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jp
15-Jul-2014, 07:59
I briefly mentioned it in the lens forum. Here's the rundown.

A couple months ago, the Joseph Joseph spaghetti measure was discovered here as a possible lens aperture. I picked one up for $7 at amazon. If you get one, make sure it has the darker blades.

I bought a $0.50 magnifying glass of 2" diameter at a local seller of imported mass produced junk. (Big Als Super Value Odd Lot Outlet) I'm sure your local dollar store has something similar. At the store, it formed an image roughly 10" away from itself, so I figured it would be useful.

I used some dark black flocking. Google telescope flocking for details. It's good stuff to have around if you are fixing or improving old cameras. A 2' sheet of this goes a long ways.

I had a scrap piece of 2" schedule 40 pipe laying around. I'm the type of tinkerer that has the will and space to keep junk around most people throw away and then repurchase from the hardware store years later.

This is not built to commercial quality; It's for fun.

I spaced the aperture distance from the lens, not on hard science but after looking at other single element/group lenses. Lenses I've looked at or tried in person include the Kodak portrait 305, 405, Reinhold Wollaston, Spencer Port-land, P&S Series I, etc.. I got out my hacksaw and cut some pipe about 2" long.

The lens is held in by a retainer ring made of a black zip tie which is hotglued in place. The lens received two small dabs of hot glue inside to keep it in place. The interior of the barrel is flocked. The back of the lensboard is flocked because hotglue does not block light; the lens is mounted to the lensboard with hotglue. I spent about an hour making it and spent more on the film testing it than actual construction costs.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3911/14658297311_8fa7271761_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okiB6Z)
_DSC7020 (https://flic.kr/p/okiB6Z) by philbrookjason (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2925/14661521515_977bb44d29_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okA8xH)
_DSC7018 (https://flic.kr/p/okA8xH) by philbrookjason (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

In using the lens, my setup cast an image about 10" from the rear of the glass, and the lens was 2" in diameter, so I estimated a aperture of f5. It seems plenty accurate.

Be warned. There is some tiny element of motion blur in these photos. You don't sit a 4yo in the studio with a sugary snack and shoot 1/10-1/20 sec and expect them to freeze for the camera.

Below is a photo from the lens wide open. Looks like she moved a little bit out of the plane of focus, but it's still a pleasing image. You'll not the hair around the ears and ventilation holes in the shirt are sharper.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3880/14474840550_210ddeaf15_c.jpg
(https://flic.kr/p/o46kNo)img226 (https://flic.kr/p/o46kNo) by philbrookjason (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

Comparison to 8.75" verito at about f5. I think this is a little sharper as the verito sharpens up REAL fast as you stop down a little bit. A wide open verito would probably look similar in this particular lighting setup.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/14658300981_530711b032_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okiCcg)
img225 (https://flic.kr/p/okiCcg) by philbrookjason (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

jp
15-Jul-2014, 08:08
Construction Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd5iU1NDYWA



Testing with Tmax 400 4x5 film in pyrocat hd.

4 serving aperture (wide open) with homemade lens

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5522/14659264054_bec0cc4854_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okoytY)
img227 (https://flic.kr/p/okoytY) by philbrookjason (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/14681422513_23b3058f55_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/onm8qn)
img229 (https://flic.kr/p/onm8qn) by philbrookjason (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr


2 serving aperture with homemade lens

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5552/14474892688_7a5ccc9e81_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o46Bij)
img230 (https://flic.kr/p/o46Bij) by philbrookjason (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2912/14474884169_e90a89dde9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o46yLr)
img228 (https://flic.kr/p/o46yLr) by philbrookjason (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

goamules
15-Jul-2014, 08:35
Hey, I love it! Great job, and explanation.

William Whitaker
15-Jul-2014, 08:44
That's excellent, Jason!

DrTang
15-Jul-2014, 08:46
how much different are these pix from pix from one of those ultra rare super lenses??

not much

jp
15-Jul-2014, 08:47
How does it compare... Sharper and smoother and better contrast than a holga 120n. Probably because of the larger format and use of genuine glass. Maybe not as contrasty as a Verito under comparable situations. The transition between soft and sharp adjustment by use of the aperture seems much more linear than a Kodak 305/Reinhold Wollaston/Verito, probably because of a smaller scale of aperture. I haven't tried it in bright glowy situations yet. That's an important comparison. Glow and contrast seems to be where LF SF lenses differentiate themselves.

Jon Shiu
15-Jul-2014, 08:50
A lovely portrait!

Do you think you can get smaller apertures by filing out the slot?

Jon

Tin Can
15-Jul-2014, 09:11
Wow!

I like and I am very glad you shared.

Lovely images and beautiful child.

Thank you!

jb7
15-Jul-2014, 09:15
That's flocking well done...

Mark Sawyer
15-Jul-2014, 09:31
4 serving aperture (wide open) with homemade lens...


2 serving aperture with homemade lens...

Ah, S/stops! A worthy addition to f/stops, h/stops, the Uniform System! That's using your noodle... :)

Oh, and don't think we didn't notice the "P&S" designation! :rolleyes:

Steven Tribe
15-Jul-2014, 12:01
how much different are these pix from pix from one of those ultra rare super lenses??


Landscape meniscus lenses are certainly not "ultra rare" or expensive.

My compliments to the model.

Assuming that 1, 2, 3 and 4 represent same size individual portions, the present markings will indicate a halving of the aperture area for each stop down! You could check this by counting the number of Spaghetti strands (the dry package type!) at each marked stop.

I am glad you selected the red/black version of the iris:

jp
15-Jul-2014, 12:24
Thanks for the compliments. My model has good genes and is comfortable around photographers.

Steven, the "s" stops are linear, where fstops are logarithmic. 1,2,4 servings would be full stops but the 3 serving would be a half stop.

I still like the ultra rare super lenses, but this is good bang for the buck.

Steven Tribe
15-Jul-2014, 14:42
Perhaps you could get a "finders fee" from the maker if you point out that the "portions" markings are not correctly positioned to provide 1, 2, 3 and 4 so that everyone gets the same quantity each time?

Michael Cienfuegos
15-Jul-2014, 14:47
Six bucks on Amazon! I ordered two of them today. Should have them next week, now I have to find that magnifier that I squirreled away. I have plenty of ABS pipe, so that part should be easy. :)

m

Mark Sawyer
15-Jul-2014, 14:57
I noticed this has six blades, which is better than the Copal shutter's five, but I still think I need at least twenty blades to get that magnificent bokeh and be a true artiste... :rolleyes:

AtlantaTerry
20-Jul-2014, 00:52
What a great idea to use an adjustable spaghetti measuring device for an aperture. Kudos to the person who first mentioned here on LF Forum!

Nearby, there is a Cook's Warehouse where I will stop by to see if they have some in stock. Otherwise, it's back to Amazon!