Some Soft Focus Lens Sales Information

[Amedeus]

Dallmeyer 3B with flange for $2,600 (BIN, 281061668076)

Wollensak Verito 11.5 inch f4 lens with flange for $550 (BIN, 121068400898)

[Marko Trebusak]

10" f4 JH Dallmeyer Portrait Anastigmat

US $600.78

181077171400

Does anyone have more information on this type of lens? I saw it once, but was afrait to pull the trigger, as information is prety hard to find. The description of it's design resembles the Velostigmat with front lens moving to introduce the difusion. And it's four elements lens like Tessar? But this are my speculations.

Marko

[Steven Tribe]

This is IMO just a new name/maker of the earlier design by rivals T,T & H (3.5 series soft focus triplet).

Another quote in the lens vade mecum (available still from CCHarrison!) says:

Portrait Anastigmat f3.5-f6.0 9-18in. The f3.5 has variable softness, while the f4.5-f6.0 are sharp.
This may be a triplet. The initial production date is uncertain but it was probably mainly sold in the interwar
years. It covers 35°. A picture in B.J.A. 1937, p635 shows one with a prominent control lever for the softness
at the front and an iris to f32. It is probably one version of the next item.
New Portrait Anastigmat from about 1933 ("New").
These were 3 series of lenses, for adjustable sharpness with a large control lever, (B.J.A. 1934, p270). These
were 4-element lenses.
Series 1 f6.0 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18in (A Kodak catalogue adds 13.5,16in) Use 18in for10x8.
Series 11 f4.5 10, 12, 16, 18in
Series111 f3.5 9, 10, 12, 15in This was an adjustable softness type.

I suppose I am not the first person who thinks this may well be a copy of the Cooke design, the old patents having by then "run out"?

The seller is an active member here and may contribute with his thoughts.
This went for a very low price!

[Marko Trebusak]

It looks like it was the right decision not to buy it. It's a 4,5 variety 12".

This field of soft focus objectives is really fascinating. One just keep finding new branches on this tree. Thank you for information Steven!

Marko

[lucaas]

Hermagis Eidoscope No1 black 330872820707, $1445
nice bargain?

[Emil Schildt]

KERSHAW 11.5-inch (no iris blades..)

$931

360591726141

[Geoffrey_5995]

Kino-Plasticca finally arrived. I was able to mount it to a 4x5 Speed Graphic so that I could shoot it with film and instant film. I'm intending on shooting it on 6x6 cm format using 120 Roll Film as this lens will serve that format well and be a normal focal length for 6x6. This lens was originally designed for 35mm cinema film which has a format 16mm x 22mm, I believe. I wasn't surprised by the coverage having many other still photo Plasticcas that cover much more than listed by the manufacturer. I will add that the Plasticcas are unusual lenses and don't perform like simple achromats. These lenses might have aspherical surfaces and there is a plasticity to the field, creating many in and out of focus areas across the plane, which is probably why they were named the Plasticca. Attached is a test image made with the Speed Graphic on Fuji Instant Polaroid type 3x4 pack film. It was shot wide open at f2.7. This lens was designed as a motion picture lens and feel very fortunate to get it even though Jim pushed up the price. I expected to pay much more and was shocked that it sold so cheaply. If there were motion picture lens collectors paying attention, it certainly would have sold for more. This lens should really be used for motion pictures and hope to use at some point on a Canon 5D Mark II but finding the adapter for it is proving to be a problem.

The ebay search machine is abominable. Every change they make renders it worse! I don't remember how I found that lens in the first place. Perhaps it was a search other items by same seller. That should be a $350 dollar lens. A couple of nutballs drove up the price. I was one of them. It's just a simple achromat. Nothing special.

[Jim Galli]

I will add that the Plasticcas are unusual lenses and don't perform like simple achromats. These lenses might have aspherical surfaces and there is a plasticity to the field, creating many in and out of focus areas across the plane, which is probably why they were named the Plasticca.

Must agree as you can see in the attached that there is color fringing which you wouldn't get in an ordinary achromatic meniscus doublet. Perhaps they are more like the Semi Achromatic's. Better be conservative on what I say or Plasticca prices will shoot up.

[8x10 user]

Better be conservative on what I say or Plasticca prices will shoot up.

They probably will... There is no other lens quite like a plasticca.

[Geoffrey_5995]

I shot on color to see if it would fringe and any other aberrations and also to see how it would perform being un-coated. More tests to follow.

Must agree as you can see in the attached that there is color fringing which you wouldn't get in an ordinary achromatic meniscus doublet. Perhaps they are more like the Semi Achromatic's. Better be conservative on what I say or Plasticca prices will shoot up.