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Lightbender
17-Nov-2014, 17:12
I am thinking about picking up my RB Super D again..

The regular lens, the 190mm ektar, is a bit too sharp.. Does anyone have a reccomendation on a lens 180mm-300mm focal length that would be good for portraits?

NOT looking for something that is wildly swirly bokeh or razor thin plane of focus.. but something that has a nice transition and bright enough to be used on a RB.
THX

pierre506
17-Nov-2014, 17:42
8 3/4 in VERITO~

Mark Sawyer
17-Nov-2014, 17:46
A set of Softar filters might take the edge off the Ektar while still letting you keep the automatic diaphragm.

Lightbender
17-Nov-2014, 18:29
Verito.. out of my 'fun' price range. Would love one though.

Softar filters: hmm havent given them much thought.. Do they have standard filter threads or will I need a series ? adapter?

AtlantaTerry
17-Nov-2014, 19:02
I was also going to suggest the use of soft focus filters.

What filter size do you have? Series something?

You can make your own soft focus filters. One way is to go to a hardware store with your filter holder then purchase a round replacement glass for flashlights. Then put dots of clear fingernail polish on it. When dried, the dots become small lenses. The effect of the plain cheap glass and the dots will break up any light coming into the lens. The amount of dots and their sizes will have an effect on the image.

If you purchase several round flashlight lenses you can experiment with them. Try making swirls with the clear fingernail polish, the out of focus highlights will take on the swirl effect.

If you have a filter holder that accepts square or rectangular filters you can have your local glass shop cut pieces of glass to fit. Then do as above with them. I have a Lindahl matte box that accepts both 3" and 4" square filters so had a glass shop cut a bunch of 4" square filters for me.

Will Frostmill
17-Nov-2014, 19:50
Another possibility is to add a 1+ diopter close up lens to the front filter ring. The focal length will shorten, but the overall SA will increase, potentially giving a mild softness and glow.

I believe that the 190mm lens is a Tessar formula. If the shutter permits, you could loosen the front element and bring it forward a bit to increase the softness. This too will slightly change the focal length.

Lightbender
18-Nov-2014, 00:50
The 190 does appear to be a tessar.. the f5.6 aperture is an odd size. There are no threads. Outside barrel seems to be about 43mm.

monsta
18-Nov-2014, 03:38
the 8.5 inch, i think it is, f2.9 pentac is nice on my 5x7 graflex.

jnantz
18-Nov-2014, 04:11
A set of Softar filters might take the edge off the Ektar while still letting you keep the automatic diaphragm.

+1

i use a 21cm tessar ... 10" teleoptars are nice as well..

Will Frostmill
18-Nov-2014, 05:47
The 190 does appear to be a tessar.. the f5.6 aperture is an odd size. There are no threads. Outside barrel seems to be about 43mm.
If it's in the original shutter, it probably took push-on Series filters. You can pick up a Series adapter that pushes on to the front and has threads on the other end. I'm curious, how is f/5.6 an odd size? I remember that some of the longer Ektars were f/4.3 at the largest, which I considered an odd size.

jnantz
18-Nov-2014, 06:25
you could always shoot through obstructions ( opaque bags, make your own filters &c )
ive done this for years when things are too sharp, and it costs next to nothing

Bill_1856
18-Nov-2014, 07:57
There are frequently RAPID RECTILINEARs for sale CHEAP, (mostly with defunct elderly shutters, which you don't need since the Graflex has a focal-plane shutter). 8-10" should work fine.

jp
18-Nov-2014, 09:02
RR would be cheap and good, maybe a little slow but would get you the DOF.
A triplet like the Trioplan is very nice for portraits. Not dirt cheap, but less than a verito or cooke triplet.
If you want soft and don't want to pony up for a verito, The reinhold wollaston meniscus is pretty nice at f5.6-8.
You could make a lens with a magnifying glass like I did too. http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?115003-homemade-lens-Pipe-amp-Spaghetti-series-I-schedule-40&highlight=spaghetti

John Kasaian
18-Nov-2014, 09:14
you could always shoot through obstructions ( opaque bags, make your own filters &c )
ive done this for years when things are too sharp, and it costs next to nothing
Great minds think alike! I was going to suggest a piece of milady's panty hose stretched over the lens and held on with a rubber band, or maybe a smear of K-Y lubricant (which can be easily removed with a damp cloth) applied to the outer edges of the lens.

Jim Galli
18-Nov-2014, 10:23
This (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lens-GOERZ-BERLIN-DOGMAR-4-5-F-21cm-4-5-for-large-format-AS-IS-Steam-Punk-/161425985659?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item2595bd107b) might be fun to play with. It appears to be in SB really ugly condition but cheap enough to play with and the glass doesn't look bad. It has what appears to me to be a reddish cardboard home made aperture which if removed gives a nice f4.5 dialyt with plenty of image softening old school look flare. No relation what-so-ever to the seller. No dog in that race at all. Just throwing ideas out.

Another fun thing to try with a dialyt like this is to remove the front cell and replace it with a simple -1 or -2 diopter. They were doppel anastigmat meaning one cell could be used alone as an anastigmat, but with way too long a focus for your camera. The diopter brings it back in to the original focal length, but with no corrections. You might have to play with powers between -1 and -2 to find the one that gets you the focal length you want. This also works well with rapid rect designs.

For really soft, really cheap, search ebay for "snaplite (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kollmorgen-Snaplite-Brass-Lens-Optical-New-York-/371190613517?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item566caf460d)". There's an old projector lens that's bigger in front than it is in back, and the front doublet out of one of those is gorgeous alone, and I believe in your focus range.

skuuterboy
18-Nov-2014, 11:05
The Schneider Xenar 3.5/210mm lens is a good fit on a 4x5 Graflex RB D. It is faster than the standard lens so is easier to focus and isn't a rare lens.

Jim Noel
18-Nov-2014, 11:14
I use a 10" Velostigmat. Not as crisp as a modern lens, but not soft either. A tree looks like a round tree.

Mark Sawyer
18-Nov-2014, 12:20
If the 190mm Ektar is a Tessar, you might also consider spacing the front element out slightly:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?107284-Modifying-a-Wollensak-Velostigmat-7-1-2-quot-for-Soft-Focus

Fotoguy20d
18-Nov-2014, 20:52
an 8"-10" petzval will be bright, sharp enough but not too sharp, and shouldn't swirl much at all on 4x5. Barring that, I see my two favorites on the D, 8" Pentac and 8 3/4" Darlot have been mentioned. Any of the older Tessars, such as velostigmat or ilex paragon or B&L would be nice too.

Dan

Lightbender
20-Nov-2014, 01:33
OK, thanks all for the ideas.. I will start looking.

Toyon
20-Nov-2014, 07:21
There are frequently RAPID RECTILINEARs for sale CHEAP, (mostly with defunct elderly shutters, which you don't need since the Graflex has a focal-plane shutter). 8-10" should work fine.

Bill is spot on. Rapid Rectilinears are great for portraits and have wonderful bokeh. Look for an f6 Versar or equivalent.