soft focus landscape

[Marko Trebusak]

I recently start to use soft focus lenses for landscape photography. I like the mood and atmosphere that this expensive things help to create. So let's see what others have in their pockets :D.

I'll start with some forest photos. I posted two in other threads, but who cares?

Cheers,
Marko

[Robert Ley]

Marko,

Nice shots. What lens did you use for each. I have a 250mm f:5.6 Fuji SF that I am just getting to know.

Robert

[Marko Trebusak]

Marko,

Nice shots. What lens did you use for each. I have a 250mm f:5.6 Fuji SF that I am just getting to know.

Robert

Ummm, I think that the first one is with Eidoscope, the second shoud be Cooke Series II and the third one is with home-made replica of Puyo adjustable.

Thanks
Marko

[Jim Galli]

marko, I like the 3rd one best, but all are lovely.

Here is one of mine,


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/treeswhittier.jpg
trees, whittier

Eidoscop #2

[Marko Trebusak]

marko, I like the 3rd one best, but all are lovely.

Here is one of mine,



Thanks Jim! I like yous too.
But it looks like this thread is going nowhere! Come on folks, do you soft focus users just photograph people :rolleyes:?

Here is a couple more from my file: first one is with home made replica of Puyo's adjustable landscape and the second one is technically not a soft focus as it was made with Cooke series II, but it was at full soft and wide open.

Cheers,
Marko

[Jim Galli]

Thanks Jim! I like yous too.
But it looks like this thread is going nowhere! Come on folks, do you soft focus users just photograph people :rolleyes:?

Here is a couple more from my file: first one is with home made replica of Puyo's adjustable landscape and the second one is technically not a soft focus as it was made with Cooke series II, but it was at full soft and wide open.

Cheers,
Marko

Both are lovely. Did you see the Puyo that sold on Ebay a week or 2 ago. I was second high bidder but no way to tell how much more it would have taken to tip over the winners bid. Your lens has a look almost identical to the Oscar Zwierzina Plasticca.

[Kirk Gittings]

Really nice work Marko.

[Sven Schroder]

Hi Marko

This thread maybe a slow burner but a valid one! I have been looking with one eye to the landscape and the other to still-life when testing soft-focus lenses. My still-life space is below my studio window and through the window some trees and a long-stay car park (still a landscape), so when a new lens arrives I look at both. There is a big clue is in the name of one lens "Port-Land" so lets see some more of the Land(scape).

Regards
Sven

[David Hedley]

Nice thread, and images above. Here's a soft seascape;
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/3089492224_158420c14d_b.jpg
Toyo 4x5, Nikkor 300mm, TMax100

[Steven Tribe]

I am in the process of making 9x9 lens boards for my little soft collection so contributions will come during the Spring. Out of the window counts as landscapes doesn't it - the 10A isn't that transportable?

[Kerik Kouklis]

Here are 3 shot on 14x17 with an 18" Verito. Printed in gum over platinum:

http://www.kerik.com/gum_landscapes/images/gum057.jpg

http://www.kerik.com/gum_landscapes/images/gum034.jpg

http://www.kerik.com/gum_landscapes/images/gum067.jpg

[Hugo Zhang]

Kerik,

I love these, especially the first one!

Hugo

[Marko Trebusak]

Both are lovely. Did you see the Puyo that sold on Ebay a week or 2 ago. I was second high bidder but no way to tell how much more it would have taken to tip over the winners bid. Your lens has a look almost identical to the Oscar Zwierzina Plasticca.

Hi Jim. Thank you again. Jan inspired me to try and build my own. It's still in "beta" stage, as I need to instal iris and design back part of barrel and I don't have shutter, but I can't wait to complete it, so I'm taking photos with what I have :D.

Cheers,
Marko

[Marko Trebusak]

Hi Kerik,

Your work is one of the reasons I picked up soft focus, and this images are lovely. As Hugo said, the first one is special indeed.

BDW, when will your gum over platinum gallery be ready to be put up on net again?

Cheers,
Marko

[Steve M Hostetter]

4x5" tri-x 320 7" petzval f4.0 Galli shutter

[Diane Maher]

I have an image that I shot a couple of months ago, but I have no print of it yet to post. I can try and scan the negative and post it, but I loathe scanning... :rolleyes:

[Jim Galli]

4x5" tri-x 320 7" petzval f4.0 Galli shutter


Very pretty image Steve. That shutter was one of my better inventions. The patent royalties just keep rolling in. :cool:

[Steve M Hostetter]

Thank you Jim,,

You know, when I first seen your shutter and seen how you used it I thought,," no way I could hold those darkslides together, cover the lens with one hand and pull the film darkslide with the other, make the exposure and then put the film darkslide back while holding the opposite slide over the lens..

