John Kasaian
17-Sep-2008, 09:58
There have been threads on favorite lenses, first lenses, messed up lenses, bargain lenses, dirty lenses, the latest in lenses, fast lenses, slow lenses, wide lenses, long lenses, macro lenses, telephoto lenses, poorly spaced elements in lenses, radiation emitting lenses, too many lenses, not enough lenses, cult lenses, old lenses and very, very old lenses. There have even been threads on pinholes. But what I'm interested in is lenses with stories.
I know, this is sentimental and banal stuff...well maybe not really...but do you have a lens that has an interesting story that goes along with it? Perhaps how you acquired it? Adventures had with it? Maybe something about it that surprised you?
I'll start:
My first 8x10 lens was a 14" APO Artar in a dial set compur, IIRC from the serial number it was built in the early teens. I bought it from Stephen Shuart's display advertisement in Shutterbug and I went with the Artar because that was one of the lenses recommended in Using The View Camera It was also the least expensive 8x10 lens being advertised in Shutterbug the month my 8x10 arrived (this was before I had a computer or knew about/cursed by ebay.)
While reading more on the subject I was led to think that Artars suffered in image circle or even had enough of a circle to use movements on an 8x10 unless the were in longer tan normal focal lengths.
Well a 14" APO Artar does cover 8x10 quite nicely really. There's not acres and acres of coverage but certainly enough for most situations. Of course as a beginner I didn't know any better and asked a local long time professional photographer to suggest an 8x10 lens and listened to him enthusiastically tell me about the wonderous 14" Commercial Ektar. As if by some magical spell, Jim at MidWest Photo had one at an excellent price (via an advertisement in Shutterbug)so I ordered it and discovered that I already had a lens board drilled for a #5 Universal. I had loaded my modest collection of film holders with TMY and on a foggy morning headed up to the old brick county courthouse that was relocated beside the foothill reservoir which inundated the courthouse's original location. A contractor had parked his toyota pick up on one side of the courthouse and I could not avoid it in the composition :mad: and the fog was lifting!
I used the contents of two of my three film holders on the experiment and that night I developed the film. The next morning I took it to the local photo shop to use thier light box.
The clerk handed my her loupe---"look at that" she said pointed to the offending toyota truck. I took the loupe and I could easily make out the numbers and tiny letters on the license plate! That truck was nearly 1/4 mile from where I set up---and in the fog to boot! For several years the 14" Commercial was the only lens I used. I've added more lenses for a number of misguided reasons (and a few very good reasons) but I always think about the time when one lens, the big Commercial Ektar, was more than enough.
I held the APO Artar in reserve should the Ektar ever need to go in for a cla and it was a good thing I did. The big Universal never did indicate the need to go into the shop but I did acquire a 5x7 Agfa and the APO Artar at last has found a home.
So....do you have a story?
I know, this is sentimental and banal stuff...well maybe not really...but do you have a lens that has an interesting story that goes along with it? Perhaps how you acquired it? Adventures had with it? Maybe something about it that surprised you?
I'll start:
My first 8x10 lens was a 14" APO Artar in a dial set compur, IIRC from the serial number it was built in the early teens. I bought it from Stephen Shuart's display advertisement in Shutterbug and I went with the Artar because that was one of the lenses recommended in Using The View Camera It was also the least expensive 8x10 lens being advertised in Shutterbug the month my 8x10 arrived (this was before I had a computer or knew about/cursed by ebay.)
While reading more on the subject I was led to think that Artars suffered in image circle or even had enough of a circle to use movements on an 8x10 unless the were in longer tan normal focal lengths.
Well a 14" APO Artar does cover 8x10 quite nicely really. There's not acres and acres of coverage but certainly enough for most situations. Of course as a beginner I didn't know any better and asked a local long time professional photographer to suggest an 8x10 lens and listened to him enthusiastically tell me about the wonderous 14" Commercial Ektar. As if by some magical spell, Jim at MidWest Photo had one at an excellent price (via an advertisement in Shutterbug)so I ordered it and discovered that I already had a lens board drilled for a #5 Universal. I had loaded my modest collection of film holders with TMY and on a foggy morning headed up to the old brick county courthouse that was relocated beside the foothill reservoir which inundated the courthouse's original location. A contractor had parked his toyota pick up on one side of the courthouse and I could not avoid it in the composition :mad: and the fog was lifting!
I used the contents of two of my three film holders on the experiment and that night I developed the film. The next morning I took it to the local photo shop to use thier light box.
The clerk handed my her loupe---"look at that" she said pointed to the offending toyota truck. I took the loupe and I could easily make out the numbers and tiny letters on the license plate! That truck was nearly 1/4 mile from where I set up---and in the fog to boot! For several years the 14" Commercial was the only lens I used. I've added more lenses for a number of misguided reasons (and a few very good reasons) but I always think about the time when one lens, the big Commercial Ektar, was more than enough.
I held the APO Artar in reserve should the Ektar ever need to go in for a cla and it was a good thing I did. The big Universal never did indicate the need to go into the shop but I did acquire a 5x7 Agfa and the APO Artar at last has found a home.
So....do you have a story?