Darlot : is this lens any good?

[gliderbee]

Please have a look at this link: www.2dehands.be/foto-camera/lenzen/overig/darlot-lens-camera-162920349.html?show_markt_uitvoer=1

That lens is for sale together with a camera that is said to be 3 meters long...

Is this just a curiosity or should I look into it further?

Thanks,
Stefan

[Steven Tribe]

Links to current sales elsewhere is considered very naughty! Even if you absolutely no link with seller!

This is a standard Cone Darlot (Jamin successors) from around 1862. Value depends on size. These were made in tiny and really huge sizes - and lots in-between!

[gliderbee]

Links to current sales elsewhere is considered very naughty! Even if you absolutely no link with seller!

This is a standard Cone Darlot (Jamin successors) from around 1862. Value depends on size. These were made in tiny and really huge sizes - and lots in-between!

Oh, I didn't read that here before, and I think I saw it done before.

Anyway, I have no link at all with the seller: I'm interested in the lens and camera. ..

Stefan

[Steven Tribe]

If you are really interested in the lens, it is not a particularly good idea to broadcast it here.

We have a number of very active nederlands members with very good taste!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Cool, Thanks!!

[Steven Tribe]

Unless my reading of "Nederlands" is very wrong, this is "about 50cm long" which does make it worthy of note. I doubt whether Alex is very pleased, though!
Seems to be an open auction with an ending time, which is extended for a couple of minutes whenever a bid is made. I hate this system!

[alex from holland]

The add says it has been sold already. I think way to cheap. So someone had a bargain...

[gliderbee]

Unless my reading of "Nederlands" is very wrong, this is "about 50cm long" which does make it worthy of note. I doubt whether Alex is very pleased, though!
Seems to be an open auction with an ending time, which is extended for a couple of minutes whenever a bid is made. I hate this system!

It indeed means about 50cm long. It's not really an auction: one can make an offer and the seller is always free to accept it, wait a bit longer, etc..

I bought the lens and camera.

The original lenscap is included.
The lens is not 50 cm long: it's about 32 cm long (sunshade included), frontlens has a diameter of 10.5 cm and has the inscription "D.PAYSAGE".
On the body it says "ANGne Mon JAMIN DARLOT, Sr OPTn Bte S.G.D.G. 14 r. Chapon Paris" and a serial number 24.471.
There are letters in capital on different parts: on the sunshade, it says "E", then on the body, "C", on the first knob "H"' , on the part, after the inscription, that makes the transition between lensbody and the brass ring on the lens board, it says "B", on that ring " A", and on the black cone, it says "F".

I think it is the same as this one: http://collectiblend.com/Lenses/Darlot/D.-Paysage-(brass,-33cm-len).html

What do you think?

[Emil Schildt]

Seems to be an open auction with an ending time, which is extended for a couple of minutes whenever a bid is made. I hate this system!

hehe - I love that system....

Stefan - you did good!

I have two of them - a tiny one and a huge one... your's is big..


what about the camera?

[gliderbee]

hehe - I love that system....

Stefan - you did good!

I have two of them - a tiny one and a huge one... your's is big..


what about the camera?

The camera is still in my car: my (in general very understanding wife) does not want me to set it up in the "salon" :what:, so I'll take it to office tmorrow, set it up there and take some pictures that I'll post here.
It's a belgian made studio camera; the seller told me it was made specifically for this lens, and it might be the only one ever made. She talked about this set with people at the photography museum in Antwerp; they should have more information. I'll contact them tomorrow too.

[gliderbee]

So there is small, big and huge in these lenses :D? How big is huge?

I start to understand Alex' frustration that a know-nothing like me bought it, but I'm slowly learning. ... :)

[Steven Tribe]

I think the seller is mistaken. This is not a size that would have required a speciality built camera. They were always fitted with this size lens.
How big is the opening at the back and, most important, any plate holders?
I am not expert on the Cone models, but it appears you have a very flexible variant - if it needs letters to identify parts! Will check for the model.

Corrado's book has a couple of examples, just before and just after yours - he says 1864.
Perhaps you ought to show the photo to your wife?

[gliderbee]

Thanks, very interesting!
What are the sizes given at the bottom of the descriptions in the picture?

I'll take measurements of the camera tomorrow at the office.

[Steven Tribe]

I can't garantee this, but checking a few of his illustrated lenses with some identical lenses I have, he seems to have quoted the total measureable length (including hoods) and the biggest "circular" width, that is, either flange external diameter or lens hood. Not what I would have done!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

We all look for great deals. Congratulations on a nice purchase!

[shangheye]

The add says it has been sold already. I think way to cheap. So someone had a bargain...Alex it was me and I THOUGHT I had a bargain, but the seller obviously was approached separately by the buyer and did not honour the auction! No worries, I am glad it went to someone who is not a collector. Also I wanted the 50cm not this size so not as upset as I could have been ;-)...congratulations Stefan...though it is a strange way to operate an auction/classified site.

[shangheye]

Kal by the way..just realised you may not know my user name ;-)

[shangheye]

Stefan...from a similar lens description

Brass Lens "D. Paysage" by Darlot "Darlot Opticien" and "Darlot a Paris", no. 27796, combined lens-style. With original push-in diaphragm disks and rear lens cap behind the diaphragms. Front lens cap and an additional pillow between front cap and front lens. The single operating parts are marked alphabetically: A (rack and pinion screw), B (screw-in ring), C (front lens), E (lens hood), F (rear ring), G (rear lens) and H (fixing screw for distance setting). Diameter of front cap 6 1/3 in., length of lens approx. 13 in.

