[Video] Shutterless process lens on an 8x10 camera

marcofimages · Aug 29, 2020

I picked up a shutterless Konica Hexanon 150mm lens on eBay. I glued it to a spare 4x5 lens board to mount it on my 8x10. The lens is so tiny it looks weird on the camera.

The lens is uncoated and hazy/fogged up which makes for a very dreamy and "flare-y" atmosphere over an overall very sharp image.

If you want to see how to use a shutterless lens and an example of the results see the video below:

It was unexpectedly very fun to play with this beat up lens.

It is a very simple lens so I will open it up and try to clean the haze. Perhaps I will make a follow up video with a test of solvents and procedure to clean up the lens, if it survives!!! Starting from mild solvents going to more and more aggressive ones. I am a chemist so I have access to all sorts of stuff to try and get this lens to its original state.

Peter Schrager · Aug 29, 2020

Use a neutral density filter so you will have exposure in seconds.. a .3 will be three stops

Peter Schrager · Aug 29, 2020

How do we subscribe??

M.A.Longmore · Aug 29, 2020

Peter Schrager said:
How do we subscribe??

Peter, click on the YouTube link in the " signature section " of the post.

marcofimages · Aug 29, 2020

Peter Schrager said:
Use a neutral density filter so you will have exposure in seconds.. a .3 will be three stops

That's a good point, but the lens does not have a filter thread... I didn't mention in the video. I guess something could be rigged up anyway. For example I could glue a step up ring to the front element.

marcofimages · Aug 29, 2020

Peter Schrager said:
How do we subscribe??

if you click on the video title it will open it in the classic YouTube view, where you find the subscribe button and all the rest of the classic YouTube page. Thanks for the support!!!

Peter Schrager · Aug 29, 2020

marcofimages said:
That's a good point, but the lens does not have a filter thread... I didn't mention in the video. I guess something could be rigged up anyway. For example I could glue a step up ring to the front element.

get a neutral density filter that is a gel and will cover the lens. I tape mine to the rear of the inside of the camera...easy!!

Peter Schrager · Aug 29, 2020

subscribed..interested how you are going to clean up the lens..good luck on that!!

btaylor · Aug 29, 2020

.3 ND is 1 stop.
.9 ND is 3 stops.
The Hexanon GRII repro lenses have a reputation of being very sharp. I have a 210mm for 8x10, but I haven’t gotten around to using it. I imagine your 150mm will perform well after it is cleaned, although you may regret loosing the dreamy effects of the haze! Thanks for the video

marcofimages · Aug 29, 2020

Peter Schrager said:
get a neutral density filter that is a gel and will cover the lens. I tape mine to the rear of the inside of the camera...easy!!

Thanks for the suggestion. Let me know if you a name or link for the one you use.

ic-racer · Aug 29, 2020

I like to use neutral density behind the lens. Here is a typical filter holder.

mshchem · Aug 29, 2020

I would suspect that the lens may be from a small vertical process camera. 1:1 reproduction or 50% reduction might be the sweet spot. You might consider a close up. Hopefully you can get to the lens elements and wash in warm water. I've re-cemented lens elements together, much older than your nice modern lens. Good project. Super slow, super cheap, ortho litho film can be developed as continuous tone negative. Save on your HP5.

Ian Grant · Aug 30, 2020

I have the same lens but is in excellent condition, they vary a little and some don't cover 10x and vignette, someone posted some years ago that's due to variations in the elements spacing. Mine does cover 10x8, coatings aren't brilliant, I also have the 300mm and ? 210mm, however unlike you I have quite a range of shutters I can use with barrel lenses, from TP roller blind, focal plane, to LUC/Gitzo leaf shutters, and some others more exotic

Ian

btaylor · Aug 30, 2020

marcofimages said:
Thanks for the suggestion. Let me know if you a name or link for the one you use.

