Re: [Largeformat] Wollensak Soft Focus Studio Lens

[Clive Warren <cocam@cableinet.co.uk>]

At 2:17 pm -0700 13/4/00, Les Newcomer wrote:
>I agree with you on the shutter, if you've got it use it.  My lens is
>slightly longer (15") and the same speed (4.5) so it needs a big honking
>packard.  At 15 pounds mine was design to fit the typical (and
>non-portable) studio camera.  I modified an older B&J so I don't need a
>van to transport my camera.
>
>As for color correction.  Haven't a clue.  None of my lens books list a
>velostigmat II portrait, so I don't know what it looks like inside.  I'd
>find some slightly outdated chrome in the freezer and experiment, maybe
>you can come up with and effect that will sweep the nation like cross
>processing.
>
>I'd still do some testing at wide open and 5.6.  It's hard to break the
>habit of stopping down after a couple of decades.  And don't forget most
>of the portraits I have from the 20s had a vignetter on the bottom to
>make the image round.
>
>Les

Les,

Well you must be pretty fit to haul that 15" around.

Haven't had a really close look at the lens design or number of elements.
Seems to be symmetrical in behaviour.  Will do as you suggest with some old
chrome but probably some time after exploring the delights of B&W :-)
Should be interesting to try out the fuzzulator on chromes.... I guess that
colour correction will really fly out of the window.....

Thanks for the suggestion of using the lens wide open - will try that out
also.  As you say, it's hard to break the stopping down habit on a LF lens.
Any ideas on vignetters - have used a few home brew devices.  Do you know
anything about the design/shape of those used in the 20's?  I have an old
folder plate camera with a "finger" vignetter about where a front element
should be.Probably a 20's camera also. Seems as though the lens is a soft
focus in that you open up to maximise softness. Have never used the camera
as the format is too small.






All the best,

            Clive    http://www.cocam.co.uk
                     Photographic Services, Filters and Equipment, Infrared FAQ