For Sale Medium format Petzval portrait lens. Petzvar f/3.8 120mm

[Denys]

I have launched my medium format Petzval portrait lens project yesterday.
It is made by original scheme, not improved or re-designed. Here is the link:
Dead Link Removed
Please, share your opinion or support the project if you like the lens.
Thank you,
Denys.

 

[StoneNYC]

I'm not familiar with many mounts but you have a picture of what looks like a Hassleblad but it doesn't connect to Hassleblad lenses, nor Mamiya RB/RZ lenses, but Pentax instead? What if you made a lens mount option or something? Also is this mechanical only or electronic? Because then the RZ67 wouldn't be supported even with an adapter.

I'm sure I just missed something, so I'm asking to understand.

 

[Denys]

Thank you for your interest.
No, this lens will not work with RZ 67, I'm not familiar with this model, but as far as I know it has 105 mm for Flange focal distance, which is greater then 74.1 mm of the Pentacon Six camera.
My lens has a Pentacon Six mount, which is pretty convenient because it has relatively longer Flange focal distance. Therefore, it can be used on Mamiya 645, Pentax 645 and Contax 645 medium format cameras with available adapters. Also, the lens is completely manual, no CPU of any kind.
Soon after posting the information about the Petzvar lens on the web, I received a questions about the possibility of making the Petzvar portrait lens with 2000 series Hasselblad compatible mount. Since the Flange Focal Distance of a Pentacon Six camera and a Hasselblad camera is very similar - 74.1 mm and 74.9 mm, respectively, there will be no problem making Petzvar lens with Hasselblad mount, especially since I have seen custom modified P6 lenses with Hasselblad mount before. Currently I'm working on building a Hasselblad mount Petzvar lens and will post an updates. Please, note, the Petzvar lens has no internal shutter and will be compatible only with Hasselblad 2000 or 200 series camera models with focal plane shutter.

 

[StoneNYC]

Thank you for your interest.
No, this lens will not work with RZ 67, I'm not familiar with this model, but as far as I know it has 105 mm for Flange focal distance, which is greater then 74.1 mm of the Pentacon Six camera.
My lens has a Pentacon Six mount, which is pretty convenient because it has relatively longer Flange focal distance. Therefore, it can be used on Mamiya 645, Pentax 645 and Contax 645 medium format cameras with available adapters. Also, the lens is completely manual, no CPU of any kind.
Soon after posting the information about the Petzvar lens on the web, I start to receive a questions about the possibility of making the Petzvar portrait lens with 2000 series Hasselblad compatible mount. Since the Flange Focal Distance of a Pentacon Six camera and a Hasselblad camera is very similar - 74.1 mm and 74.9 mm, respectively, there will be no problem making Petzvar lens with Hasselblad mount, especially since I have seen custom modified P6 lenses with Hasselblad mount before. Currently I'm working on building a Hasselblad mount Petzvar lens and will post an updates. Please, note, the Petzvar lens has no internal shutter and will be compatible only with Hasselblad 2000 or 200 series camera models with focal plane shutter.

Thank you for your thorough response, unfortunately I will not be able to use this lens as my RZ67 doesn't work and that is the only system I own, good luck with your new lens.

 

[Denys]

Thank you for your thorough response, unfortunately I will not be able to use this lens as my RZ67 doesn't work and that is the only system I own, good luck with your new lens.

Thank you! Another reason for me to build the lens with P6 mount is the price of the camera body itself. You can buy new Kiev 88 CM on eBay for 119$ or even cheaper. Sounds like a price for lens adapter to me. Here is the link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kiev-88CM-C...060777834?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item1e83d4c36a

Some people say that it is not as good as Hassy, but I'm using mine for over seven years now without any issues. For me it is a weapon of choice simply because I can use my all time favorite Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 2.8 180 mm. It produces the images pretty similar to those, taken by Aerial Ektars on 4x5.

 

[StoneNYC]

Thank you! Another reason for me to build the lens with P6 mount is the price of the camera body itself. You can buy new Kiev 88 CM on eBay for 119$ or even cheaper. Sounds like a price for lens adapter to me. Here is the link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kiev-88CM-C...060777834?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item1e83d4c36a

Some people say that it is not as good as Hassy, but I'm using mine for over seven years now without any issues. For me it is a weapon of choice simply because I can use my all time favorite Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 2.8 180 mm. It produces the images pretty similar to those, taken by Aerial Ektars on 4x5.

Always wanted one, maybe this is the excuse

 

[Randy Moe]

There 6 gazzillion Mamaiya RB's almost free, with a 6x7 cm film gate rotatable and it has bellows to fine tune any FP problems.

A far better choice is RB. imho

It may have been wise to survey us here, the film center of the world.

I won't shoot 645 as it's too small.

Good luck!

 

[Dr Croubie]

For those voting for RB (not sure if it's up for voting, but anyway), are you envisaging it with helical focus, or just a lensblock and bellows-focus?
IMHO P6 is a good choice, it's a very cheap system to get into, and is as reliable as any other I've experienced (my Mamiya 645AF has broken more times than my P6 + K60 + K88CM combined). That and it's very easy to adapt to other formats, I shoot P6 lenses on my P6 and variants, M645 and EOS, can't do that with non-helical RB/RZ lenses.
Maybe P67 would have been nice, but there's no adapter from P67 to P6 (actually, engineering guy, if you want to make such an adapter I'd buy one, I can only shoot my P67 lenses on my M645).

I'll have to come up with the cash but I'd be interested in one of these MC Petzvals...

