Imagon & Wollensak Extreme Soft Focus compared

[Don Dudenbostel]

I've been wanting to compare my two soft focus lenses for a while and finally had a little down time today to do it.

The first lens is a classic coated Imagon 200mm in a compound shutter with the large aperture grid at it's widest position.

Second is the same Imagon with the aperture grid removed and the diaphragm wide open.

The third image is a Wollensak Extreme Soft Focus 10.5 inch uncoated lens in an Ilex shutter.

Captures were made with a Hasselblad CFV39 digital back on my Sinar Norma.

Lighting was a single Chimera 4ft softbox and Speedotron Force 10 light.

I know these lenses were designed to be used with contrasty lighting from spots and will do that in another test.

From using the Imagon I've found that I don't like the effect of the grid. I much prefer the softness without the grid. The grid creates a star effect around highlights that I find disturbing. Without the grid the aperture of the shutter can be used just like any other lens to regulate DOF and softness.

The Wollensak is a very interesting lens. Originally it came in three versions, normal, soft and extreme soft. The rear grouping can be interchanged with the regular, soft or extreme soft to get the desired sharpness or softness. I assume these are rather rare lenses since I've never seen a regular version and only seen one other which was a soft version. When using the soft or extreme soft the aperture can be used to control DOF and sharpness. The lens is a f 4.5 and is extremely soft wide open and sharpens quickly when stopped down. From my observation of the original images the extreme soft is just a little more diffuse than the Imagon without the grid. The Wollensak produces some beautiful smooth and diffused tones.

Excuse the ragged flower it was the only one I could find today.

[Louis Pacilla]

The Wollensak is a very interesting lens. Originally it came in three versions, normal, soft and extreme soft. The rear grouping can be interchanged with the regular, soft or extreme soft to get the desired sharpness or softness. I assume these are rather rare lenses since I've never seen a regular version and only seen one other which was a soft version. When using the soft or extreme soft the aperture can be used to control DOF and sharpness. The lens is a f 4.5 and is extremely soft wide open and sharpens quickly when stopped down. From my observation of the original images the extreme soft is just a little more diffuse than the Imagon without the grid. The Wollensak produces some beautiful smooth and diffused tones.

Excuse the ragged flower it was the only one I could find today.

Hey Don

Yes they are a bit uncommon but are You sure your not talking about the Ilex Soft focus lens with the three separate components.

Maybe it's in a Wollensak Studio Shutter your reading and missed the Ilex?

I just have never heard mention that Wollensak made this lens?

I sure could be wrong but don't think so. At least this time.

Nice comparison shots and a great lens to boot.

[Steven Tribe]

Yes, you do seem to be describing the Ilex Photoplastic. Not many of these around - do you have all 3 rear cells?

[Don Dudenbostel]

My mistake. Yes it is the Ilex Photoplastic. I have a Wollensak Vesta Portrait and had that on my mind.

Unfortunatrly I only have the Extreme Soft back group.

[jp]

If you can avoid the nasty highlight results, you can use an imagon to get depth of field AND softness (regulated independently) by "stopping down" by disc choice and still allowing axial rays (through the non-central grid holes) and central rays (through the aperture) to both enter the lens.

People got tired of using them for their original purpose when they were new. You should feel free to mis-use them to be creative. Use portrait lenses outside. Setup a soft lighting situation in the studio instead of hard. Hard to do with a digital back, but use the lens with a bigger film than it was intended for.

[Don Dudenbostel]

I have never stopped the shutter aperture down when using the grids. Matter of fact I've only tried the other grids one time and found them too sharp for my taste. I seem to remember the 200 was designed for 3.25x4.25 but have most often used it for 4x5. I did have a Graflex 3x4 slr that I used it on on occasion. They're great lenses especially without the grid. I'll probably wind up sending it to Grimes to have the shutter aperture scale engraved.

I think the Ilex Photoplastic is a stunning lens too but the shutter is funky even after having it worked on. It's in a bery old Ilex 5. I assume the cells will interchange with a newer Ilex 5 and should pick up a used Caltar in a 5 and swap the cells. It's just too nice a lens to sit on the shelf.