LF Portrait Bokeh Okeh Dokeh! 15" Bausch & Lomb Projection Petzval f4.5

jimgalli · Oct 17, 2005

Last week I had the distinct privilege to attend the Bruce Barnbaum / Jay Dusard / Yousef Khanfar "Open Country Workshop" in Flagstaff AZ.

While others were behaving properly and making fine art B&W landscape photographs I seized an opportunity to make a couple of portraits with the venerable Kodak 2D. I continue to explore the unique "looks" that different antique lenses can provide. These 3 were done with a giant 15" f4.5 B&L Magic Lantern lens that set me back a whopping $56 bucks.

These are approaching a similar look as the "Texas Tintype" pictures (with appropriate appologies to Robb Kendrick).

Let me know what you think.

PhotoPete · Oct 17, 2005

WOW. I think I can smell their aftershave...

eric · Oct 17, 2005

jimgalli said:
While others were behaving properly and making fine art B&W landscape photographs I seized an opportunity to make a couple of portraits with the venerable Kodak 2D.

Jim,
I'm sick and tired seeing these great shots from your bargain finds. Please post some pix of images from lenses that you used your mortage money for. I myself, probably can't find any of those lenses where I live although, that is my style of shooting. I love my 85mm Rokkor wide open and my Portragan and my Holga and my Dianas.

I need to find one of these bad boy lenses. I'm awaiting with baded breath for my 8x10 to come from those Seattle Woodworkers. I think they are sniffing too much benzene or something

BradS · Oct 17, 2005

WOW! All I can say is...WOW. Those are stunning. All three are fantastic but, I think I like the middle one the best. Thanks Jim.

Denis P. · Oct 17, 2005

Jim,

Excellent as always

But, you really should have shot more. It's a pity there are only three shots.

Regards,

Denis

MenacingTourist · Oct 17, 2005

You're driving me nuts. Please tell me more about the technical things, like are you shooting with a packard shutter or your wristwatch and a lens cap?

Also, thanks for the tip last week. Unfortunatly I got so busy I missed it.

Alan.

jimgalli · Oct 17, 2005

eric said:
I'm sick and tired seeing these great shots from your bargain finds. Please post some pix of images from lenses that you used your mortage money for.

Actually, it slipped my mind momentarily. I actually paid $1056 for that lens and am willing to sell it at a slight loss

MenacingTourist said:
You're driving me nuts. Please tell me more about the technical things, like are you shooting with a packard shutter or your wristwatch and a lens cap?

Also, thanks for the tip last week. Unfortunatly I got so busy I missed it.

Alan.

Snoozers'....

Yeah, it was a Packard set on instantaneous (about 1/15th sec.) If you put a packard shutter on a Deardorff V8 does it equal a Cadillac? Just curious.

MattCarey · Oct 17, 2005

I can see the Tonopah police report now--

Jim Galli reports that a burglar broke into his house and stole all his old lenses. Mr. Galli awoke and confonted the thief, who stated, "Hand over all the old brassies and no one gets hurt". Mr. Galli asked if he could take a last portrait with his favorite lens--fascinated by the lens and camera, the thief agreed.

By the time the police had arrived, Mr. Galli had contact printed the portrait of the Thief on a nice warm-tone paper. The thief, Mr. Matt Carey, was arrested shortly thereafter....

Dan Fromm · Oct 17, 2005

Hmm. Don't need no steekin' death of fiel, eh, Jim? So much for the school, so-called, of f64, the pictorialists are roaring back.

Man, I bet you really enjoyed yourself ...

Cheers,

Dan

David A. Goldfarb · Oct 17, 2005

Jim, these just get better and better. Nice tonality in this batch.

jimgalli · Oct 17, 2005

Way too much trouble Matt. 15" brass Petzval's are also lethal weapons. jg

MattCarey · Oct 17, 2005

jimgalli said:
Way too much trouble Matt. 15" brass Petzval's are also lethal weapons. jg

Ah, but you would miss out on the chance to be in "America's funniest contact prints".

Matt

Charles Webb · Oct 17, 2005

Jim,
I just got a look at your three portraits, They are wonderful in my mind. I
Will be looking forward to seeing more of this type of work. I have spent years telling folks that the old Wolensaks are worthless, now you are letting the cat out of the bag! Have you noticed the increase in old Wollies going prices lately? Looks to me like the old Dagor myth is happening all over again! Poor saps like me won't stand a chance getting a cheapie!.....Charlie

removed account4 · Oct 17, 2005

jim,

i am a sucker for wide open.
your portraits get better and better every time you post them.
you can almost hear them breath.

thanks for posting!

