Testing the differences of diffusion control with Verito rear element

[Darryl Baird]

So, after years of ownership, I finally got around to to testing the differences between the configuration of both lens elements vs "rear only" on my 7.25" Verito.
I was a little surprised to see so much difference in contrast and diffusion loss with the rear only setup... at the same aperture. My lens is currently frozen at about f8 due to little use, dirt, and a failed cleaning (don't ask). It's no biggie, since that's what I want to shoot at, but with the rear element, now an 11 inch lens is much more contrasty, and the glow is greatly reduced. Should I assume that with f8 now rated f16, adjusts diffusion/contrast to match?

SO.... is it time to get the lens fixed.

P.S. this begs the question of wide open comparisons too

[Darryl Baird]

[Darryl Baird]

This short and rather simple sentence seems to "unpack" a great deal (IMHO) of difference in how the lens functions.

Around 1920 (?) Verito lenses were redesigned and the new formulation offered an f/4 wide open, but with the same diffusion (glow) as the previous version at f/6. It was determined anything larger produced diffusion that wasn't popular. BUT, this one sentence offered a few more nuggets of performance, but no further comment or details.

Since I already tried the rear cell only, I thought I'd try the trick of switching the cells around front to rear, and rear to front. It's the same lens, just turned around... the results were still surprising. It appears the front cell does a good deal of the diffusion as it gathers the light, not so much as it projects that light onwards to the film plane. So.... it becomes a triple function ("look") lens. Score one for Wollensak!

[xkaes]

There really isn't much difference between DIY "soft-focus" lenses and Rodenstock Imagon, Fujinon SF, Wollaston Landscape, or Wollensack Portrait lenses. They all have more definition stopped down. The Fujinon SF lenses, for example, are pretty much indistinguishable after f8. With high quality optics you can easily end up with photos that are TOO sharp!!!

http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/softfocus.htm

[Mark Sawyer]

To answer the big question of the first post: Yes, it's time to get the lens fixed! That may mean replacing the entire shutter or barrel.

The Verito is the only convertible soft lens I can think of. The Portrait Plastigmat looks the same, but the front element is so weak that removing it doesn't change the focal length much at all.

Like other soft lenses, the aperture is also the control mechanism for diffusion, so not having it functional is a BIG compromise in the lens' abilities. Is it a Studio Shutter, Betax, Optimo, barrel, or something else? If it's a Studio Shutter, it may also have provisions for Waterhouse stops, and then you could remove the blades and make a variety of stops. Anything else is repair or replace, saving the old front face plate for the correct aperture scale.

An extended series of portraits made with Veritos, compared at various stops, converted and unconverted, would be a great project.

[Tin Can]

Isn't the Imagon the only one thats does the pearls trick?

There really isn't much difference between DIY "soft-focus" lenses and Rodenstock Imagon, Fujinon SF, Wollaston Landscape, or Wollensack Portrait lenses. They all have more definition stopped down. The Fujinon SF lenses, for example, are pretty much indistinguishable after f8. With high quality optics you can easily end up with photos that are TOO sharp!!!

http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/softfocus.htm

[xkaes]

Isn't the Imagon the only one thats does the pearls trick?

If you mean the "bumps" on the glass like the Zeiss Softars (Hoya made these too), the answer is no. The Softars are just filters that create one main image with lots of out-of-focus, super-imposed images generated by the "bumps".

The Imagons, on the other hand, are just simple meniscus glass elements that have adjustable spherical aberration through the aperture adjustment -- very similar to the Verito lenses -- but also with insertable discs with various holes creating super-imposed images similar to the Softars. The Imagons are two element, while the Fujinon SF and Congo SF are three.

[Tin Can]

I have tried Softars

Soft does not enlarge well

This I like

The pearls especially

A Tribute to Josphene Baker by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

[Darryl Baird]

To answer the big question of the first post: Yes, it's time to get the lens fixed! That may mean replacing the entire shutter or barrel.

The Verito is the only convertible soft lens I can think of. The Portrait Plastigmat looks the same, but the front element is so weak that removing it doesn't change the focal length much at all.

Like other soft lenses, the aperture is also the control mechanism for diffusion, so not having it functional is a BIG compromise in the lens' abilities. Is it a Studio Shutter, Betax, Optimo, barrel, or something else? If it's a Studio Shutter, it may also have provisions for Waterhouse stops, and then you could remove the blades and make a variety of stops. Anything else is repair or replace, saving the old front face plate for the correct aperture scale.

An extended series of portraits made with Veritos, compared at various stops, converted and unconverted, would be a great project.

There's only so much time in a day, portraits are so exhausting, I'd prefer still life or landscape... it's those genres that got me fired up in the first place.

I must admit, there is so much more to this Verito than I would have imagined, especially when I can also flip the lens, or shoot with rear element only, and get three different results. Once the lens is repaired, I can easily do the test and I'm sure it will be enlightening.

There is something going on with these early Wolly lenses that hasn't been explored enough... or I've missed that conversation. Example: I snagged an early (1906?) Wolly Portrait A (6x8), and removed rear, reversed the front to rear (as suggested by some texts in an old catalog), and it REALLY worked! A once so-so lens turned around to sing (to my eyes).

Photos: Portrait lens, text, full image, 100% crop. ... the "Portrait" became the "Versa" in later years.

[Darryl Baird]

Of course, this is all academic since my dark secret is to have a good soft focus on my digital Hassy.

Still waiting on some new parts to replace the two tiny Nikon extension tubes (vignetting issues), but it bloody well worked.