Some say if big is good ....

[John Bartley]

Ok, so maybe this is a bit silly to do just for the heck of it, but I did manage to find a bit of spare time to rip out a couple of lens boards for the old Agfa 8x10 and get these two old Aero lenses mounted. The small one is a 6" F2.9 from a Williamson F24 Aerial camera that I bought cheap and scrapped (note : if anyone wants a magazine or spools or other parts, let me know shortly as garbage day is coming). The slightly larger one is a Ross 20" F6.3 Aero Expres that I bought at a garage sale last summer.

The 6" covers 8x10 wide open with what looks like some nice Bokeh and will cover 8x10 clearly with no movements once it's stopped down.

The 20" ....... it's kinda' like looking down the barrel of a cannon and even wide open everything is in focus and best of all, I have just enough bellows draw to do anything other than closeups. Last night I did a rough measurement against a white wall and with the measuring tape it looks as if it covers a 24" diameter circle and is sharp there even wide open - I'll have to get a larger camera to test it though ...

cheers

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Now that's what I call a BIG lens. Makes my 600 F9 Apo-Germinar look small. In that camera, you couldn't shutter it in any way shape or form behind the lens - it's front-mount or darkslide waving for that beast.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Ok, so maybe this is a bit silly to do just for the heck of it, but I did manage to find a bit of spare time to rip out a couple of lens boards for the old Agfa 8x10 and get these two old Aero lenses mounted. The small one is a 6" F2.9 from a Williamson F24 Aerial camera that I bought cheap and scrapped (note : if anyone wants a magazine or spools or other parts, let me know shortly as garbage day is coming). The slightly larger one is a Ross 20" F6.3 Aero Expres that I bought at a garage sale last summer.

The 6" covers 8x10 wide open with what looks like some nice Bokeh and will cover 8x10 clearly with no movements once it's stopped down.

The 20" ....... it's kinda' like looking down the barrel of a cannon and even wide open everything is in focus and best of all, I have just enough bellows draw to do anything other than closeups. Last night I did a rough measurement against a white wall and with the measuring tape it looks as if it covers a 24" diameter circle and is sharp there even wide open - I'll have to get a larger camera to test it though ...

cheers

Dear John,

Try portraits with the 20 inch. I shoot 'Hollywood' style pics (see the book I did with Chris Nisperos) using a 21 inch f/7.7 Ross on an 8x10 De Vere with custom 1-metre rail and bellows...

Cheers,

R. (www.rogerandfrances.com)

 

[Ole]

That reminds me - I was going to make a new lens board for the 9.5x12" plate camera to mount the 500mm f:5.5 Schneider Aerotar on. It's way too heavy for the iris mount!

 

[noseoil]

Large Packard shutter time. tim