Focusing Soft Focus Lenses

[chassis]

This thread is helpful.

Can anyone comment on the two focusing guides. One is using a plane comprising (a portrait sitter's) two eyes, and the lips. The other guide is to focus on the tip of the nose. Are these the same rules said differently, or are they to be used in different situations, or something else?

Also, does a soft focus negative need more or less exposure, and more or less development, than a negative made with a "normal" lens? Assume for the moment the subject and lighting are identical.

I am trying to get the hang of a meniscus lens purchased from Mr. Galli. It has lots of personality, and I'm trying to be somewhat methodical at using the lens effectively. Thanks.

[Ken Lee]

Perhaps I'm missing the point, but isn't this all a matter of taste ? Is there a right way ? Shooting with this kind of lens, I find that I never quite know what it's going to look like until I'm looking at the ground glass - and then it's still a bit of a guess until a proof image is made. That's what makes it an adventure.

Sinar P, 4x5 HP5+, D-23
9-inch Kershaw lens courtesy of Eddie Gunks

[Jim Fitzgerald]

'll contribute to this great thread in a day or two. I got Jim's Eidoscop 275 that he was selling a while back and it looks great on the GG. I shot a Calla tonight and I'll see what I've got. Wide open for the first go. I focused at a well defined area and I'll see what the print looks like. I like what I saw.

[Jay DeFehr]

I'm not a SF fanatic, but I've been using my Verito fairly regularly for several years, and I only just feel like I'm making sense of it. Wide open is just far too soft for my taste, and I usually land somewhere around f/5- f/7, but sometimes as much as f/11. I focus at taking aperture, because opening up confuses more than it illuminates. I never know exactly what I want in sharp focus until I'm looking at the GG. I might play with movements, or I might not, depending on what I see. I do tend to prefer hard light with soft lenses, unless I'm going for a feathers in fog kind of look. Not much use to anyone, I suppose. I do enjoy reading your takes on the issue.

[Jim Galli]

Perhaps I'm missing the point, but isn't this all a matter of taste ? Is there a right way ? Shooting with this kind of lens, I find that I never quite know what it's going to look like until I'm looking at the ground glass - and then it's still a bit of a guess until a proof image is made. That's what makes it an adventure.

Sinar P, 4x5 HP5+, D-23
9-inch Kershaw lens courtesy of Eddie Gunks

Holy Moly Ken. I hope you didn't give it back! That's gorgeous.

[Ken Lee]

I hope you didn't give it back!

I'm afraid I did

That lens has the MoJo big-time.

[cowanw]

Chassis
Imagon instructions suggest some what less exposure and somewhat more development. This is consistant with my experience with Strong diffussion lenses such as the Verito as well. Less so with the milder lenses such as a Cooke.
As to the position of the best plane of focus, I still think a trio of bare bulb Maglights, in a line and focussed on the middle one will be instructive for you to see if you like the back half or the front half of the available DOF.

[chassis]

Thanks for the comments. I do agree this is a subjective area. I'm new to using this type of lens, and am looking to color between the lines for a while until I see what the possibilities are. Seems like it's experimentation than rules based.

[jp]

This thread is helpful.

Can anyone comment on the two focusing guides. One is using a plane comprising (a portrait sitter's) two eyes, and the lips. The other guide is to focus on the tip of the nose. Are these the same rules said differently, or are they to be used in different situations, or something else?
.

These are something else. The first tip of keeping everything in a plane is because of the short depth of field you have with a large format lens wide open.

The suggestion of focusing on the tip of the nose is from the Kodak portrait lens instructions, but probably applies to many meniscus lenses as well. I've seen it mentioned in the new cooke documentation. The depth of field here is lopsided. You may have been taught DOF is 1/3 in front and 2/3 in back, except for macro where it gets more even. Not on this kodak meniscus. probably 80-90% of the depth of field is behind what you focus on.

[Bob Salomon]

This thread is helpful.

Can anyone comment on the two focusing guides. One is using a plane comprising (a portrait sitter's) two eyes, and the lips. The other guide is to focus on the tip of the nose. Are these the same rules said differently, or are they to be used in different situations, or something else?

Also, does a soft focus negative need more or less exposure, and more or less development, than a negative made with a "normal" lens? Assume for the moment the subject and lighting are identical.

I am trying to get the hang of a meniscus lens purchased from Mr. Galli. It has lots of personality, and I'm trying to be somewhat methodical at using the lens effectively. Thanks.

We were taught that the tip of the nose to the tip of the ear should be in focus and to do that you should focus on the spot where the bridge of the nose meets the face.