Some Soft Focus Lens Sales Information

[Jim Graves]

On the bay ... 170713592668 ... Graf Variable 8.5"-9.5" ... nice glass, in barrel, no flange ... very nice write-up and pictures for $761.

[Steven Tribe]

Yes - but it continues the "lowish" price trends seen in CCHarrison's log.
To me, it seems amazing that there isn't a premium on the smaller sizes of mega large/heavy designs like the Graf variable because they can be used in the field on "normal" dimensioned cameras. Perhaps the current success of the Port-Land and other meniscus lenses is very much a factor of their portability?

[dap]

Yes - but it continues the "lowish" price trends seen in CCHarrison's log.
To me, it seems amazing that there isn't a premium on the smaller sizes of mega large/heavy designs like the Graf variable because they can be used in the field on "normal" dimensioned cameras. Perhaps the current success of the Port-Land and other meniscus lenses is very much a factor of their portability?

I agree. It seems that smaller soft focus lenses that are appropriate for 4x5 (not taking into account imagons/fujis) are pretty hard to find (not impossible, but they seem to be harder to find than the lenses appropriate for 8x10 and larger). Maybe soft focus lenses are priced on a per ounce basis

[jp]

Meniscus lenses are a lot easier to use than a graf variable from what I understand. (Have used various meniscii, but not the graf.) Perhaps the meniscus lenses are somewhat more apt to go to users? I know Russ Young has been students to go for meniscus/kodak/verito over the more esoteric options for starting out.

It could be supply is getting low on quality s.f. lenses and more people are hanging on to the good ones, leaving more crap bubbling up.

[cdholden]

The lenses you listed sare fairly easy to work with since they lack the chemical focus that vastly differs from the visual focus.
There is aberration at play, but it is more of a "what you see is what you get" than some of the older "esoterics" where the chemical focus has to be estimated, rather than seen.

[Mark Sawyer]

The lenses you listed sare fairly easy to work with since they lack the chemical focus that vastly differs from the visual focus.
There is aberration at play, but it is more of a "what you see is what you get" than some of the older "esoterics" where the chemical focus has to be estimated, rather than seen.

I'm going by my understanding, so someone correct me if I'm wrong...

Chemical focus is more an issue with orthochromatic film/plates than of lenses. Some lens designs focus uv light (which affects the ortho plates) on a different plane than the visual light which is seen on the ground glass. On modern panchromatic films, the visual light prevails equally on both the gg and the film, so chemical focus coincides with visual focus with all lenses, and is not an issue. (Wet plate and the like would be a whole 'nother situation...)

[Stephane]

To me, it sounds like all the SF lens with soft dials like the Universal heliar with moving element are less perfect than the lenses with fixed spacing. Why? Adjust softness and you change the FL. I also feel that moving the elements with softness from 1 to 5 will never give the softness of a proper SF lens, but is more about luck than anything. They are do-it-all lenses, not designed to be best for a specific purpose (or maybe set in their sharpest mode). Except the fast Cooke...

With this POW, fixed symmetrical (i.e. perscheids, P&S) are great, and meniscii are even better SF lenses.

SF lenses where softness can be adjusted with the iris get my vote!

[eddie]

SF lenses where softness can be adjusted with the iris get my vote!

+1

[cdholden]

More from Ebay...

16" Wollensak Vitax - $1000
# 230686452131

8" Cooke, Series II - $599
# 220878322974

[Fred Heming]

DALLMEYER 6D - $810； ended 7 days early
#290624537408