Petzval Lens Enthusiasts

[monst]

hiya all

have just joined this group, here is my first offering with a Newton & Co London lens. hope you like it, have put it in the pix on the right now.

 

[gandolfi]

hi monst.
I do, but it is REALLY big....

 

[Barry S]

I think it would be helpful if everyone would put their images in the gallery attached to this group. It's simple to do, it keeps all the photos together for easy viewing and doesn't push text posts off the page like inline images. The nice thing is that large thumbnails of each image appear right next to the latest posts, so related text and images still stay together.

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

Okay, so I just went through the dozen or so clicks of setting up an album, uploading that same image from my message, and attempting to place that image onto the side gallery. . . . . . . . Absolutely did not work. All I got was an error message.

Anyway, someone mentioned wanting to get a Petzval type lens. I have a Bausch & Lomb 10" for which I just machined and assembled a new rear group spacer, so now it is solid and focuses with ease. It's way too much coverage for my 4x5 camera, so I am considering selling it.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

Okay, another try . . . and eight more clicks through various pages . . . pasting another URL . . . and there should be a pic of my HB&H lens on a Technika board. Honestly, I like the suggestion of placing images onto the side gallery, but that was a serious pain in the a$$.

 

[Andrew Moxom]

I am an addict.... I have serious petzval GAS and had to have this little Darlot... Thought I'd lost her, but got a 2nd chance offer see picture.

 

[gandolfi]

GAS?

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Gear Acquisition Syndrome!

 

[gandolfi]

aah - got it..
no - I really GOT it...

 

[nsurit]

Tell me this isn't a slippery slope . . . Jim Galli has helped me scratch the petzval itch for something to attach to front of my Speed Graphic. SK Grimes is attaching the flange to a new lens board. I'm wondering about another petzval for the Toya 45AX with 6X17 back . . . My footing doesn't seem too steady and I'm hoping this isn't one of those slippery slopes deals. Tell me it ain't so! I have no interest in anything larger than 4X5 or something that will fit on the back of a 4X5. That is the truth . . . really. Bill Barber

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Bill, welcome to the afflicted! You are on the verge of slippery slope, the addiction comes swiftly!

 

[Barry S]

Andrew--I see you bought the 6" brass lantern lens that was listed on the LF forum. I was thinking of buying it, but just bought a 6" Gundlach projection lens. I've been using my Gundlach 4 3/4" lens a lot and have been looking for something just a little longer with a little bit more coverage for 4x5. I'd also like something that can possibly be wedged into another Alphax #4 shutter. I have an 8" magic lantern lens that has a 7" image circle and it's a little big for 4x5 and although i haven't shot with it yet--I think it might cover too much to give optimal swirling effects. I'd like to zero in on a lens that barely covers 4x5, or maybe falls a little short. A 5 1/2" or 6" image circle might be perfect. The search continues.

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Barry, yes I did. I agree about the coverage of these things on 4x5... I have a 5" modified petzval and the swirls almost explodes but it does not cover 4x5 fully. Cropping square helps immensely. I have both 6 and 7" Darlot. The 6" barely covers 4x5 also and there is some vignetting and minimal swirl. Similarly, the 7" does cover 4x5 and likely 5x7 and maybe more. That said, choosing the right background and background distance from your subject seems to make the biggest influence on the image. I can get the 7" lens to 'swirl' on 4x5 with no vignetting and no additional movements to force it. See imageposted

 

[Barry S]

Cool--the angel image definitely has it's own look, but you're right about the setting contributing a big portion of the final look. I don't think it's big news, but a forest or a stand of trees seems like one of the better ways to see the swirliness with a petzval. I think you need to have a lot of small variegated light and dark objects in the frame--preferably at different distances. Leaves and small branches do the trick and grass can also work depending on the lighting.

 

[Colin Corneau]

I saw Andrew's offerings and seriously considered it. I basically want to stage a commando raid and make off with that awesome 5" Petzval, jury-rigged to a packard shutter. Aaaaanyway...would you suggest I keep my eye out for a 6", or either?

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Colin, the 5" B&L I have does not cover 4x5 fully, but does have SERIOUS swirlys... to the point of almost making me puke! It works great on close up stuff for still lifes and portraits, but sucks at inifinity. That said, anywhere from 5" to 7" should get you where you need to be. For me I now have 5", 6" and 7-ish" to basically cover most eventualities. The 6 and 7" lenses seem to work a little better at inifinity, but the 7" is best. Keep an eye out for J Galli's ad's on both LFF and APUG. There are som decent portrait petzvals on fleabay right now too.... Expect to pay more for them.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Keeping eyes peeled...kinda kicking myself I missed his offerings last weekend (out of town away from innernet due to a family event). Patience!

 

[Barry S]

Colin--don't worry, there's a million petzvals out there. You can always put up a WTB ad here or on the LF forum and see what pops up. The advantage of buying a petzval on the forums is finding out the focal length, coverage, and an assurance that the whole lens is there and that it *is* a petzval. eBay can be good, but the sellers often don't know (or conceal) information, making it more of a crapshoot.

 

[Barry S]

Whoa--three WTB ads for petzvals in the classifieds. The bug must be catching.

 

[Colin Corneau]

I agree, I'd much rather not go the eBay route for just those reasons. Not to mention wanting to give a shout-out and support to APUG, which has really sparked my renaissance in traditional photography to begin with.
I placed a 'Wanted' ad earlier, but thought I'd try again!

 

[Andrew Moxom]

The Precious...... Me Wants it

 

[BlueLemon]

This beauty now belongs to me ;-)

Jamin Darlot - Vis á Portrait / Vis á Paysage meniscus from 1860

Lens Vademecum suggests this particular lens dates back to 1858 - but I´m not sure. Anyone who knows about this lens, and maybe even have pictures taken with it ????

Claus

 

[gandolfi]

Claus.
I'm not at all jealoux!!

 

[gandolfi]

From time to time we get offeerings from different people around Denmark.
This way, we have got some really nice used equipment.

Last I got a little frustrated, though...

We got these huge enlargers and more.. and all we had to do wat to collect it..

I noticed when we went there, a big old mahogany studio camera on a stand, standing in a corner..

curiously I checked it out.

nice camera!! the bellows in poor condition, and I guess that was the reason it was "hiding" in that place.

the lens, however, on this camera caught my full attention.

a HUGE old Voigtlander lens for portraits.

and the serial number was four digits only...

4ooo-something.. (or lower (?) - can't really remember).

checking serial numbers, this lens is from ca 1850....

AND IT JUST SITS THERE!!!!:confused:

they have NO idea what they have there...

but they won't, for some reason, part with it......

SO close, and yet so far...

 

[Barry S]

Claus-- what a beautiful lens. It's up to *you* to show us the pictures, though--unless you want to send me the lens. Gandolfi-- I feel your pain. I went into a shop that had two huge studio cameras in the window gathering dust and each had a huge Voigtlander portrait lens. They though I was crazy to even ask about buying the lenses and weren't interested in selling anything other than some digital equipment. These lenses are meant to be used. They can put 'em on display if the glass elements all get broken.