New article: Soft-Focus Lenses and Techniques

[Bob Salomon]

"So Bob, got discs?""

Now that I am back in the office I checked and for the 300mm there are 4 disks and 2 ND filters left in stock. 3 of the disks are 7.7 to 9.5 and only 1 is 9.5 to 11. So if that is the one you need act fast.

[steve simmons]

A few years ago View Camera did an article on soft focus lenses and gave a reference to a self published book on the topic. I am guessing it was in 97 or 98.

steve simmons

[Arne Croell]

To add one more to the list, I just learned that another lens was the soft focus version of the f/3-3.8 "Porträt-Trioplan" from Hugo Meyer Görlitz. The Trioplan is a basic triplet. The soft focus version was similar to the Universal Heliar from Voigtländer in that a separate control moves the negative center element of the lens. That version was available in 260, 300, 360, and 420mm focal length (The regular Porträt-Trioplan ranged from 75 to 480mm).

[Rory_3532]

Is there anything that these lenses can do that can't be done more easily, more predictably and more cheaply in Photoshop?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Absolutely. They can produce a natural effect. Photoshop blur always ends up looking unconvincing to my eye.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Hi there, I hope this is the right place for this. I was playing around and found a new 'soft-focus' lens the "JML OPTICAL 209 f/8" process lens, also badged "F GOODKIN ASTRO" 8 1/4" f/8 PROCESS LENS JML". This is an ultra flat field, fully corrected process lens at f/8 and smaller, but is a curved field soft-focus lens at f/4 - f/6.3 very much like 'VITAX' and still color corrected. This modification does require machine work to the barrel the allow the selector to turn fully open but is well worth the effort. Two warnings,(1) most of these have the lens cell glued in place and must be treated with acetone to loosen them; (2) the aperture ring assemblies are ultra-precise and adjustable, ALL PART MUST BE MARKED BEFORE BEING REMOVED to re-align them. This works well enough that I have 2 to play with. Just a thought.

[fergs1]

greetings, I have a 7 1/4 in Verito lens in a crappy studio shutter. Does anyone know if this lens is chromaatically corrected, as I haven't used it yet and setting it up will take time so before I do i'd like to know what i'm dealing with.

[Ernest Purdum]

Chris, yes, Verito lenses have chromatic correction.

[robert_4927]

By removing the front element on a 14.5 inch verito I realize that it makes it a 24" lens but what happens to the aperture setting? does f4 become f5.6 or f8 ....ect...ect?

[Ted Harris]

Seeing some recent posts here I thought I'd throw in a plea. I am in the midst of an article for "View Camera" comparing the performance of the 'modern' soft/variable focus lenses ..... the Fuji SF250, Rodenstock Imagon 250 (one of the last ones manufactured in a modern all black Copal shutter) and Cooke Portrait PS945 229. I would love to include the original Pinkham & Smith on which the Cooke is designed but have not found one yet to test. I may have a line on one but all help is appreciated! I am debating including the Congo and perhaps one or two more 'classic' lenses. I do have a 9" Verito that Michael Mutmansky lent me to use and we shall see.

Too many lenses and too little time and space unfortunately and I do want to keep the focus on the modern offerings as they will remain easier to find as time passes! My focus (excuse the word play) is primarily on the differences in performance of the various lenses and the sort of images they make Technical details of the optical design is important too as there are significant differences in how the lenses perform and how you use them. A number of interesting possibilities that go way beyond portraits. My goal is to have this done for the September issue.

Looking forward to any info or leads.

Thanks in advance.