Is the Ilex Seminat a soft focus lens?

[Mark Sawyer]

This is on the large format forum, but I thought I'd post it here too...

I've seen three Ilex Seminats go by on ebay, all advertised as "soft focus" Here's one up now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ILEX-OPT-SEMINAT...QQcmdZViewItem

I have a 6" f/3.5 Seminat in an Ilex #3 Universal shutter, and it seems quite sharp wide open. Does anyone have any information on the Seminat, and whether any versions of it are soft focus?

Thanks muchly!

 

[removed account4]

hi mark

yes, i know, your thread here is 9 years old ! but there is an seminat on eBOINk right now too.
i've had one for 12 years and have made some really nice images with it. i figured out a way to focus,
to coax the softness out of the lens. there isn't a lot written about the seminat, there is only one as far as i know
and it is the 3.5 ... but i have seen ads &c for it as a movie lens in addition to a still photography lens.
mine is in a very old shutter.