Another Soft Focus Lens Blog. The ShitPipe Lens.

[Jim Galli]

The blog is here. (http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/ShitPipeLens/The_ShitPipe_Lens.html)

Take 5 minutes and enjoy, or, if you hate fuzzy lenses, best move on.

I had fun making the pictures, and hey, I'm beginning to think that is the most important thing we can accomplish.

I know you're tired of looking at my '39 Ford pickup.......so.......I'll consider accepting donations to purchase some other more interesting subject to focus on. I think a '55 Thunderbird would be nice.

[Scott Davis]

While I applaud your taste in automobiles, I'd disagree with the 55 t'bird as a good subject for your soft lenses. It wants something a little more modern- a 14" Commercial Ektar. Now, a 1901 Curved Dash Olds just BEGS to be shot with all that classic turn-of-the-century soft-focus glass. Or perhaps a 1910 Cadillac or a First Series Packard.

[Jim Galli]

I think you're on to something here. I'd accept any of these! Especially the Packard. Photographing a Packard with a Packard! It needs to be done.

[Mark Sawyer]

This one really has a look all its own, Jim. There's another thread currently going on about wide angles and how they make the world seem to curve away from you at the center of the frame. This one gives a look of everything bubbled in towards you in the center. Somehow it fits with the curves of that old Ford! And a very dreamy, surrealistic quality. Wish it were a bit sharper for the portraits though. Perhaps this on needs a single centered subject for that sort of work?

[Diane Maher]

I really like the effect that you got on the last image, Jim.

[Eric Rose]

It must be the water LOL.

[C Henry]

The images are simply wonderful.

[Jim Galli]

Thanks everyone, except Eric, who has discovered and disclosed that the photographer is barking mad. This I already knew :D:D Probably not the water......perhaps lack of out here.

[Erich Hoeber]

Thanks for posting, Jim! Fantastic as always.

[jenn wilson]

i especially like the first couple of images. you could do a levinthal-ish series with that lens. the extreme separation of fore and background makes the truck look like a miniature!

[Paul Metcalf]

Great, there goes the price of 3" PVC pipe.:p

[Petzval Paul]

Very cool , Jim!

[Blueberrydesk]

I'm amazed at a lot of your work, Jim. I wish I knew a helluva lot more about lenses. The first 3 are fantastic!

[gregstidham]

Jim, thanks for posting these wonderful photographs.

I would recommend, however, for maximum optical clarity that the pipe be sloped 1/4" per foot to allow the light to flow properly through the lens to the film. :)

[ditkoofseppala]

"This would be a stellar lens for full plate work."

Agreed! Particularly if provided with an iris diaphragm to exert that little bit of extra control over the light flow and clear the . . . crap . . . out of the corners. ;) That would be "taking it to the next level," I think. Granted that mounting an iris in the PVC barrel might be too much of a challenge, but it would be EASY to take a hacksaw to the sucker and cut a wee slot into which you could insert homebrew Waterhouse stops! Why not give it a try?

[Joe Smigiel]

Great, there goes the price of 3" PVC pipe.:p

LOL :)

[jetcode]

I like the first image the best and there appears to be plenty of entertainment and artistic value in just about anything you sandwich between light and film



These 2 ladies get more work done by accident
than I ever will on purpose


Purpose is overrated ... accidents can lead to far more interesting results

[Jim Galli]

Thanks Joe :)

[jetcode]

The man who directed the movie "Traffic", Steven Soderbergh blew my mind when he made a statement that essentially he tries to leave his work unplanned to a certain degree so the magic of the moment surfaces naturally, that is, the actors, the script, the circumstance all come together to make something far greater than anything he could have conceived on his own. Here's a guy blowing serious cash every day on the set operating as loosely as he can around the script and shoot deadlines. He says the juice is in the unplanned accident. I think he's right.

If you haven't seen the movie "Traffic" it is one of the best movies I have ever seen in terms of story, creativity, and presentation. It won 4 Academy Awards and I can see why.

[Hollis]

Jim,

How about some color images? I know it is not really your thing but would love to see what happens with the Nevada sun in all its glory and the decided lack of coating. Also, how about a shot or two of the actual contraption...

[Hollis]

Oh, and Traffic was actually a british mini series adapted to american film.

[eddie]

jim,

great stuff. the `1st two look like they are shots of a toy truck.

how did you know the distance to mount the elements? i mean why a 3 in pipe, why not 5? i know that the spacing is important (well at times at least) so how dio you come up with 3?

thanks. i always enjoy your stuff.

eddie

[Jim Galli]

Eddie, it's 3" ID ABS sewer pipe. I cut a piece about 4" long. I used both SWAG and TLAR for this. I'll take a picture of the beauty when I get home friday.

[Asher Kelman]

Eddie, it's 3" ID ABS sewer pipe. I cut a piece about 4" long. I used both SWAG and TLAR for this. I'll take a picture of the beauty when I get home friday.
Jim,

Something basic, I'm sure. What is SWAG and TLAR? Are they software routines?

Asher

[Murray]

SWAG = Scientific Wild-Ass Guess.

TLAR = This Looks About Right

AK, maybe you saw that earlier but I took you literally.

I wish I could find black ABS in my state - I think that's the stuff that's lightproof (visile light anyway), & works for BTZS type developing tubes. It's not code-required in Michigan, so suppliers only seem to carry the PVC & PBT stuff.

Oh, I missed something. Wouldn't they be Watercloset stops in this case, rather than Waterhouse?

I'll bet a different length would have worked - just in a different way. It ain't broke, so Jim's probably not gonna try 3" or 5" now.

Maybe on the next set of found glass...