Try these:
https://www.adorama.com/legsnds.htm..._ell6QTAtaRoC6icQAvD_BwE&utm_source=adl-gbase

marcofimages · Aug 31, 2020

Ian Grant said:
I have the same lens but is in excellent condition, they vary a little and some don't cover 10x and vignette, someone posted some years ago that's due to variations in the elements spacing. Mine does cover 10x8, coatings aren't brilliant, I also have the 300mm and ? 210mm, however unlike you I have quite a range of shutters I can use with barrel lenses, from TP roller blind, focal plane, to LUC/Gitzo leaf shutters, and some others more exotic

Ian

So essentially I got lucky that my copy covers 8x10... well, I can use some luck. Thanks for the details.

By the way I have seen some photograph of trains on your portfolio; I recently shot some train cars I will put them on youtube anyday. Very fascinating stuff

marcofimages · Aug 31, 2020

btaylor said:
Try these:
https://www.adorama.com/legsnds.htm..._ell6QTAtaRoC6icQAvD_BwE&utm_source=adl-gbase

Oh yeas these would definitely get the job done. Not even that expensive considering that is lee

marcofimages · Aug 31, 2020

mshchem said:
I would suspect that the lens may be from a small vertical process camera. 1:1 reproduction or 50% reduction might be the sweet spot. You might consider a close up. Hopefully you can get to the lens elements and wash in warm water. I've re-cemented lens elements together, much older than your nice modern lens. Good project. Super slow, super cheap, ortho litho film can be developed as continuous tone negative. Save on your HP5.

Ortho litho is so cheap that if I start I will shoot so much that I'll get fired. Anyway on a serious note, do you have any comment or reference on how it compares to something like HP5? -thanks

mshchem · Aug 31, 2020

marcofimages said:
Ortho litho is so cheap that if I start I will shoot so much that I'll get fired. Anyway on a serious note, do you have any comment or reference on how it compares to something like HP5? -thanks

Well it's intended for use in graphic arts. It's not the exact same size as cut film for general photography. Freestyle sells it it's much cheaper, it needs to be trimmed a bit to fit a standard holder. This film was originally used in large process cameras that used a vacuum back to hold the film in place
The other cheap alternative is Xray film. I've never used it.
You are probably best off shooting HP5 or Foma films. Kodak TRI-X is great film but twice the price of Ilford.

mshchem · Aug 31, 2020

Here's some more info. People used these lenses for close up work. They are really excellent lenses

https://www.largeformatphotography....50mm-Konica-Hexanon-GRII-anyone-shoot-with-em

Dan Fromm · Aug 31, 2020

mshchem said:
Here's some more info. People used these lenses for close up work. They are really excellent lenses

https://www.largeformatphotography....50mm-Konica-Hexanon-GRII-anyone-shoot-with-em

Hmm. I sold my 150/9 Konica Hexanon GR II after I got a 150/9 Apo Ronar. The Apo Ronar was a little sharper, less flary, much easier to hang in front of a Copal #1 and had more than enough coverage for my purposes. I use it on a 2x3 Graphic.

I've had a couple of 210/9 Konica Hexanon GR IIs, sold the dirtier one. I shot the cleaner one on 35 mm still against a 200/4 MicroNikkor AIS. From f/9 down, the GR II was sharper and had better contrast at all distances. I retired it after I got a 210/7.7 Beryl-S. The Beryl wasn't as sharp at apertures larger than f/16 but was contrastier because of less flare.

Many, not all, process lenses shoot very well at all distances.

138S · Sep 1, 2020

You have this DIY way: https://www.largeformatphotography.info/guillotine-shutter/guillotine-shutter-construction.html

But a much more beautiful choice is this one:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...ter-for-barrel-lenses-drum-roll-please.13953/

I used it several times and I'm very satisfied with that piece of gear.

You may practice with a DSLR to see how it works and to "calibrate" speed.

If you practice enough then you may get a 1/2 stop mistake, overexpose by 1/2 stop and the result will be pretty acceptable. Well, at least it's quite nice to try it.

[Video] Shutterless process lens on an 8x10 camera

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