Several Soft Focus lenses compared

[Adamphotoman]

The last Wollaston

[Mark Sawyer]

Just as an aside, the astigmatism in the Wollaston is sharp on the 11 to 5 o'clock axis, and at its worst at the 2 to 8 o'clock axis. Funny, with all the astigmatic lenses some of us use, we seldom mention it, or maybe even notice it...

[mdarnton]

Your photos are smaller than 35mm contacts on my screen. I wonder how they are for you.

Mark, your astigmatism comment doesn't make sense, unless you have an improperly ground lens. Explain, please.

[Will S]

My imagon has 3 disks. Does that explain why you are seeing a potential gap?

[SergeiR]

My findings IMHO are that the Imagon needs more variation between no disk and the larger H:5.8-7.7 disk.

Actually they are gradual steps, if you look at f numbers (4.5-5.6 -7.7-9.5) is almost better jump than 4-5.6-8, as it should be, not to mention that if you like radial holes look - you can vary it slightly by eye by partial rotations ). One of biggest problems with soft focus lenses is the learning curve on what soft ones are. I personally gave up more than once on getting stuff properly done with SF lenses, just to come back to it year or so later. And then give up again.

[SergeiR]

My imagon has 3 disks. Does that explain why you are seeing a potential gap?

Mine too. Only 250mm Fujinon has 2 , i think. But then they do come in shuttered version with iris.

[djdister]

Okay i willUpload 1X1
Hopefully in order

Okay not in the right order but larger

These are the Bis Telar

Thanks for posting larger images! Really appreciate seeing the comparisons, as well as how the soft focus effect diminishes by stopping down.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Just as an aside, the astigmatism in the Wollaston is sharp on the 11 to 5 o'clock axis, and at its worst at the 2 to 8 o'clock axis. Funny, with all the astigmatic lenses some of us use, we seldom mention it, or maybe even notice it...

Mark, could this be due to the requirement to have stronger contrast in the lighting? The light intensity is dropping in the 2-8 position. Just wondering.

[Adamphotoman]

Will,
My Imagon also has 3 disks.
For this comparison I only used the 1st Imagon disk. I do have 2 more with smaller openings, however, I am only speaking to the difference from using no disk to using the first disk with holes open.
I do realize that using the disks there is a lot of subtle variation - an almost infinite control between holes closed and open.
So without an Iris in a shutter, I would still like to have more control over that first jump in soft Glow to fairly sharp without much glow. I suspect that I will need to make a couple of even wider stops perhaps with a strainer pattern.
It is interesting how the Imagon produces a finger like wispy glow.

[mdarnton]

Ah--sorry I missed the click-through this time-----mmmuch better. Thanks. The Wollaston holds up better than I thought it would. Now I want half-stops for mine, too, to fine tune it.