VERY vintage optics - new obsession?

[denishr]

The issue of getting images to look like mid-19th century tin-types is not just one of lens selection, but also of getting modern films to replicate the "blue sensitive only" characteristics of tin-type photo emulsions.

I know I cannot fully reproduce the look of a tintype or a callotype with modern film, but I guess a strong blue filter might help in that respect. Not quite the same, but I guess it would add to the effect...

Denis

 

[doubs43]

Talking about experimenting...I've read swhere that a cool effect can be produced by putting stretched piece of women's pantyhose (preferably neutral colour and no pattern) in front of the lens...as "soft filter"... Might produce too cheesy results, however. Once i'll try it.

My father once commented on the use of nylon stockings to get the soft effect but his advice was to take a sharp negative and do the softening when enlarging. You can always soften a sharp negative but you can't sharpen a soft negative. You also have greater control of the effect if you begin with a sharp image.

I believe some photographers would stretch a nylon hose across a crochet frame and use that under the enlarging lens..... kind of like burning or dodging.

Walker

 

[Pherdinand]

"Swirly bokeh" of the zeiss novar-anastigmat (75/3.5 version)
first pic: wide open;
second pic: at f/5.6.
Closest focus possible (actually, the wide-open shot is a bit misfocused).

 

[Doug]

My father once commented on the use of nylon stockings to get the soft effect but his advice was to take a sharp negative and do the softening when enlarging.

Nylons on the camera and nylons on the enlarging lens lead to somewhat different effects... On the camera, the light is spread into the shadows, for a luminous dreamy effect. On the enlarger, the diffusion reverses, spreading dark into the light, which might be used for a more somber effect.

 

[RML]

My admittedly limited experience with Efke KB100 B&W film gave me the impression that this film has at least some of the characteristics of ancient film, especially the sensitivity in blue or green. With a yellow filter I found the results to be almost like IR. Never tried with a blue filter (or any other filter) but I thought you might give Efke a try.

 

[denishr]

Remy, Efke films are the only ones I use in medium format, so that's precisely what I had in mind for my experiments 🙂

Denis

 

[RML]

I figured so much, Denis, knowing you live in Efke country. 🙂

 

[denishr]

Looks like I'm not the only weirdo thinking about this - just found out that Mark Tucker (of the "Plungercam" fame) is on the quest for the same effect - he even refers to the same collodion "photos" that made me jump with delight! - see this link on photo.net. 🙂

Denis

 

[denishr]

A quick hack

A quick hack

Man, I just love those Speed Graphics!

Just a quick hack, and the first glance at the ground glass looks promising. Distortions abound, color fringing galore... Just two quick digi shots to give you an idea of the direction I'm going...
Well, it's more like a "Plungercam" than a vintage collodion photograph, but it's interesting...

First shot shows the image on the ground glass, the second shows the setup used to obtain the image - three stacked close-up lenses of various strengths and orientations... Just playing around.

Denis

 

[Pherdinand]

Denis-
look what i have found on a dutch e-bay-type website:
http://marktplaats.nl/index.php3?url=/markt/foto/diversen/36109.htm
text says, "a number of separate lenses from old cameras
the brass lens has the inscription ADOLF FISCHL jr Berlin"

 

[denishr]

Could be interesting, Pherdi, but the language barrier is the problem 🙂
Also, there's no way knowing how high it will go...

Denis

 

[denishr]

With some optic formulas and a quick check, I've found out that the rig in above photos is about 130mm focal length (mild "tele" in 6x9 format), and with the f-stop of about 3,5.
Curiouser and curiouser....
BTW, the above photo does not show it, but this setup could also work as a perfect soft-focus lens 🙂

Denis

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Well,
These were shot with my "Infrared Digital SLR", but the lens is one that has been getting a lot of play here lately. These are taken with the Canon 50mm F1.5 that I got from Frank. The rear group is gone. At F5.6 is was sharp enough at the center to use on the Digital N8008S with a Leica Thread Mount to Nikon adapter. These shots are at F8, with a deep red filter on the lens. Focus to infinity, for close-ups I used a K1 extension ring.

 

[FrankS]

Nice, Brian. I'd love to see portraits done with this setup, IR and normal light. What do you figure the focal length is without the rear group, Brian?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The focal length without the rear group is somewhere around 90mm. Hard to tell with the ancient (12 years in Digital life is like 90 years in RF life) Kodak as it has a 2.5x magnification factor. I am going to use the lens with my F2 for some portraits this weekend, the full-frame photos will be interesting.

Computer Hacker, Digital camera Hacker, Lens Hacker, what's the Diff?

 

[Dan Chang]

Well,
These were shot with my "Infrared Digital SLR", but the lens is one that has been getting a lot of play here lately. These are taken with the Canon 50mm F1.5 that I got from Frank. The rear group is gone. At F5.6 is was sharp enough at the center to use on the Digital N8008S with a Leica Thread Mount to Nikon adapter. These shots are at F8, with a deep red filter on the lens. Focus to infinity, for close-ups I used a K1 extension ring.

where is the rear group? gone with wind?

 

[jdos2]

"Swirly bokeh" of the zeiss novar-anastigmat (75/3.5 version)
first pic: wide open;
second pic: at f/5.6.
Closest focus possible (actually, the wide-open shot is a bit misfocused).

Perfect example of it. I call it "Target Bokeh" and both names are apt (APT!).

I have a f/5.6 Tessar that does it too, wide open, but that quickly goes away and by f/8 is gone.

I got rid of the Novar, because I didn't like that look. My Mamiya C330's 105mm lens did it too, to a wedding shot. Bye-now for it! As an effect, I'm sure someone better than I could put it to great use, but...

 

[jdos2]

I know I cannot fully reproduce the look of a tintype or a callotype with modern film, but I guess a strong blue filter might help in that respect. Not quite the same, but I guess it would add to the effect...

Denis

Think: "Ortho." I believe Illford still makes some, normally used as a lith film, but can be continuous tone as well.

The technology for Ortho was late 1870's, early 1880's, and full Pan came around in the early 1900's. Nasty dyes, too, to make it, but then again, if we were tin-typers we'd be arguing the benefits of potassium cyanide over hypo for clearing. And some of us would be dipping our hands in the stuff...

 

[Sonnar Brian]

> where is the rear group? gone with wind?

Yes, you can read about it here at RFF with "Franks" Canon foibles. After a year of buddy-bidding for Frank on 50mm F1.5's with badly scratched front elements and watching all of them going above the limit, I traded Frank a working lens for his M3 for the "buttless" Canon. I'll eventually stumble across a replacement element, but I like having spare lenses of this vintage. And I can always use it on my digital SLR... I'll just download the software that they used to correct the original images from the Hubble... remember when they left one of the optics out...

 

[Heath]

Quick reply before I read the entire thread. I found some lenses that you may be interested in on Ebay here in Australia.

Lens One

Lens Two

Hope that you find these interesting. They are at a VERY reasonable price.

Heath