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Thread: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

  1. #21
    Nodda Duma's Avatar
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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Galli View Post
    What would be fun would be to take a common Nikkor, like the 50mm f1.8 and study the current design to see if you could take one of the elements and purposely introduce some aberration. They'd sell like hot cakes.
    Don't have to study it. It's a double gauss design. Just pull the front element away from the rest of the lenses. That'll really screw up the spheri--..er um, well I mean.. give you nice soft focus.
    Newly made large format dry plates available! Look:
    https://www.pictoriographica.com

  2. #22

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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    Quote Originally Posted by Nodda Duma View Post
    Don't have to study it. It's a double gauss design. Just pull the front element away from the rest of the lenses. That'll really screw up the spheri--..er um, well I mean.. give you nice soft focus.
    I'll get my set of hammers out and start on one tomorrow. ;~'))

  3. #23

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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    I have the 90mm Dreamagon from Seibold and the 120 mm Imagon from Rodenstock with a T2 Adapter for my Nikon including my digital Nikons! I'm a lucky guy;--)))

    Cheers Armin

  4. #24

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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    Then there's the Sima 100mm f2 soft focus/macro. Very inexpensive (cheap) single element plastic, sliding tube focusing, kinda like a Lensbaby, uses a T mount, so it can be made to fit most 35mm or dslr's.
    Wide open it's too soft for most subjects, f5.6 or f8 (they use aperture discs) is more to my liking.
    Keh currently has one listed for $35... with a Nikon T mount.
    Real cameras are measured in inches...
    Not pixels.

    www.photocollective.org

  5. #25

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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    I have the Canon 135mm telephoto lens with softfocus settings, and I will try to post some examples later. But one thing to think about - I also have the Canon 135mm f/2L lens, which of course is not a soft focus lens. But when used wide open, it gives a beautifully short depth of field and out of focus bokeh, which is sometimes a better effect than an overall softfocus lens.

    In the image sharing forum there is a thread (called "Wide f***ing open" or something like that) which demostrates how that can work effectively for LF work as well.

  6. #26
    (Shrek)
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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    Quote Originally Posted by Nodda Duma View Post
    Don't have to study it. It's a double gauss design. Just pull the front element away from the rest of the lenses. That'll really screw up the spheri--..er um, well I mean.. give you nice soft focus.
    Some lenses should be really easy to modify, like the late canon fd 50/1.8, where the front element is simply held on with 3 screws. Easy to experiment with spacers and longer screws as needed. How much of a spacer would you suggest?

  7. #27

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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    From the OP; I've been looking for small classic era soft focus lenses

    Old Cine soft focus lenses are like hens teeth. The modern non-achromatic simple meniscii don't get the job done (imesho)

  8. #28
    alanbutler57's Avatar
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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    I probably posted these somewhere here already. Not a classic, but easy to find is the Mamiya 150SF for the RB67 platform:





    And the same lens mounted onto a modified 4x5 camera


  9. #29
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    Alan, I like 2 and 3. I have a 'hard' time with mine. Never happy.

    Great images.
    Tin Can

  10. #30
    alanbutler57's Avatar
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    Re: Small Format SOFT focus lenses

    Thanks Randy,
    I don't shoot this lens enough to get really consistent. All too often I tend to backfocus just slightly, especially using it on the 4x5. I think I've exposed 3 or 4 negatives and got the one keeper above. As most people have written, I like it better wide open with no disc (center image) than w. disk.

    Here's a digital capture with a Lensbaby. I've had it for many years but just haven't played much with it.


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