted, that's a scanning defect. Eventually I have to figure out how to clean up that old Duoscan, but I'll probably just buy a new scanner by then. The second shot was also scanned on the Duoscan from the neg. The shot I just posted was a Type 55 print photographed on a copy stand with a Coolpix 990 and window light which results in a little uneveness, but one of the flash heads that I usually use on my copy stand just shorted out, and I have to have it repaired.

JG Motamedi · Jan 14, 2007

David,

I am delighted to see that you are getting so much use from the VM, and baby pictures at that!

As an aside, are you pleased with Tim's mounting?

jason

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 14, 2007

Yes, I think he did a decent job, and his customer service is excellent, in that he stays in touch, lets you know what's going on, and what all the options are at each stage, and he charges a reasonable price.

Compared to S.K. Grimes--I think Grimes is likely to produce a more elegant, polished result at somewhat more cost. For instance, a Grimes flange will be designed for minimal weight and will have a smoother finish, but practically, it's just a threaded ring, and Tim's ring will be just as functional.

Colin Graham · Jan 14, 2007

That's good to hear about Tim, I'm about to send a lens his way for mounting, if I can ever decide if I like it enough!

jonw · Jan 20, 2007

David: Beautiful baby and excellent portrait. Thank you for sharing your new joy while showing us the quality of your lens.

I concur that Tim (LensN2Shutter) provides quality work and service at a very reasonable price. He installed my 45cm RD Artar cells into my copal 3 shutter and he did a very nice job.....especially at the price and quick turnaround.

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 20, 2007

Thanks, Jon!

frohm · Nov 13, 2008

I bought Vademecum Satz II, unfortunately without corrector and filters.
I would like prepare some glass negatives (I have an old recipes for orthochromatic plates).
I know that the correctors will not works on modern panchromatic films. Could somebody sell the correctors (who will not take a picture on orthochromatic plates)?
Thank you!
Michal

Jim Moore · Jun 18, 2015

Busch's Vademecum Satz Series II Lens Set

I’m really tempted to pick up one of these sets but I would like to get some opinions first. I can’t say what format I’ll be shooting because I haven’t decided on that yet.

I know there are a few APUG members that have used this set and I would like to know what your thoughts are, and ultimately if you had to do it all over again would still you purchase it?

Thanks in advance!
Jim

Sirius Glass · Jun 18, 2015

I paid and downloaded both the second and third addition of Lens Collectors Vade Mecum.
Dead Link Removed

DOWNLOAD $ 11.99

The download contains two editions ("2" & "3") of the Lens Collectors Vade Mecum. The "second edition" Vade Mecum is made up of one, large pdf file ( file is protected and cant be printed ). The "third edition" Vade Mecum is split into 20 separate pdf files and can be printed out as you wish. Total size of download is 300+mb. The download can be broken in two parts for ease of download on slower connections.

Busch Vademecum sets

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