 

[Denys]

For those voting for RB (not sure if it's up for voting, but anyway), are you envisaging it with helical focus, or just a lensblock and bellows-focus?
IMHO P6 is a good choice, it's a very cheap system to get into, and is as reliable as any other I've experienced (my Mamiya 645AF has broken more times than my P6 + K60 + K88CM combined). That and it's very easy to adapt to other formats, I shoot P6 lenses on my P6 and variants, M645 and EOS, can't do that with non-helical RB/RZ lenses.
Maybe P67 would have been nice, but there's no adapter from P67 to P6 (actually, engineering guy, if you want to make such an adapter I'd buy one, I can only shoot my P67 lenses on my M645).

I'll have to come up with the cash but I'd be interested in one of these MC Petzvals...

Actually, if I'm able to get funds, the lens will be with coated elements.

 

[segedi]

Would have loved this:
For my RZ67
If there were more options in your kickstarter...
Just 13 spots for the lens itself (oops misread the 3 backers in the last bucket as 3 total spots...) - I (still) don't think you're gonna reach your goal (without more entry level spots).
How about some combos - lens with Nikon or Canon mount adapter?
But the lens looks awesome - good luck!

 

[polyglot]

Nice.

Are you aware that Lomo is putting out a new Petzval-ish lens aimed at 35mm cameras? Their effort is all new-manufacture but it seems to me that their focal length is too long to get any good swirlies. Still, their kickstarter was very thoroughly funded which bodes well for the market size on new Petzval lenses.

I too shoot RZ so this is not an option for me. I do realise that making an RZ lens is a big technical undertaking (electronic shutter) though, so I don't expect you to change your offering to suit me.

 

[Denys]

Nice.

Are you aware that Lomo is putting out a new Petzval-ish lens aimed at 35mm cameras? Their effort is all new-manufacture but it seems to me that their focal length is too long to get any good swirlies. Still, their kickstarter was very thoroughly funded which bodes well for the market size on new Petzval lenses.

I too shoot RZ so this is not an option for me. I do realise that making an RZ lens is a big technical undertaking (electronic shutter) though, so I don't expect you to change your offering to suit me.

Yes, I know about the Lomography lens. I have also seen a rumors on RFF, that it is a Helios 40-2 85 mm lens in a brass shell. But that's just a guess, too much in common between those two lenses.

 

[A9tm]

Too bad, I can't use this kind of lens on my Hasselblad 500C/M.

 

[Denys]

Too bad, I can't use this kind of lens on my Hasselblad 500C/M.

I'm working on making a Hasselblad 2000 series compatible Petzvar. It will be ready within a week.

 

[yurihuta]

This is a great project! Thank you Denys - I've signed up for one already.
I'm planning on using it on my "small" Pentax 645N (already found a Pentacon Six to Pentax 645 adapter) as well as on 35mm with all the adapters out there.

 

[AgX]

Yes, I know about the Lomography lens. I have also seen a rumors on RFF, that it is a Helios 40-2 85 mm lens in a brass shell. But that's just a guess, too much in common between those two lenses.

With a Helios 40 58mm lens a swirling image is hard to obtain.

 

[segedi]

I like the looks and function of Denys' idea better than the Lomo. Want that Petzval look in the images not a lens that looks like a Perzval.
Need to sell a few things before I can grab one of these...

 

[Denys]

With a Helios 40 58mm lens a swirling image is hard to obtain.

I'm talking about Helios 40-2 85 f/1.5 -old Soviet lens that KMZ started to produce again this summer. It is available new now at about 500$ with Nikon and Canon mounts as well as with its original M42. Here is the link and also try to Google for the images, taken with it:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-MC-Heli...92794624?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item2c7218e300

 

[Denys]

I like the looks and function of Denys' idea better than the Lomo. Want that Petzval look in the images not a lens that looks like a Perzval.
Need to sell a few things before I can grab one of these...

Thank you very much! Yes, that was exactly what I was thinking when making my lens. It was much easier to use the old piece of brass mounted in camera adapter, but I've decided to make a real lens.

 

[Denys]

This is a great project! Thank you Denys - I've signed up for one already.
I'm planning on using it on my "small" Pentax 645N (already found a Pentacon Six to Pentax 645 adapter) as well as on 35mm with all the adapters out there.

Thank you, Yuri!

 

[mcivorp]

I've blown my gear budget for the year otherwise I'd be all over this. I would love this on my Kiev 60. Denys, I'll keep an eye out on your progress. Coating isn't a concern for me.

 

[StoneNYC]

If you could create a petzval that worked for 4x5 AND had a shutter, this would be of much more interest to me sadly.

Actually, the Mamiya RZ's lens shutter works independently from the other electronics, it's possible you could set a simple function to simply trip the mirror lock up, and leave the rest of the functions to the lens as normal, if it had it's own shutter.

(And the Hassleblad C's as well)

 

[Barry S]

Interesting project. I don't know if you have the optical design locked in, but the swirl seems excessive to me. The best properties of the Petzval have nothing to do with swirl--which is a one-trick pony. In any case good luck with your kickstarter, I think it's great that people are reproducing a classic lens design that still has a place in photography.

 

[Denys]

I've blown my gear budget for the year otherwise I'd be all over this. I would love this on my Kiev 60. Denys, I'll keep an eye out on your progress. Coating isn't a concern for me.

Thank you very much!

 

[Denys]

If you could create a petzval that worked for 4x5 AND had a shutter, this would be of much more interest to me sadly.

Actually, the Mamiya RZ's lens shutter works independently from the other electronics, it's possible you could set a simple function to simply trip the mirror lock up, and leave the rest of the functions to the lens as normal, if it had it's own shutter.

(And the Hassleblad C's as well)

Yes, technically it is not very difficult to calculate the lens that will work with Mamiya RZ or 4x5 cameras, but building the prototype is really expensive. And the only thing that can compensate for expenses is the volume of production. Especially when it involves fairly complicated shutters.
I seriously doubt that the effort will be paid off.