[shangheye]

I am not sure but I read somewhere once that combination type actually have different attachments e.g one for landscape, one for portrait etc. so yours may bd just landscape and you would need the portrait combination part?...whereas ones marked portrait/paysage could be converted just by removing the rear element and switching the front to back while reversing it. Maybe someone else can confirm that.

[alex from holland]

All cones can be converted to landscape lenses. The inside should look like an old pill box lens. If not than it is missing hte insde part.
And don't get me wrong. I am NOT frustrated you bought it! From the beginning it was YOUR deal as you found the add first.
As I told you, great deal!

Regarding the camera. Is it a Narita or Nears? They made studio camera's and were based in Brussel.

[Sevo]

I am not sure but I read somewhere once that combination type actually have different attachments e.g one for landscape, one for portrait etc.

As Alex said, all cones can be converted, by reversing the front group - many had inscriptions "paysage/portrait" so that the orientation was visible.

[gliderbee]

Kal,

I noticed your offer of 1200 euro this morning, but the ad was up yesterday evening (I was the 10th viewer) and I emailed the seller right away. She answered me yesterday evening that I could come over this morning (Sunday) at 10.00 o'clock. I did and I bought it.

This morning, when I looked at your profile on that auction site, I noticed you just subscribed today (you are from Brussels, right ? That at least was on the profile), especially for that lens (I guess). Nothing wrong with that of course.
That site, though, is quite peculiar in the sense that the seller does not HAVE to sell. Legally, what a "seller" does there is just put an offer out that does not oblige him to anything. It is "an invitation to negotiate", including the asking price. It's not because somebody makes an offer equal or even higher then the asking price, that the seller has to sell; he can wait ...

I was lucky that the seller only lives a 15-minutes drive from me, so I could call her (she gave her cellphone nummer in the return-email) and I went over this morning. I did a somewhat better offer, and she accepted.

BTW, didn't you notice there was a second bidder (for 1250 euro) after you ? That bidder also just registered today to the site, also for that lens, I guess. He (or she) did not indicate where he lived though.

Regards,
Stefan.

[schneideritis]

Stefan, perhaps some people here (you were warned!) jumped in after you brought our attention to the lens? Lucky for you, it was local! Well done...

[shangheye]

Kal,

I noticed your offer of 1200 euro this morning, but the ad was up yesterday evening (I was the 10th viewer) and I emailed the seller right away. She answered me yesterday evening that I could come over this morning (Sunday) at 10.00 o'clock. I did and I bought it.

This morning, when I looked at your profile on that auction site, I noticed you just subscribed today (you are from Brussels, right ? That at least was on the profile), especially for that lens (I guess). Nothing wrong with that of course.
That site, though, is quite peculiar in the sense that the seller does not HAVE to sell. Legally, what a "seller" does there is just put an offer out that does not oblige him to anything. It is "an invitation to negotiate", including the asking price. It's not because somebody makes an offer equal or even higher then the asking price, that the seller has to sell; he can wait ...

I was lucky that the seller only lives a 15-minutes drive from me, so I could call her (she gave her cellphone nummer in the return-email) and I went over this morning. I did a somewhat better offer, and she accepted.

BTW, didn't you notice there was a second bidder (for 1250 euro) after you ? That bidder also just registered today to the site, also for that lens, I guess. He (or she) did not indicate where he lived though.

Regards,
Stefan.

Stefan, I did...he was a friend of Alex I think. I actually bid 1300 and it said My bid was "sold". All other bids then disappeared except mine. I don't mind, just a confusing way to set up the site...even happier if it was a case of you seeing it ahead of every one. K

[tuant]

A 13“ tall cone is only meant for full plate in the old days. It is the 4th largest within the cone family and each size up (only 2" height difference) doubles its previous one in size and volumn. This is not a big lens, but perfect for 810. Cones are the best petzvals you can get. Congratulations to the seller!

Tuant

[gliderbee]

Well, here are some pictures, first of the lens (in several messages), then of the camera:

101180 101181 101182 101183

[gliderbee]

more of the lens:

101184 101185 101186 101187

[gliderbee]

last pictures of the lens:

101188 101189 101190 101191

@ Alex: you wrote " The inside should look like an old pill box lens. If not than it is missing hte insde part.". I don't know what a pill box lens is. Are there parts missing here ? Can you show a pictures of what you mean ?

Thanks,
Stefan.

[gliderbee]

Apparently, there's a limit to the number of pictures one can upload, so I'll do the camera tomorrow.

Stefan.

[Steven Tribe]

Perhaps you could start a new thread with the studio camera in the "Camera" section tomorrow?

[gliderbee]

Perhaps you could start a new thread with the studio camera in the "Camera" section tomorrow?

Yes, you are right; I'll do that. Thanks for reminding me.

Stefan.

[alex from holland]

Stefan, here you go:
101238101239101240

the first picture shows you how it looks like when you use it as a landscape lens.
When you take out that part you reach the aperture when it is used as a portrait lens.
You can open that part also to add or take out the aperture rings.
It looks like your is missing the landscape part.
Most lenses are missing that part as it was taken out and stored somewhere as these lenses were mostly used as portrait lenses.
Your looks very nice! What is the serial number?

Alex

[gliderbee]

I uploaded pictures of the camera and several parts in the camera-section:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?106737-Old-Studio-Camera&p=1062030#post1062030

@ Alex: that part is indeed missing. I asked the seller if she might still have it somewhere: she had some more boxes with stuff to sell, but these weren't at her home at the time I was there. We'll see.

Thanks,
Stefan.

[Steven Tribe]

Yes, these moments of serendipity do still happen.
Not as large as yours (16x9.5cm) and minus the focussing arm.
Again a serial number close to yours - 245842. Not an expensive lens.
Excuse the sellers image. I have no idea how complete it is inside.