With lenses like these, who needs...

[shorelineae]

These are shot with the Nikkor-P 75mm f2.8 lens (single-coated) on the medium format Bronica S2A camera. (Ilford FP4 film developed in Perceptol).

I would love to find 35mm lenses or TLR cameras that have a similar "look". Any suggestions? 🙂

At the Fishmarket by Ahsan, on Flickr

Sharjah Creek by Ahsan, on Flickr

Any recommendations?

 

[RObert Budding]

The tonality is due to the larger negative, so it will be tough achieving the same look on 35mm - unless you print smaller.

I used to shoot a Minolta Autocord that had an excellent lens. I'm sure that Rollei lenses would also be of very high quality.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Shoreline, I don't see anything particular in these images about the lens quality. What I see is an image from a well exposed & processed negative...and the characteristics of FP4.
I think you can get similar results with any 35mm or TLR of the era. Rolleiflex or cord, Yashicamat, Mamiya TLR.

 

[oldwino]

The closest thing I've found to the S2a/Nikkor look is a Plaubel Makina 67/670. Also has a Nikkor in it.

 

[Prest_400]

The tonality is due to the larger negative, so it will be tough achieving the same look on 35mm - unless you print smaller.

Indeed, this, the longer focal length for equal FoV and DoF difference of a larger format. My 120 is a Fuji 6x9 which gives a wonderful quasi LF look.

I've seen some 35mm shots with a fast lens (Noctilux+Fomapan 100, can't find that site now), not too large magnification/slow film that came across as a Medium format. Perhaps a fast 35mm lens, f1.4-2. That and using slower fine grained film.

Just looking at some prints I got in my desk stack: TMax 100 in 35mm and HP5 6x9 printed 24x30cm. The 35mm seems even finer grained, although upon close examination the tonality favours 6x9, also detail, but both shots are handheld so unfair to make such comparison.

 

[charjohncarter]

When I first used Tmax 100 it was 'wow' this turns my 35mm camera into a 120. I fought with Fomapan 100 for years and finally gave up. But I did get some beautiful prints though, they were all 120.

 

[Anthony Harvey]

I know exactly what you mean, Shorelineae. I’ve tried to get that look in prints from 35mm all my sixty years of interest in b&w photography. It seems to be much easier in 120 size - I see it in most Rollieflex photos for example, whatever the film and developer - but in 35 mm I believe that it comes from a number of factors but especially the lens and the developer and developer agitation. I manage to get it quite easily with Microphen 1:1 or re-used straight, when used with most films (including HP4 and HP5+ and Tri-X but I never tried it with TMY2) and especially with older lenses eg Pentax Super Takumars, Summaron 35/3.5. Using semi-stand of 5 mins agitation intervals helps too. There’s something about the colour or shade of the mid grey tones, and the way they merge with other tones. A sort of charcoal colour to my mind.
But the main single factor for me was using Microphen. I find that XTOL 1:1 is fairly similar but not quite the same. Close though.

 

[retinax]

I'll be honest, I don't know what you mean. The first one has great tonality to my eyes, the second one just nice enough for direct sun. They show good processing and technique, but what makes the first one sing is the subject and great light IMHO.
There's good contrast, but nothing that stands out as too bright except the oven front in the second one. That very reasonable contrast range makes almost every lens display good bokeh.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

As has been noted, much of the tonality is due to format, but to match the lens, you'd just need a single coated 50mm lens on a rangefinder. The SLR won't do, specifically because the lens has the negative elements to allow it to cllear the mirror. The Bronica S, S2, S2a, and EC series don't have this problem because the lenses are not retrofocal, for the most part, due to the mirror swinging downward out of the path of the light, not upwards. Only the wides are retrofocal designs.

Phil Forrest

 

[Anthony Harvey]

I’ve just noticed a very good example of the look in a particular set of mid greys in a photo by lynnb, no. 3815 in OM I’ve become a Zuikoholic. Lynnb explained that it was 35 mm HP5+ in Microphen, using a 28/2 Zuiko. An older designed lens helps too. There’s a certain rich warmth in those greys. Lovely.
Certain other developers tend to give the look too. Perceptol (as witness Erik van Straten’s superb work with its great tonality as well as his marvellous vision) and Microdol-X, a similar fine grain developer to Perceptol; the original Ultrafin; and the original Aculux devised by Geoffrey Crawley, not the very different later variants of Aculux.

 

[xayraa33]

That first photo has that Rolleicord with Zeiss Triotar lens 3D look...just my 2 cents.

 

[presspass]

You answered your own question in the first sentence - single coated. Or you could look to pre-war uncoated lenses. The tonality cannot be found with modern multi coated lenses. Have a look at the thread on pre-war Leica lenses.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I see heck a lot of dust on first image. And zero "look" in OP images. Typical made in Japan MF lens. No character.
Rolleicord will give more pleasing images. And where are very many 135 fiilm format lenses which do have nice rendering. From collapsible Cron to Helios 81H.
Grain is going to be more obvious, TMAX or not.