Small Format SOFT focus lenses

[Marko Trebusak]

Here is my experiment. I took an Cooke 10,5" Anastigmat series II with soft focus adjustment and mount it to Canon digital camera via "paper tube and tape" method. This is an old version with only slight soft focus effect, but since locking pin is broken, I unscrew the front two lenses all the way. What do you think about soft focus effect in this test photos?

wide open

f16

f8

[mdarnton]

Marko, it's interesting how it maintains the effect even at f16. I'd like to see it on some other subjects, too.

No one has mentioned the low end Lens Baby lenses. Mostly they're junky, but one is pretty good. My wife needed a head shot recently and after trying a few with my normal Nikon D7200/50mm combo, I brought out the Lensbaby Soft Focus. This is not their kit lens, which is just a single element, but a real lens with a flat field and good to the edges. I got it because I had been looking at their new $500 fancy metal soft focus macro lens and noticed that this one does almost the same thing for a lot less money (probably why they discontinued it when they brought out the fancy one).

I was happy with the results, which remind me of my Verito.

I think part of the problem with short lenses is that they are faster, not the magnification relative to LF. It's tempting to think in terms of how many stops you stop down from full and use them open wider than with LF, but it works better to think in absolute stops. I use my Verito just short of f8 for more normal portraits, and the Baby at f5.6 was still too glowy. The same f6.8 or so that I use on 8x10 would have been better and I think it would compete with the Verito.



https://www.flickr.com/photos/mdarnton/26719593582

[Maris Rusis]

Herbs and Ferns, Soft Focus

Gelatin-silver photograph on Freestyle Private Reserve VC FB photographic paper from a Kodak 120 format Tmax 100 negative exposed in a Mamiya RB67 camera fitted with a custom modified 65mm lens with standard optics removed and replaced by a single meniscus lens. A #25 red filter was used to curb chromatic aberration.

[Tin Can]

Really works for me.

Thanks for your complete description of process. Very helpfull!

[Peter De Smidt]

Terrific photo, Maris!

[alanbutler57]

RB67, 150SF, Ektar, wide open, no disc

Refreshments by Alan Butler, on Flickr

Tak'in a Breat At the Troll Bridge by Alan Butler, on Flickr

Two Ladies in Matching Dresses by Alan Butler, on Flickr

[Tin Can]

More nice!

[jp]

Herbs and Ferns, Soft Focus

Gelatin-silver photograph on Freestyle Private Reserve VC FB photographic paper from a Kodak 120 format Tmax 100 negative exposed in a Mamiya RB67 camera fitted with a custom modified 65mm lens with standard optics removed and replaced by a single meniscus lens. A #25 red filter was used to curb chromatic aberration.

The softness looks good; seems like a lens to play with more often.

The composition looks good too, which soft focus shows off more than a straight photo. The dark trunk in the upper center stands out nicely, and the others areas of light and dark are harmonious.

[Maris Rusis]

Thanks to Randy Moe, Peter De Smidt, and jp for your encouraging words. Here's another effort:

Macaranga Leaf, Soft focus

Gelatin-silver photograph on Fotospeed Rembrandt bromo-iodide textured photographic paper, image size 21.3cm X 16.4cm, from a Tmax 100 negative exposed in a Mamiya RB67 single lens reflex camera fitted with a modified 65mm lens with standard optics substituted by a Wollaston Meniscus lens. Titled and signed recto, stamped verso.

[scheinfluger_77]

I really like this one