Nicola Perscheid 210/4.9

[Darko]

Hi guys,

I just have baught this lens, I have googled and did not found much information. Lens is a prewar german, Emil Busch a.g. Rathenow. producer. I know about Nicola Perscheid as a photographer and I know that he was inventiing this soft focus portrait lens...does anybody knows more about. I even know that cameraquest S. Gandy has put on his site that he is looking for this one... What I really have??? Anybody knows more...please

..darko

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Your lens is very desirable; They usually sell for very high prices. The lens is two achromatic doublets around a central stop, a periscopic lens with a vague similarity to a Wollensak Verito.

I can't say I have seen any images from one, and am not so sure that Nicola Perscheid actually used one. Rather he may have only sold his name, much like 21st century stars sell their name to products which they may or may not use.

[Amund BLix Aaeng]

Has anyone really seen photographs made with these lenses? It`s about time Jim Galli buys one, so we can seen if the hype is for real ;)

[David A. Goldfarb]

There are a couple of shots posted with one on the photo.net from someone who seems to collect classic lenses.

When I looked into this, it seems that a prominent Japanese pictorialist photographer used one, and that probably explains the high demand among Japanese collectors.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Following David's lead, here are two photos made by Yasumasa Yanagisawa with a 45cm f4.5 Nicola Perscheid lens. There are more here (http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=352312).

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/4963043-lg.jpg
At f/8 (from: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4963043)

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/5869190-lg.jpg
At f/8 (from: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5869190)

[David A. Goldfarb]

If you have a chance to meet up with Tsuyoshi Ito and visit his "Project Basho" headquarters in Philadelphia, he has a few books of prewar Japanese pictorialist photography that show the look that was popular at that time. It's very interesting material.

[Darko]

The story goes like this. I have a friend who`s father was a local photographer. I live in a small town in a central-east part of Croatia . So, my friend knew how much I love photography and call me yesterday if I want to by from him ( he`s father is dead for more than 10 years), some filter for Leica ( I love Leica) and some other accesories. I was interesed. He brought me 4 Leica filters (E39 polarix, orange and UV+E48yellow ), 2 E-Hanza (135/4.5 & 150/4.5) enlarger lens, 1 ARNZ Jena 86mm EW filter,1 WEP Auto Kinotelex 2x converter (not exactly sure what mount) and this EMil Busch Rathenow. Nicola Perscheid - Objektiv F:4,9 F=21 cm D.R.P. 372059. He ask me if I want buy it. He was asking $150.Well seem reasonble to me. As I have Linhof Color 4x5/9x12 and sometimes I take LF (also have Hasselblad 500 C/M). I decide to by this lens just for fun ( no copal or any other shutter, barrel lens), because I do not have 210 mm lens for portraits.When I ccome home I googled Nicola Perscheid and I was really suprised.
Never knew that it is a collectors item, also never knew that it is so desirable lens.

..darko

[Jim Galli]

I would love to have one to play with some time but doubt that will happen unless some friend calls and says he has a bunch of camera junk his dad left him. It is the same formula as the Pinkham & Smith Series IV visual quality lens. I have quite a few done with that lens on my pages but 210mm is rather small. It is obviously intended for 5X4 or perhaps half plate.