But, ain't to hard once you get the hang of it..:D I can judge the slit size and speed now and do 1/400th of a sec. with my eyes closed..

Many thanks to ya for sharing that invention..! checks in the mail :D

regards
steve

[goamules]

Here is one I shot with my lens and camera, but Mark Sawyer loaned me an 8x10 film sheet, developed and printed for me. 12" WAR wide open.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4385625597_b0cdae193b_o.jpg

[Paul Metcalf]

I think I can play, single miniscus wide open (no aperture) on 8x10, contact salt print. Not sure if it works, but a lot different than the one at f/32 with front tilt.

[Kerik Kouklis]

Hugo and Mark, thank you.

I hope to have the new website updated soon. So far I only have my collodion work, but will be adding my gum and platinum work as I have time.

Thanks!
Kerik

[ImSoNegative]

here is one i did today with my fujinon 180 sf, looking down my driveway

[Brian Bullen]

Garrett, beautiful image!

[jnantz]

the road is washed out
it goes past the creek and the cove to the bay

[Marko Trebusak]

OK, let me add two more tree photos to this thread. I'm still experimenting with Eidoscope and these are result of the experiment. I quite like how this objective renders background grass and shrubs.

Marko

[JoeV]

Jemez Canyon, New Mexico; near the Gillman Tunnels. Preflashed grade 2 paper negative, 8"x10" format box camera, 275mm meniscus lens stopped down to F/90, 4 second exposure.

~Joe

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4617078796_6d78c09baa_o.jpg

[Dirk Rösler]

OK, let me add two more tree photos to this thread. I'm still experimenting with Eidoscope and these are result of the experiment. I quite like how this objective renders background grass and shrubs.

Marko

These are both great, I assume the experiment is a success :D

[Marko Trebusak]

These are both great, I assume the experiment is a success :D

Thanks Dirk!

As for experiment, well time will tell. I'm quite pleased with results so far. Objective is quite sharp with nice overlay of glowing highlights. It's very different to Puyo's adjustable landscape replica I also have. I plan to print few sizes in palladium to see, if I'll like final results. But scans of negatives look promising :cool:.

Cheers,
Marko

[Marko Trebusak]

Let's see, if anyone got something new.

Here is image from last week. It's winter here at last!

Hermagis Eidoscope no. 3 wide open (or there abouts) on 5x4 Delta 100.

Cheers,
Marko

[CarstenW]

Very nice, Marko, especially the composition and tones.

[Maris Rusis]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/5165386718_5bcb8136e7_b.jpg
Forest, Soft focus

Gelatin-silver photograph on Fomabrom Variant 111 FB VC, image area 16.3cm X 21.2cm, from a 4x5 Tmax100 negative exposed in a Tachihara model 45GF camera with a 400mm f11 single meniscus soft-focus lens.

[jb7]

Beautiful Maris-

[dsim]

Wow Maris, stunnng image.

[Jim Galli]

maris, unsettling, but not in a bad way.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Pinkham-Smith/12SAseries_I/PnSSeries1TreesS.jpg
trees

I have a similar one but not quite so radical as yours. Pinkham Semi-Achromatic.

[mentalcrisis00]

These are a couple shots I did in Fisherville Park, RI. My attempt at a more interesting depth of field.

48077

48078

[Jim Cole]

Maris and Jim,

Strange, otherworldly images and I like them.

[tgtaylor]

OK, let me add two more tree photos to this thread. I'm still experimenting with Eidoscope and these are result of the experiment. I quite like how this objective renders background grass and shrubs.

Marko

I just discovered this thread and IMO this is a spectacular image:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=40702&d=1274157313

What makes it for my is it's tonal values and the size of the tree. Perfect!

Thomas

[Marko Trebusak]

Gelatin-silver photograph on Fomabrom Variant 111 FB VC, image area 16.3cm X 21.2cm, from a 4x5 Tmax100 negative exposed in a Tachihara model 45GF camera with a 400mm f11 single meniscus soft-focus lens.

Now this is radical! I need to digest it a bit to aprechiate this image.

Cheers,
Marko

[cdholden]

Maris and Jim,

Strange, otherworldly images and I like them.

Indeed. The surreal keeps me looking at all the details (and in some places, lack of detail) in the image.

[evan clarke]

Let's see, if anyone got something new.

Here is image from last week. It's winter here at last!

Hermagis Eidoscope no. 3 wide open (or there abouts) on 5x4 Delta 100.

