antique large format lenses

[LeeSimmons]

altb44
I really enjoy my vintage lenses and they definitely deliver a different rendering than modern lenses. I prefer them in the era of sharp everything. Search auctions for 5x7 lens and that'll get a bunch of results. Think about how you plan to use the lens - in the field or in studio. Portrait or landscape. If flash is required and shutter speed control if exposures faster than a second. These questions help narrow what you are looking for.

I recently travelled to Europe with the thought of finding an old lens. I found a leica shop and a $900 Euro rolleicord. Needless to say no lens. But the hunt is fun and something to do and who knows maybe you'll get lucky. Have fun with it.

[altb44]

Thank you John and LeeSimmons.

[altb44]

Hey Steve,
very interesting. Some things to look for on my journeys. Who knows?
As for the shutter, I guess I'll just be careful with it, at least until I find something else? I only use it on T right now, as I'm doing paper negatives.

[Mark Sawyer]

Lenses' attributes, angle of view excepted, have very little to do with art. Old lenses old give the same results as new...

Yeah, 12-inch Apo-Sironar N, 12-inch Cooke Portrait IIa, 12-inch CC Harrison Portrait Petzval, 12-inch Kodak Portrait Lens, 12-inch B&L Tessar, 12-inch f/2.5 Aero Ektar, 12-inch Puyo-Pulligny Objectif d' Artiste, all about the same...

[Two23]

Lenses' attributes, angle of view excepted, have very little to do with art. Old lenses old give the same results as new.

I'm going to disagree to a degree. Old lenses (I'll define as pre-war, and usually even as pre-1890) are uncoated and that alone gives them a much softer look than modern lenses. I can usually tell if a lens used to take a photo was coated or not. The older lenses do have a softer look overall, and the way the sharpness of the center gives way to softer outer areas is another clue. Older lenses are generally much simpler construction (4 element) vs the modern lenses. My Nikon and Sigma lenses have something like 18 elements! To say there is no difference between an 1870 lens and a 2010 lens suggests there has been no progress in lens design/construction for those 140 years.

Below: Multnomah Falls. First shot: Chamonix 045n, c.1880 E&HT Anthony rapid rectilinear, FP4. Second shot: Nikon D800E, Nikon 24mm PC-E.


Kent in SD

[Pete Oakley]

Antique shops are worth checking out in the UK, but don't raise your hopes too much. There is a breed of idiot dealers in this country who will try to up the price when they hear your accent. In my opinion a fair price for an average magic lantern lens is £25 to £35 UKP ( always check for lens separation). If you have a sheet of A4 white paper with you it might be possible to check the coverage of the lens.
Pete

[CCHarrison]

The Lens Collectors Vade Mecum can be purchased here:

http://antiquecameras.net/lensvademecum.html

[altb44]

Good tip, thanks! Now if only I could conjure up my mother's Yorkshire accent!

[Steven Tribe]

There is still a degree of difference in the various "Yorkshire" accents - its a big county with lots of local patriotism (primitive xenophobia?) and restricted choice of marriage partners. The locals in some areas of Engæand used to able to pinpoint a person's origin to a few villages or district of a town.