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View Full Version : Has there ever been a lens like Reinhold's new 790mm F:5.4 ULF Lens?



Tin Can
22-Jun-2013, 16:57
I am wondering if there has ever been such a large meniscus lens made prior?

Or any lens of that aperture and FL? I have an Artar 30" f 12.5...

I have one coming so, it's not like I plan on buying an old one, and from what I see of historic big lens prices I will never have a polished brass prize.

Just curious.

Dan Fromm
22-Jun-2013, 17:06
The VM, which is sometimes mistaken, says that Astro Gesellschaft made coated f/5 meniscus lenses in focal lengths from 300 - 1,000 mm and f/10 or f/11 at 2,000 mm.

Nearly all of the expensive big old brassies that you think you'll never be able to afford are more complex lens types.

Tin Can
22-Jun-2013, 17:17
Thanks, I forgot I had a copy. I will look there.

I do realize this new lens is a simple design, but that may be it's pleasant surprise, I am not expecting miracles.

Thanks Dan!



The VM, which is sometimes mistaken, says that Astro Gesellschaft made coated f/5 meniscus lenses in focal lengths from 300 - 1,000 mm and f/10 or f/11 at 2,000 mm.

Nearly all of the expensive big old brassies that you think you'll never be able to afford are more complex lens types.

William Whitaker
22-Jun-2013, 17:49
My first thought was the 405 Kodak Portrait. Different design and half the focal length, but still a large meniscus.

Tin Can
22-Jun-2013, 18:02
I have 305 Kodak Portrait, but the way I was trying to use it, put the sitter way too close.





My first thought was the 405 Kodak Portrait. Different design, but still a large meniscus.

Tin Can
22-Jun-2013, 18:51
http://www.exaklaus.de/astro.htm


The VM, which is sometimes mistaken, says that Astro Gesellschaft made coated f/5 meniscus lenses in focal lengths from 300 - 1,000 mm and f/10 or f/11 at 2,000 mm.

Nearly all of the expensive big old brassies that you think you'll never be able to afford are more complex lens types.

Reinhold Schable
22-Jun-2013, 19:17
Ahh Yessss...
My first real camera was an Exakta VXII.
A camera with character.
Sigh.

Reinhold

Tin Can
22-Jun-2013, 19:23
I have held a couple, I put them right back down...



Ahh Yessss...
My first real camera was an Exakta VXII.
A camera with character.
Sigh.

Reinhold

Steven Tribe
23-Jun-2013, 01:49
Zwierzine had the F4 600mm Plasticca and O.Simon had a similar 500mm (licenced?) meniscus lens.

Mark Sawyer
23-Jun-2013, 12:07
The Kodak Portrait lenses, and most of the production meniscus lenses (whether early Landscape or later soft focus) were achromatic doublets. Reinhold's is a single element (not corrected for achromatic aberration), not that it would make a big difference in soft monochrome work.

Marko Trebusak
23-Jun-2013, 23:06
not that it would make a big difference in soft monochrome work.

Mark, are you sure about that? Aren't Kodak portrait, Rodenstock Imagon and other meniscus lenses corrected (sort of) for chromatic abberation? I use to play with replica of Puyo-de Pulligny "adjustable landscape" lens, and it was a bit of a pain, because of a focus shift. Is single meniscus prone to focus shift as well?

goamules
24-Jun-2013, 14:34
I think you are seeing what Mark was saying. A single piece of glass will have chromatic aberrations - the different colors will focus at different focal lengths. Their softness comes from that. I believe the Pulligny may have had several lenses, but was also an achromat. Yes, they take a while to learn. Single meniscus (or double) lenses also have spherical aberrations that cause softness when used wide open. But very few "meniscus" lenses are single. Most are doublets, with two pieces of glass of different refractive indexes, cemented together.

The Kodak and Imagon and 95% of the other meniscus lenses are doublets. They are corrected for color. Their softness is mostly due to spherical aberration. 100 and more years ago, films and wetplate worked mostly in one color range. Today's black and white is sensitive to all the colors.

Then there are some "semi-achromats."

Reinhold Schable
24-Jun-2013, 15:19
Mark S. is correct, this is a single glass meniscus and is subject to chromatic aberrations.
Here's a paragraph from my Tip Sheet which is included with every lens...

"Chromatic (color) aberrations are typical for simple meniscus lens and contribute to softer contour sharpness. For black and white meniscus photography the chromatic aberration can be controlled to some measure by using color (yellow) filters."

One feature of the new 790 lens is a slightly wider card slot.
A smaller gel fiter can be taped to an aperture card just in case you happen to be out of 6" diameter filters...

Reinhold