Wollensk Velostigmat

[Mike Cockerham]

Hi

I have got a Wollensak Velostigmat ser.II 4.5 12" lens, it came with a Folmer 8x10 Studio camera. The question I have is how to focus. I know it is a soft focus lens and that you can adjust softness by turning the ring in front from 0 thru 5. Do I want to focus, apply softfocus and shoot or should I focus, apply softfocus and then refocus? If I use the second method it appears that the softfocus effect is lost.

Thanks

[Mark Sampson]

I have one of these but haven't used it in many years, as it's too big for my 4x5. I used it as a sharp lens on 8x10. When I tried it soft, I just set the front element to a number, then focussed as normal. I didn't like the results and never kept the negs- but absolute sharpness was my goal in those days. If I re-activate the 8x10, I'm going to run some tests. My idea is that the lens would be well suited for window-light portraits with a 5x7 reducing back- but I've never done it yet after 20+ years. Still waiting for that skylight studio, I guess.

[Chad Jarvis]

The former method is simply "out of focus"; the latter is soft. There is definitely a difference between the "0" and the "5" setting (using a loupe will allow you to verify this), albeit a slight one. The difference is more pronounced wide open.

[robert_4927]

To use a soft focus lens. First focus sharp. Then set the softness . No need to focus again you've already done that. With the verito I use I simple stop it down to F22 or even F32 focus then just open up to f4 or 8 depending on how soft you want it and shoot. Don't try and focus with the lens set at its softest setting. So focus sharp adjust for softness then shoot. You may want to do some exposers at all the soft settings to learn how the lens renders its softness effects. But keep in mind you need to shoot at wider apertures by stopping down to F22 or F32 you defeat the softness.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Hi there,

According to an old Wollensak brochure, you should focus sharply, stop down for depth of field then dial up the diffusion. Changing the focus, the f/stop and the soft focus will move the image qualities all over the map so just watch the ground glass to get what you want. Dialing up the soft focus shortens the focal length and moves the focus closer to the camera, refocusing changes the effect.

Have fun playing with it.