NickTrop
Veteran
jan normandale said:
Thanks for the laugh/advice ; )
Abbazz
6x9 and be there!
NickTrop said:
You're doomed :angel:
Cheers,
Abbazz
Abbazz
6x9 and be there!
Nick,
Although Heliar lenses were the top of the range, Voigtländer always considered they lacked resolution and were not suitable for small format cameras. That's why you won't find Voiglander Heliar lenses for 35mm cameras (except of course the newer Cosina made lenses).
The Japanese have always been fond of the Heliar because of the way it renders out of focus aeras; afterall, the word "bokeh" doesn't come from the Japanese by pure coincidence. That's why Japanese companies, like Konishiroku (Konika), Asahi Optical Co., Nippon Kogaku (Nikon) and of course Cosina, made lenses of Heliar formula after WWII, many of them for small format cameras.
The first lens of Heliar formula for small format was the 58mm Takumar of 1954. It was not a very sharp lens, but it had the wonderful bokeh of the Heliar. Here is a superb photograph taken by Frank Mechelhoff with this lens:
More about the early Pentax lenses on Frank's site: http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Pentax_main.html
Other Heliar type lenses released by Pentax and Nikon were macro lenses. Contrary to many other optical formulas, the Heliar maintains good correction at very close range. That's why many early macro lenses for SLRs were of Heliar type.
Only for documentation purposes
, here are some suggestions of eBay searches (all are 5 element Heliar formula lenses):
* Lenses for 35mm Cameras
- Asahi Optical Takumar 58mm f/2.4 for 39mm screw mount Asahiflex-IIB (1954)
- Asahi Optical Takumar 58mm f/2.4 for 42mm screw mount Asahi-Pentax/Tower 26 cameras (1957)
- Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Bellows-Takumar 100mm f/4.0 (1971)
- Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Macro 100mm f/4.0-22.0 (1975)
- Cosina/Voigtländer Heliar S 50mm f/3.5 for Leica screw mount Bessa rangefinder cameras (also exists in Nikon rangefinder mount) (2001)
- Cosina/Voigtländer collapsible Classic Heliar 50mm f/2.0 in Leica M mount for Bessa rangefinder cameras (2006)
* Lenses for 3x4 cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 55mm f/3.5 on Perkeo 3x4 (1933)
* Lenses for 4.5x6 cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 75mm f/4.5 on Bergheil 4,5x6 (1923)
* Lenses for 6x6 cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Brillant S TLR (Focusing Brillant) (1939)
- Voigtländer Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Superb TLR
- Voigländer Color Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Bessa 66 folding cameras (1948)
- Konica Hexanon 85mm f/3.5 on Koniflex TLR (1952)
- Mamiya 105mm f/3.5 D/DS for "C" series interchangeable lens TLRs (the first non-D 105mm lens had 4 elements/3 groups and was not a Heliar)
* Lenses for 6x9 cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/4.5 on Rollfilm folding cameras (1927)
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/4.5 on Bessa folding cameras (1932)
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/3.5 on Prominent folding cameras (1932)
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/3.5 on Entfernungsmesser-Bessa (Bessa E or Bessa RF) folding cameras (1936)
- Kodak Ektar 105mm f/3.5 on Medalist cameras
- Voigländer Color Heliar 105mm f/3.5 on Bessa II folding cameras (1950)
- Voigländer Apo-Lanthar 105mm f/4.5 on Bessa II folding cameras (1952)
* Lenses for 6.5x9 plate cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1931)
- Voigländer Heliar 120mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1930)
* Lenses for 9x12 plate cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 150mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1911)
- Voigländer Heliar 135mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1925)
- Voigländer Heliar 135mm f/4.5 on Alpin folding cameras (1927)
* Lenses for 10x15 plate cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 180mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1926)
- Voigländer Heliar 165mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1927)
* Large Format Lenses
- f/4.5 15cm, 18cm, 21cm, 24cm, 30cm, 36cm and 42cm Heliar, covering formats from 9x14cm to 21x27cm
If anyone knows any other lens of Heliar formula (MF and LF Apo Lanthar, Nikon lenses), please PM me.
Cheers,
Abbazz
Although Heliar lenses were the top of the range, Voigtländer always considered they lacked resolution and were not suitable for small format cameras. That's why you won't find Voiglander Heliar lenses for 35mm cameras (except of course the newer Cosina made lenses).
The Japanese have always been fond of the Heliar because of the way it renders out of focus aeras; afterall, the word "bokeh" doesn't come from the Japanese by pure coincidence. That's why Japanese companies, like Konishiroku (Konika), Asahi Optical Co., Nippon Kogaku (Nikon) and of course Cosina, made lenses of Heliar formula after WWII, many of them for small format cameras.
The first lens of Heliar formula for small format was the 58mm Takumar of 1954. It was not a very sharp lens, but it had the wonderful bokeh of the Heliar. Here is a superb photograph taken by Frank Mechelhoff with this lens:
More about the early Pentax lenses on Frank's site: http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Pentax_main.html
Other Heliar type lenses released by Pentax and Nikon were macro lenses. Contrary to many other optical formulas, the Heliar maintains good correction at very close range. That's why many early macro lenses for SLRs were of Heliar type.
