Karl Struss Pictorial lens - use and results

**goamules** · 31-Jul-2011, 14:18

I've done a lot of research on Karl Struss, the pictorialist photographer, lens designer, and acclaimed Hollywood cinematographer. His amazing life included rebuilding himself several times, to eventually become the first to win an Academy Award for camera work. Other than a wetplate I took a couple weeks ago, this is the first time I've shot a Struss Pictorial lens. I anticipated a long learning curve with this iconic soft focus lens, but so far I'm pleased with the results. (9" Struss Pictorial on 5x7 Tri-X 400, HC110 all)

Racked the 2D in closer for this shot:

And a portrait:

These were all overexposed, my lenscap shutter technique is calibrated to slow wetplate, not 400 speed Tri-X. I'm noticing the softness is reasonably present, not overpowering, but I did stop down just a shade from the F5.6 wide open. Maybe Jim or anyone else who has used one of these can post a shot or two, for discussion.

**Mark Sawyer** · 31-Jul-2011, 14:36

Definitely one of the rarer and more sigificant lens of the pictorial era! Given Struss' background, he knew what he was doing and what he wanted from his lenses, so I suspect there will be something special in it. (In the first image, something lovely is going on in the "prismed" area at the bottom of the glass!) Very nice results, especially frrom a first go at it... you need to spend some time with this optic!

**goamules** · 31-Jul-2011, 16:56

It is a facinating optical treasure. What I find interesting is that Struss built these in an era of very different film types. I'm wondering if the modern, panachromatic film doesn't show a different effect as the film used in 1915? Here is a wetplate I did with the same lens, at about the same aperature (F5.6 or halfway to F8). It didn't look this soft in the ground glass, but sure did from collodion's blue-skewed view:

**viablex1** · 31-Jul-2011, 19:00

man that is nice!!!^^

**Jim Galli** · 31-Jul-2011, 22:08

Duesenberg J

Thomas Flyer

Here are a couple from my 12" Struss. I have a 9" and a 12"

**Domingo A. Siliceo** · 1-Aug-2011, 01:24

The Duesenberg J picture is a dreaming one... fantastic! I can even see Capone's reflection in the chromes.

Here in Spain, we know this mythical car by king Alfonso XIII (grandfather of actual king Juan Carlos I), the african, who had his own Duesenberg J back in 1930, only one year before he was defeated by republicans.

**Mark Sawyer** · 1-Aug-2011, 08:02

Interesting to see the differences the process makes in a lens' look; in this case it seems pronounced. I wonder whether a deep blue filter would alter the Struss' look on film? Or how it would behave with an orthochromatic film?

**Steve M Hostetter** · 2-Aug-2011, 03:22

Originally Posted by Domingo A. Siliceo

The Duesenberg J picture is a dreaming one... fantastic! I can even see Capone's reflection in the chromes.

Here in Spain, we know this mythical car by king Alfonso XIII (grandfather of actual king Juan Carlos I), the african, who had his own Duesenberg J back in 1930, only one year before he was defeated by republicans.

We used to build these in our humble town of Indianapolis

**goamules** · 3-Aug-2011, 17:52

Originally Posted by Mark Sawyer

Interesting to see the differences the process makes in a lens' look; in this case it seems pronounced. I wonder whether a deep blue filter would alter the Struss' look on film? Or how it would behave with an orthochromatic film?

I can try a filter sometime, and more wetplate soon.

One thing I've found intriguing is how much a Struss Pictorial looks physically like a Pinkham and Smith Semi-Achromatic lens. If you had one of either, and turned it around where you couldn't read the engraving, you couldn't tell them apart. Both are aluminum barrel, with a bevel on the front of the aperture mechanism. Both have a strange block engraving style, though I haven't seen enough to really compare closely.

What would be good to do is examine the aperature pieces. How many leaves do each have, for example? And if no one knows the history, I guess I'll have to try to dig a little. Dan's website says the P&S Semi-Achromat came out in 1909, and I think Struss started making his lens within a couple years. Interesting...eh? Now I know one is a meniscus, one a doublet.

At least one member of this forum actually spoke with Karl Struss, wonder if he mentioned where he got the aluminum work?

**Jim Galli** · 4-Aug-2011, 13:56

scheels sporting goods

You are looking through part of an enormous aquarium at the ferris wheel inside Scheel's Sporting Goods in Reno Nevada; a headless mannequin for no extra cost. Done with my 9" Struss. Had to get an image from each of them in the thread. Wide Open........of course.