-john

Aggie · Oct 17, 2005

MattCarey said:
I can see the Tonopah police report now--

Jim Galli reports that a burglar broke into his house and stole all his old lenses. Mr. Galli awoke and confonted the thief, who stated, "Hand over all the old brassies and no one gets hurt". Mr. Galli asked if he could take a last portrait with his favorite lens--fascinated by the lens and camera, the thief agreed.

By the time the police had arrived, Mr. Galli had contact printed the portrait of the Thief on a nice warm-tone paper. The thief, Mr. Matt Carey, was arrested shortly thereafter....

Considering he has possesion of a couple of my brass lenses, I hope that burgler knows I WILL find him if that happens.

BTW Jim did you test that brass one on the work shop with Bruce?

Tammyk · Oct 18, 2005

I have a Kodak 2D, now where can I land me some of those fab, cheap old lenses?!

Those portraits are awesome. Thanks so much for posting them.

Tammy

jimgalli · Oct 18, 2005

Tammy, Start by doing ebay searches for magic lantern. Bausch & Lomb made tons of them in the 1920's and earlier to project large negs. Trouble is, for 8X10 you'll need a 15" version at least. Most were smaller. With the one I used the other day I was in very close to fill an 8X10 frame. The bellows was out to about 28" on a 15" lens which is approaching 1:1 reproduction. Other good bets that won't break the bank are 12" and longer Wollensak Velostigmat's. Fairly large Bausch and Lomb Tessar's should have a very nice look at f4.5 although I haven't tried one yet. 16 1/2" 4.5 Xenar's in barrel aren't worth much. There's lot's of stuff out there that will have a nice smooth look on your 8X10 but most will be in a barrel. Get used to the Packard shutter idea.

Tammyk · Oct 18, 2005

Thanks, Jim. I appreciate it much. I'll keep my eyes open.

(me and everyone else, I bet! now that the cat's out of the bag!)

Tammy

smieglitz · Oct 19, 2005

FYI I have posted a For Sale ad in the APUG classifieds for a Dallmeyer 3A Patent Portrait lens. It is a classic Petzval, cream of the crop at one time and this one is very early, manufactured around 1870 as indicated by the serial number.

I'm looking to sell it only because I just picked up a newer one in better shape off ebay while Jim was occupied with his workshop trip. Carpe Diem!

A couple nibbles so far on it but no one has firmly committed to buy it so it is still available.

Joe

jonw · Oct 19, 2005

Jim...Jim...Jim...As always, you make fine wine with old grapes! You do great work and I am pleased to report I am receiving a large magic lantern brassie which must have slipped through your *bay sights! I can hardly wait to try it on my new V-8 or old Korona which has long draw!

KenM · Oct 20, 2005

So that's what you were doing up on the hill....and to think the rest of us were slogging our way through the hills....

I've yet to make any prints from the week - I'm giong to try and get some done tonite, but with a hockey game on tv, it makes it kind of hard.

No portraits for me - just boring 'ole landscapes

It was nice to finally meet you Jim. You and your gaggle of cameras...

jimgalli · Oct 20, 2005

Hi Ken. I've been able to get most of my stuff developed and do some neg scans. They're here if you're bored and want to have a look. Just had to wait for the bald headed guy to get out of my pictures most of the time. Jim

Dead Link Removed

KenM said:
So that's what you were doing up on the hill....and to think the rest of us were slogging our way through the hills....

I've yet to make any prints from the week - I'm giong to try and get some done tonite, but with a hockey game on tv, it makes it kind of hard.

No portraits for me - just boring 'ole landscapes

It was nice to finally meet you Jim. You and your gaggle of cameras...

Dave Wooten · Oct 20, 2005

oh my gosh those are nice....no really...I mean it...definately suitable for framing

MattCarey · Oct 20, 2005

Jim,

those are really, really nice. I have a preference for portraits in general, and your portraits in specific.

When will we see something from the great East Coast Boondoggle (tm)?

Matt

John Kasaian · Oct 20, 2005

WOW! I really like those landscapes, Jim. I feel for the guy who built that fence meanderin' between those hills!

LF Portrait Bokeh Okeh Dokeh! 15" Bausch & Lomb Projection Petzval f4.5

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