Some Soft Focus Lens Sales Information

[8x10 user]

It depends on what aperture the inner core separates from the cone of focus. I do suspect that something that sharpens at F/8 will be handle close ups better then something that sharpens at F/22.

[Mark Sawyer]

It should be easy for the buyer of the Bergheim to adapt a regular lens hood into an water house stops hood. Does anyway know how far in front of the lens the aperture should be? Is the aperture even required on the Bergheim? It sounds like the lens produced an image with it on the ground glass with out it...

Any positive lens will throw an image on the ground glass without the aperture control device. But without the aperture control device, (iris, Waterhouse stops, an Imagon disk...) you have no aperture control. I'd offer that this control is even more important on a soft lens than a conventional lens. On a conventional lens, the aperture controls the depth of field. On a soft lens, the aperture controls the depth of field and the amount of softness.

Yes, something can be scabbed onto the front easily enough. But on a lens that is valued primarily as a historic collector's item, it's pretty significant that a main component of the lens is missing.

[Tim Meisburger]

Well, my Dallmeyer 3b has now unsold. Apparently the rear group is not original to the lens. The buyer compared it to another 3b and found significant differences and asked for a refund. I'm fine with that, but have asked he post the pictures and description in a lens thread so we can learn from it. I never saw any signs on the lens that it had been changed, but was never able to get the soft focus unstuck, and based on some of the lenses I've seen floating around southeast Asia, I would not be surprised.

[dap]

A big ol' cooke knuckler sold recently in the forum classifieds (18" f5.6 VIa). It looked to be in pretty amazing shape - it was listed for $2800

[Steven Tribe]

Tim, to my great surprise, I found differences in the internal rear cell thread on 2 3B's that were only 10,000 apart. This is when I bought an incomplete 3B from MW to make-up 2 other 3B's here and in Ireland. This exercise was a success (using the achromat and brass sleeve) - but the "non-standard" inner rear cell remains.

I assumed there had been a design change, but it could have been a loan from a 3A?

[Tim Meisburger]

I really don't know. Pierre has said he will post the photos of the two different lenses when he gets the chance, so you may be able to see whats going on from that. I didn't ever see anything that looked mismatched, and from Pierre's message they seemed to think that the little screw that keeps the element from turning was not supposed to be there, but I remember Eddie mentioning it when he was explaining how to take one apart. In any case, I've already sent the refund, so when I get the lens back I can try to get to the bottom of it. I'm just sorry that it didn't work out for Pierre.

[pierre506]

Barrel is a little bit of short than the normal one.
Thank for Tim's permission~

[pierre506]

The last one (my friend's black aluminum 3B） has the 4 positions of soft focus symbol. They could be found on other 3A, 3B, 3D.
However the brass one does not have. And the brass rear glass' size is smaller than the normal one's.

[goamules]

Well, my Dallmeyer 3b has now unsold. Apparently the rear group is not original to the lens. The buyer compared it to another 3b and found significant differences and asked for a refund. I'm fine with that, but have asked he post the pictures and description in a lens thread so we can learn from it. I never saw any signs on the lens that it had been changed, but was never able to get the soft focus unstuck, and based on some of the lenses I've seen floating around southeast Asia, I would not be surprised.

What?! Oh no. As of yet, I have not heard of anyone replacing glass in lenses, and the robust, precise Dallmeyer would not make a good candidate. I'd have to see it to believe it. Another case of how photography equipment buyers have a very critical eye when they buy 100 year old stuff. In 35mm, you'd be amazed at the claims asking for refunds such as "shutter speeds not accurate....touch of oil on aperture blades....scratch on base plate....faded paint on lens filter ring...." etc. Antique clock and pocketwatch buyers do not do this. Clocks are sold on ebay with the claim "is ticking, but I cannot guarantee if it works or keeps time." I guess it's just an evolving, unreasonable expectation. But if it's truly the wrong glass, I'd be asking for a return too. Just have no clue how he can suspect that.

[pierre506]

Rear and Side view of the barrel.
The first picture shows a tiny screw to fix the mid glass of the rear group.