Cheers,
Marko

This is great and would still be great with a sharp lens!!..Evan Clarke

[edp]

I just discovered this thread and IMO this is a spectacular image:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=40702&d=1274157313

What makes it for my is it's tonal values and the size of the tree. Perfect!

Thomas

I concur. I like that a lot. Another of those "I wish I'd done that" images.

[Maris Rusis]

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5250505458_e0cfb856b1_b.jpg
Forest Light, Soft Focus

Gelatin-silver photograph on Fomabrom Variant 111 VC FB, image area 21.4cm X 16.5cm, from a Tmax 100 negative exposed in a Tachihara 45GF 4x5 field view camera with a 3 dioptre single meniscus lens.

[dsim]

Beautiful image Maris.

[Jim Galli]

Gelatin-silver photograph on Fomabrom Variant 111 VC FB, image area 21.4cm X 16.5cm, from a Tmax 100 negative exposed in a Tachihara 45GF 4x5 field view camera with a 3 dioptre single meniscus lens.

Is it the 4rth of July already! Beautiful Maris.

[stefan d]

http://www.stefandieterich.de/inhalt/images/forenbilder/tanzendebaeme.jpg

P&S VQ No. 3, 8x10" Kodak TriX Tanol

[Maris Rusis]

Is it the 4rth of July already! Beautiful Maris.

Thanks Jim.

A single meniscus lens seems to lay down image points with a surprisingly sharp core surrounded by fuzz. Those fuzzy rays look to be a combination of spherical aberration, coma, skew ray flare and who knows what else. There is actually not a vast quantity of light going out of control and the dark details of the picture hold together quite well. But specular highlights are very bright and the "flare" goes crazy.

Fourth of July? Definitely!

[Steve M Hostetter]

beautiful work Maris

[Stephane]

Maris, very moody, especially with the girl on the swing...
And the PS of Stefan makes the trees move...

[Robert Hughes]

Some of these shots remind me of what I see right after a glaucoma test...

[jb7]

Lovely pictures Stefan and Maris-

[Jim Galli]

A new one last weekend. 11X14 Deardorff. Some nameless brass wide angle lens that was obviously meant to be stopped down to f64 in use.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/11X14Landscapes/CottonwoodsSoftS.jpg
owens valley cottonwoods, olancha

[ustas]

A new one last weekend. 11X14 Deardorff. Some nameless brass wide angle lens that was obviously meant to be stopped down to f64 in use.



owens valley cottonwoods, olancha

Beautiful image!

[Jim Galli]

Thanks Ustas.

[Marko Trebusak]

A new one last weekend. 11X14 Deardorff. Some nameless brass wide angle lens that was obviously meant to be stopped down to f64 in use.



Hi Jim,

I like this image too. BDW what do you recomend to use as wide angle lens for soft focus efect? Meniscus lenses are a bit to wild for my taste.

Cheers,
Marko

[Marko Trebusak]

Here is a photo before last snow (I'm trying to catch up with developing film). Again Eidoscope no. 2 around f5,6.

Cheers,
Marko

[Thomas Greutmann]

On the Danish North Sea coast, near Skagen (Kandestederne).

http://www.blackandwhitegallery.de/sample/000484-ll-kandestederne-beach.jpg

Linhof IV with Imagon 250mm, TMAX 100

[cr2512]

Two blocks from different Rapid Rectilinears. (smaller lens F=30cm in front and reversed for much softness, bigger one F=60cm on back). Graflex 4х5, HP5+ as 200, Xtol 1+1

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/4963301988_7d98b324c3_b.jpg

[cr2512]

Modified RR again. In this case front lens block not reversed.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4960654737_6dc4f31d53_b.jpg

[cr2512]

the same combination:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4935667612_3d0055282a_b.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4934976007_3429fc94df_b.jpg

[Jim Cole]

CR2512,
Nice series. My favorite is the first one posted. The last one, which I like very much, is very strongly three dimensional. Nice work.

[Ramiro Elena]

You are going to have to sell me that lens Roman! Wonderful images. ;-)

[Jim Galli]

Two blocks from different Rapid Rectilinears. (smaller lens F=30cm in front and reversed for much softness, bigger one F=60cm on back). Graflex 4х5, HP5+ as 200, Xtol 1+1


These area all very beautiful and this first one takes my mind immediately to the cover of my 1928 Pinkham and Smith catalog (http://www.cameraeccentric.com/img/info/ps_3/ps_3_01.jpg) which has a very similar feel to the image.

[cr2512]

Jim Cole, Ramiro Elena, Jim Galli, thank you for kind words ! :)
this is really interesting combination and now I seek for 8x10 the similar.
Roman.

