How small are petzval lenses? (Info about Cindo 120mm)

[Math]

As I've never seen one personally, it's hard to see the size of lenses on photographs. I found a lens which I have trouble finding info about, it's a Cindo 120mm. However, the lens is apparently just a few centimeters big! (About 6x4cm) Does anyone have any experience with this lens? All I could find were a few sale ads on here, where similar (Cindo) lenses were listed as petzvals.

Thanks!

[eddie]

here is me with two....:)

[Mark Sawyer]

Petzval is a design, and could be pretty much any size physically, depending on the aperture and focal length. They can be quite tiny. There are also Petzval telescopes that make Eddie's monsters look small.

[Math]

Now that's a lens.. :)

I understand that petzval is a design, but I was wondering if petzval lenses in this size are regular, and capable of covering 4x5".

[fuegocito]

here is me with two....:)

Are you sure they are lenses and not howitzer gun barrels:p

R

[eddie]

math,

there are many definitions of coverage. in the late 19oos they considered coverage to be basically no swirls...or minor swirls in the format area. so basically the lenses were pretty big for a given focal length. most lenses that were to cover whole plate (8.5 x 6.5) were almost too big to mount on a 6x6 inch lens board...well ones that were f4 or f5. the slower the lens the smaller the lens.

that being said nowadays we like the swirl so we accept lenses that the oldtimers would not. so basically we would now use a lens that is about 5-7 inch FL on 4x5. the corners may be dark and swirly but if you like that that will be fine. also remember that when you focus closer your image circle grows.

all in all i would sat=y a 120mm (about 5 inches) may not cover at infinity but may at portrait distances (although the DOF will be very small)....or in your eyes it may cover just fine.

try it.

eddie

[CCHarrison]

My Petzval Lens Article discusses size and weight. See

http://antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

The typical Petzval Camera lenses are Fast lenses covering large formats = big lenses :)

However, there are smaller Petzval type lenses that were used for smaller, multiple image cameras - as well as for projection purposes.

Thanks
Dan

[goamules]

Eddie summed it up well, and Dan's article has some great info. Here's another article and a flickr site with photographs people have taken with petzvals:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=48670

Direct link: http://creativeimagemaker.co.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=120

[walter23]

I have a petzval-design projection lens that's about 1 1/4" diameter and 4" long. They were made in all sorts of sizes for different applications and formats.


As I've never seen one personally, it's hard to see the size of lenses on photographs. I found a lens which I have trouble finding info about, it's a Cindo 120mm. However, the lens is apparently just a few centimeters big! (About 6x4cm) Does anyone have any experience with this lens? All I could find were a few sale ads on here, where similar (Cindo) lenses were listed as petzvals.

Thanks!

[goamules]

On the small end of the scale, yes, they were made pretty small also. I've seen and handled tiny projection petzvals as small as 40 to 60mm focal lengths. Don't know about that particular make though.