Only for documentation purposes
, here are some suggestions of eBay searches (all are 5 element Heliar formula lenses):* Lenses for 35mm Cameras
- Asahi Optical Takumar 58mm f/2.4 for 39mm screw mount Asahiflex-IIB (1954)
- Asahi Optical Takumar 58mm f/2.4 for 42mm screw mount Asahi-Pentax/Tower 26 cameras (1957)
- Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Bellows-Takumar 100mm f/4.0 (1971)
- Asahi Optical Co. Super-Multi-Coated Macro 100mm f/4.0-22.0 (1975)
- Cosina/Voigtländer Heliar S 50mm f/3.5 for Leica screw mount Bessa rangefinder cameras (also exists in Nikon rangefinder mount) (2001)
- Cosina/Voigtländer collapsible Classic Heliar 50mm f/2.0 in Leica M mount for Bessa rangefinder cameras (2006)
* Lenses for 3x4 cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 55mm f/3.5 on Perkeo 3x4 (1933)
* Lenses for 4.5x6 cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 75mm f/4.5 on Bergheil 4,5x6 (1923)
* Lenses for 6x6 cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Brillant S TLR (Focusing Brillant) (1939)
- Voigtländer Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Superb TLR
- Voigländer Color Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Bessa 66 folding cameras (1948)
- Konica Hexanon 85mm f/3.5 on Koniflex TLR (1952)
- Mamiya 105mm f/3.5 D/DS for "C" series interchangeable lens TLRs (the first non-D 105mm lens had 4 elements/3 groups and was not a Heliar)
* Lenses for 6x9 cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/4.5 on Rollfilm folding cameras (1927)
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/4.5 on Bessa folding cameras (1932)
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/3.5 on Prominent folding cameras (1932)
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/3.5 on Entfernungsmesser-Bessa (Bessa E or Bessa RF) folding cameras (1936)
- Kodak Ektar 105mm f/3.5 on Medalist cameras
- Voigländer Color Heliar 105mm f/3.5 on Bessa II folding cameras (1950)
- Voigländer Apo-Lanthar 105mm f/4.5 on Bessa II folding cameras (1952)
* Lenses for 6.5x9 plate cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 105mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1931)
- Voigländer Heliar 120mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1930)
* Lenses for 9x12 plate cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 150mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1911)
- Voigländer Heliar 135mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1925)
- Voigländer Heliar 135mm f/4.5 on Alpin folding cameras (1927)
* Lenses for 10x15 plate cameras
- Voigländer Heliar 180mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1926)
- Voigländer Heliar 165mm f/4.5 on Bergheil folding cameras (1927)
* Large Format Lenses
- f/4.5 15cm, 18cm, 21cm, 24cm, 30cm, 36cm and 42cm Heliar, covering formats from 9x14cm to 21x27cm
If anyone knows any other lens of Heliar formula (MF and LF Apo Lanthar, Nikon lenses), please PM me.
Cheers,
Abbazz
Solinar
Analog Preferred
The horse isn't so pretty, but the background is almost an impressionistic painting.
Not all subjects benefit from an ultra sharp lens. - The photo I posted above of the "Two Texas Roses" as I call them was taken with a 105mm Solinar wide open at f/4.5 and close in. Wide open and close in, the front cell focusing Solinar is quite soft.
Frankly, I like the finger print of a longish Tessar, Heliar or Cooke-Triplet shot wide open or at a minimum of f/5.6 for impromtu portraiture.
The Rodenstock 105/3.5 Trinar on the Franka Rollfix II is an excellent example of longish Cooke-Triplet and the camera being less known sells for under $50.
Not all subjects benefit from an ultra sharp lens. - The photo I posted above of the "Two Texas Roses" as I call them was taken with a 105mm Solinar wide open at f/4.5 and close in. Wide open and close in, the front cell focusing Solinar is quite soft.
Frankly, I like the finger print of a longish Tessar, Heliar or Cooke-Triplet shot wide open or at a minimum of f/5.6 for impromtu portraiture.
The Rodenstock 105/3.5 Trinar on the Franka Rollfix II is an excellent example of longish Cooke-Triplet and the camera being less known sells for under $50.
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f8nbethere
Member
Believe it or not, the guy who fixed my Bessa II said the Heliar lens resolved over 120 lines per millimeter on his collimator. The Bessa does make very sharp photos, but I always thought of my Fuji GW690II as one of my sharpest cameras. Who knows - they're both great cameras if you can find a nice one, or have it fixed so that everything is how it's supposed to be. The Fuji is WAY bigger than the Bessa II and makes a loud click when you take a photo, so the Bessa is more useful to me in some ways (the "Fuji click" really inhibits me in some quiet locations). I don't think the earlier, interchangeable lens, Fuji RF cameras make this loud sound as it is linked to the shot counter (I've been told), but I've never used one. On the other hand, the tiny finder of the Bessa is a real turn-off to me.
The Makina 67 is also great. I love slinging mine across my shoulder when I walk my dog. This is partly because of the size and also the fact that, unlike the Bessa, it has a built-in meter and large bright-line finder. The Bessa, although a 6x9, is actually lighter and more compact, but the Plaubel is just nicer to use.
I really think that if you get a good example, any of these cameras can make images that will blow you away. There are a ton of fine cameras out there, so I think that size, ease of use, format, style/aesthetics, i.e. a lot of subjective factors that make you want to use the camera, are most important when selecting one.
The Makina 67 is also great. I love slinging mine across my shoulder when I walk my dog. This is partly because of the size and also the fact that, unlike the Bessa, it has a built-in meter and large bright-line finder. The Bessa, although a 6x9, is actually lighter and more compact, but the Plaubel is just nicer to use.
I really think that if you get a good example, any of these cameras can make images that will blow you away. There are a ton of fine cameras out there, so I think that size, ease of use, format, style/aesthetics, i.e. a lot of subjective factors that make you want to use the camera, are most important when selecting one.
gchpaco
Member
The Fujis have superb lenses. They're huge, but the images IMHO are worthwhile. The interchangable lens series are considerably quieter than the fixed lens versions because they don't have the exposure counter in the body, but they're seriously old now and any sample you can lay your mitts on will probably require a CLA.
1dave
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Boy, have i got a LOT to learn!!