Some Soft Focus Lens Sales Information

[Emil Schildt]

DALLMEYER 3B $1,936.20

130814003004 Item number

[Emil Schildt]

Dallmeyer 3B

$3,707.60

190766340402

[Steven Tribe]

This is, of course, much more than any previous 3B in Dan's list.
More than most of the size 4, 5 and 6's too (of all A,B & D versions).

Personally, I think the front turn versions should be at a premium, as the "back notch" rear adjustment must be a PITA.

A lovely example of a lens that was almost standard equipment - and quite common, beating lenses that are rarer, but not so generally useful!

[lucaas]

Cooke Portrait Series VI 18"/f5.6 sold for $1630
380533130860

[goamules]

It says something that a Dallmeyer portrait lens made in the thousands for generations, and available 10 or 20 times a year is worth more than rare, pictorial era, true soft focus lenses that only had a few hundred made for only 5 or so years, and are available only once every couple years. I tell people all the time, "rarity" doesn't count for value, "popularity" does. There are dozens of other manufacturer's Petzvals that will give you the exact same look as a 3B. But there are only a few, true soft focus lenses, that all give a different, unique look on film. Go figure.

[Mark Sawyer]

"Beach Auxiliary Lens No. 5 - Very RARE Pictorialist Filter! (Multi-Focal)" $193.50, + $7.99 s&h

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beach-Auxili...vip=true&rt=nc

Sounded like quite a nice collector's item, and one I'm not very familiar with.

[Jim Galli]

It should be noted for when the sale expires very soon, that this is not a Beach Wollensak lens, it is a filter that goes in front of an ordinary lens and supplies some of the qualities of the Beach lens. So it's a filter with three set screws to hold it onto a lens, not a lens.

Yes the guy's title states that nicely. But future readers could easily assume it was the usual ignorant ebay title, viz-a-viz a Beach 12" lens in a #5 shutter or some such.

"Beach Auxiliary Lens No. 5 - Very RARE Pictorialist Filter! (Multi-Focal)" $193.50, + $7.99 s&h

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beach-Auxili...vip=true&rt=nc

Sounded like quite a nice collector's item, and one I'm not very familiar with.

[Mark Sawyer]

It should be noted for when the sale expires very soon, that this is not a Beach Wollensak lens, it is a filter that goes in front of an ordinary lens and supplies some of the qualities of the Beach lens. So it's a filter with three set screws to hold it onto a lens, not a lens.

Yes the guy's title states that nicely. But future readers could easily assume it was the usual ignorant ebay title, viz-a-viz a Beach 12" lens in a #5 shutter or some such.

Quite right, Jim! A Beach Multi-Focal filter could easily be confused with a Beach Multi-Focal lens, especially when the listing disappears. BTW, do you (or anyone else here?) know anything about this filter? It sounds a little like the Duto filter with its "concentric rings", but its ability to spread the depth-of-field (a claim common for early soft lenses) makes it sound different from the simple diffusion qualities of a Duto.

[Jim Galli]

Quite right, Jim! A Beach Multi-Focal filter could easily be confused with a Beach Multi-Focal lens, especially when the listing disappears. BTW, do you (or anyone else here?) know anything about this filter? It sounds a little like the Duto filter with its "concentric rings", but its ability to spread the depth-of-field (a claim common for early soft lenses) makes it sound different from the simple diffusion qualities of a Duto.

Hi Mark. No, first I've ever seen or heard of one of these. So I don't know any more than what the box claimed. Interesting though.

[goamules]

I think it works the the Beach Multi-Focal Wonder Cream I have. Comes in a jar like vasoline. Looks and smells like it too. (this should throw off lens surfers in the distant future).