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View Full Version : A Page Where I Test 4 Vintage lenses for LOOK



Jim Galli
11-Dec-2006, 10:40
Saturday AM I set out to make images with 4 different antique lenses. 2 are soft focus lenses and 2 are not. The images will surprise you I think. They were:

Gundlach Meniscus 18" f6

Cooke Aviar 12 1/2" f6

Meyer Goerlitz Aristostigmat f6.5

Beach Multifocal Series A 16" f4.5

I photographed a common scene with all 4 but tried some different apertures. The set-up is very similar to size and distance from a head and shoulder portrait sitting. I purposely did that to "see" what the depth of focus might look like in portraits.

I used my Kodak 9a Studio 8X10 camera. The Packard shutter was unwilling on this morning. It actually broke down. How dare it! It's only 80 years old. So I simply proceeded with 2 8X10 dark slides with V shaped slit formed. I metered between 1/30 and 4 seconds on these.

All are imperfect, but they get the job done visually for comparison sake.

Go have a look, it will take you 5 minutes or so, then let me know which one you like:)

The images are here; (http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/PorcelainCoffeepot/ThePorcelainCoffeepotPictures.html)

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/PorcelainCoffeepot/ThePorcelainCoffeepotPictures.html

I plan to post this at Ape Hug also for those of you who cruise both places.

brook
11-Dec-2006, 10:49
I think the Beach is a real sweetie. If you have not yet, you must try a kodak portrait lens. Of course you'll just drive the prices up.....

Eric Biggerstaff
11-Dec-2006, 10:55
They are all nice, I think I like the Cooke the best.

Bruce Watson
11-Dec-2006, 11:23
They are all nice, I think I like the Cooke the best.

Second the Cooke.

Pete Watkins
11-Dec-2006, 11:42
Jim,
I have a Cooke (it's engraved T.T.H.) 10 1/4 " f 4.5 Aviar mark 2. It's an ex War Department lens and although I've never tried any of the other lenses on this test my Aviar is superb. This is not patriotic B.S. it really is a great lens despite the bubbles and other manky looking marks.
The Aviars have a superb reputation, cameraeccentric has some good info on these lenses.
Best wishes,
Pete.

Geary Lyons
11-Dec-2006, 16:17
Well,
I kinda like the Meyer stopped down. The lighting/contrast/frame fill has some variances between the Meyer and the Cook shots, but I like the Meyer. But then, I don't know s#!t about these old lenses. I would stand there all day trying to figure out how to cock the shutter!

Cheers,
Geary

Ole Tjugen
12-Dec-2006, 00:51
The Aviar is bottom of my list - the rest all have different strengths. For pure softness the Meniscus is king; the Beach is nice, but not quite as "fuzzy"; and the Aristostigmat has good sharpness with pleasing bokeh (unlike the Cooke, which is too harsh for my taste).

Alan Davenport
12-Dec-2006, 00:54
The Cooke is certainly the best, but I also like the Meyer at f/22.

Thanks for sharing.
Alan

Ken Lee
12-Dec-2006, 03:55
Which is better, a flute or a violin ? It depends on what you are composing.

Each of these lenses has their own personality, and even that varies, depending on the f/stop.

You have made lovely portraits with all sorts of lenses.

C. D. Keth
12-Dec-2006, 11:14
I rather like the meyer, especially stopped down. I have a feeling I would like the meyer even more at a stop somewhere in between wide-open and f22. What is its focal length?

Jim Galli
12-Dec-2006, 11:18
I rather like the meyer, especially stopped down. I have a feeling I would like the meyer even more at a stop somewhere in between wide-open and f22. What is its focal length?

The Meyer is 360MM. BTW it was listed here and there is a sale pending. Actually 2 sales pending. Must've not asked enough for it :eek:

Jack Flesher
12-Dec-2006, 11:42
Okay... I liked the Gundlach a f8-1/3 and after best, so what's wrong with me? The Beach was nice too, but it looks like the lighting changed enough to set it apart from the others.

Nice test, thanks for posting it Jim!

Richard Rankin
12-Dec-2006, 12:01
It looks like my choice is going down in the flames of defeat. I liked the Beach... with the Gundlach meniscus at second place.

Cheers, Richard

Eric Rose
12-Dec-2006, 16:29
love these tests! would be nice however if you could structure your webpage to show the two shots from each lens side by side. would be easier to do a quick comparison. just MHO. i realize you would have to make them smaller, but you could load a just a little bit smaller image and then have it clickable to get a larger image.

sanking
12-Dec-2006, 17:12
I like the 12 1/2" Cooke Aviar at f/22.

Sandy King



Saturday AM I set out to make images with 4 different antique lenses. 2 are soft focus lenses and 2 are not. The images will surprise you I think. They were:

Gundlach Meniscus 18" f6

Cooke Aviar 12 1/2" f6

Meyer Goerlitz Aristostigmat f6.5

Beach Multifocal Series A 16" f4.5

I photographed a common scene with all 4 but tried some different apertures. The set-up is very similar to size and distance from a head and shoulder portrait sitting. I purposely did that to "see" what the depth of focus might look like in portraits.

I used my Kodak 9a Studio 8X10 camera. The Packard shutter was unwilling on this morning. It actually broke down. How dare it! It's only 80 years old. So I simply proceeded with 2 8X10 dark slides with V shaped slit formed. I metered between 1/30 and 4 seconds on these.

All are imperfect, but they get the job done visually for comparison sake.

Go have a look, it will take you 5 minutes or so, then let me know which one you like:)

The images are here; (http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/PorcelainCoffeepot/ThePorcelainCoffeepotPictures.html)

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/PorcelainCoffeepot/ThePorcelainCoffeepotPictures.html

I plan to post this at Ape Hug also for those of you who cruise both places.