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Thread: I'm a lens designer

  1. #1
    Nodda Duma's Avatar
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    I'm a lens designer

    Hello!

    I have recently joined this forum at the urging of members of the APUG forum and figured I'd introduce myself.

    I am a lens designer by trade, having worked many years designing optics for visible and also infrared imaging systems. I was hired by the Navy out of college and basically taught myself optical design. After I got good at it, I went back to school to do the coursework (from the University of Arizona). Now I work in the private sector.


    I use ZEMAX and of course know and understand the design forms for the camera lenses that you guys use.

    Film photography provides me a break from the digital imaging world, while satisfying my interest and appreciation of optics. It actually spun out of my astronomy and astrophotography hobby...which I pursued (using film) a decade or so ago.

    I own several cameras which cover the span of the twentieth century...primarily 35 mm and medium format (Kodak Brownie to a Nikon F3). I develop B&W but send out for color. I use Blue Moon Camera out of Portland OR. I have a nice scanner and printer at home.

    I used to own a Jobo CPP-2 but unfortunately lost that with almost everything else when I moved my family from California to New Hampshire almost 4 years ago. We don't make as much as we used to, and with money being tight I haven't been able to replace the equipment I used to own. (My wife went back to school to earn a Physician's Assistant degree...she used to be an engineer). A handful of cameras and my scanner and printer survived. Still have enough to take pictures with tho.



    In any case, I joined because I love doing lens design. It seems to me that the mainstream shift away from film has left you guys under served in the optical department. I'd like to see where I can help.... Not for profit but because I love turning designs into real glass. Kickstarter makes this idea viable.


    I've designed many objectives, worked in an optical shop, assembled optics, tested optics, and of course used optics as well.


    So let me know how I can help. You folks now have a lens designer at your service.


    You'll see me post in the lens subgroup soon.


    Cheers,
    Jason
    Newly made large format dry plates available! Look:
    https://www.pictoriographica.com

  2. #2
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    Hi Jason,

    I was following your APUG thread with great interest; I realize everybody wants something specific, and you're bound to get many requests and points of view, so I hope you can eventually narrow down a good idea for a Kickstarter project.
    There are many here who would get behind it.

    Welcome, and if you want to solicit more lens opinions, the "Lenses & Lens Accessories" section is the best place for that.

  3. #3
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    Welcome!

    Perhaps you will ready when the herd rediscovers LF.

    Good luck!
    Tin Can

  4. #4

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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    A multicoated Cooke XVa clone for less than $500.

  5. #5
    (Shrek)
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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    Following the recent Lomo Petzval that seems to have been successful, I wonder if any 'new' classic lens has to be adaptable to dSLRs?

    I don't personally have any requests, but the people doing ULF (like 20x24) are always complaining they can't find the lenses they want, even when they're prepared to pay for them. At $5k for an old process lens that covers the format, and much more for a Petzval, there is a niche market there somewhere. Doing the brasswork in these days of CNC machining doesn't seem to be as much of a hassle as it used to be. And can't the same lens-grinding gear be used to scale a particular element up or down according to needs (if you're grinding a certain curve, it doesn't matter what size element you're grinding)?

  6. #6

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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    Quote Originally Posted by Old-N-Feeble View Post
    A multicoated Cooke XVa clone for less than $500.
    in about a 360mm size

  7. #7
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    Quote Originally Posted by Old-N-Feeble View Post
    A multicoated Cooke XVa clone for less than $500.
    Quote Originally Posted by DrTang View Post
    in about a 360mm size
    And the convertible FLs would cover 11x14 and 16x20, respectively.
    Make it fit any Copal 3 shutter, and I'd pay $1000 for one of those.

    Having tried the new Cooke XVa, though, I can say that it's worth every penny, and cannot (should not?) be duplicated for less.
    The coatings alone are extraordinary; they are what a very advanced alien civilization would give us as a token of friendship.
    "Yeah, sure, why don't we give them the real secret to properly multi-coating optical lenses? Leave the teleportation for something important."

    But I'm no lens expert, maybe it's a $10 job with Mr Cooke's name on it.

  8. #8

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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    Quote Originally Posted by Ari View Post
    And the convertible FLs would cover 11x14 and 16x20, respectively.
    Make it fit any Copal 3 shutter, and I'd pay $1000 for one of those.

    Having tried the new Cooke XVa, though, I can say that it's worth every penny, and cannot (should not?) be duplicated for less.
    The coatings alone are extraordinary; they are what a very advanced alien civilization would give us as a token of friendship.
    "Yeah, sure, why don't we give them the real secret to properly multi-coating optical lenses? Leave the teleportation for something important."

    But I'm no lens expert, maybe it's a $10 job with Mr Cooke's name on it.
    Copal #3 mountable... or already in a shutter?

  9. #9

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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    How about a Cooke for 4x5... maybe 200mm?

  10. #10
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: I'm a lens designer

    Quote Originally Posted by Old-N-Feeble View Post
    Copal #3 mountable... or already in a shutter?
    Copal 3 mountable; it'd be great if the cells could just fit into a regular Copal 3, no shims or extras needed.
    I don't think there are any more new Copal 3 shutters available; in fact, it may have been Cooke that bought the last stock.

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