[ljsegil]

A foggy scene to help further soften the Kodak Portrait Lens, 305mm shot open at f/4.8, 1/50 second, on Portra 400NC with a Canham 8x10. This is a better scan (Epson V750 with negative taped to ANR glass and suspended over the scanner bed by 4 cents, corresponding well to the worth of my work) of this shot that I previously posted in the "Galli Style" thread, it eliminates some Newton rings and I think better matches the true exposure of the negative to better bring out a bit more of the color of the actual scene. Some of the softness is the fog, but I think most of the credit for yet another soft image from me goes to Kodak, rather than needing to blame my usual ineptitude. Critiques as always are welcome, my "expertise" grows best through all of your collective talent, wisdom and knowledge
Larry
(If anyone is actually interested I can post a sharply focused modern lens version of the same scene for contrast and amusement)

[David Aimone]

Larry,

Excellent work, I'm enjoying your landscape. I'd love to see a comparison with the other lens.

David

[Ramiro Elena]

(If anyone is actually interested I can post a sharply focused modern lens version of the same scene for contrast and amusement)
Yes! I'd like to see how much is fog and how much Kodak.

[ljsegil]

OK, here's the comparison shot taken with the Cooke XVa 12 1/4" at f/16 (second shot). I do think the comparison is kind of revealing, as I think the Kodak lens effects the color rendering as well as the detail. The amount of fog may have differed between shots (my notes record "less fog" for the Cooke shot and "more fog" for the Kodak, but it was never that dense a fog (other than in my own head, as usual)) and I think most of the differences are due more to the optics than the local climate. Curious to hear what interested others may think.
Larry

[goamules]

A cold New Years Eve hike in Texas Canyon, AZ. 5x7 with Verito.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5123/5316359623_c4e5d04976_z.jpg

Larger (http://bighugelabs.com/onblack.php?id=5316359623&posted=1&size=large)

[Emil Schildt]

A cold New Years Eve hike in Texas Canyon, AZ. 5x7 with Verito.



looks so nice.
Here it was cold AND with tons of snow....

[Maris Rusis]

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5284077411_6b2b564517_b.jpg
Fallen Tree, Soft Focus


Gelatin-silver photograph on Fomapan Variant 111 VC FB, image area 19.6cm X 24.7cm, from a Fomapan 200 negative exposed in a Tachihara 810HD 8x10 field view camera with a 400mm f11 single meniscus lens.

[rob_gervais]

Perhaps not the best thread for this, but shot this yesterday in the fog with an Ansco Box Camera on a paper negative. Scanned and reversed the image. First shot with this camera; first time using a paper negative. This could be fun!

[Jim Galli]

Perhaps not the best thread for this, but shot this yesterday in the fog with an Ansco Box Camera on a paper negative. Scanned and reversed the image. First shot with this camera; first time using a paper negative. This could be fun!

Great idea! I've got one of those old postcard size brownies I've been wondering what to do with. I'll open up the aperture and put some paper in!

[Stephane]

Legzira, Morocco. 5x7 norma.
The norma did not like the sea very much, it got all stiff and stiffer... WD40 did the trick! So now I travel with gaffer tape, super glue and wd40.

Magnifying glass, 360/3

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5336610782_b355710ff2_b.jpg

[Emil Schildt]

Legzira, Morocco. 5x7 norma.
The norma did not like the sea very much, it got all stiff and stiffer... WD40 did the trick! So now I travel with gaffer tape, super glue and wd40.

Magnifying glass, 360/3



a good landscape image - for me - is one where I think: "there I got to go... " or even better "I have dreamt I was there"...

this is the latter.

Very nice indeed!

[Steve M Hostetter]

Legzira, Morocco. 5x7 norma.
The norma did not like the sea very much, it got all stiff and stiffer... WD40 did the trick! So now I travel with gaffer tape, super glue and wd40.

Magnifying glass, 360/3

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5336610782_b355710ff2_b.jpg

Brilliant!

[bobwysiwyg]

OK, here's the comparison shot taken with the Cooke XVa 12 1/4" at f/16 (second shot). I do think the comparison is kind of revealing, as I think the Kodak lens effects the color rendering as well as the detail. The amount of fog may have differed between shots (my notes record "less fog" for the Cooke shot and "more fog" for the Kodak, but it was never that dense a fog (other than in my own head, as usual)) and I think most of the differences are due more to the optics than the local climate. Curious to hear what interested others may think.
Larry

That first shot has a wonderful, dreamy affect. ;)

[ljsegil]

Autumn fun with the Goerz Doppel Anastigmat Series III 210/6.8. Both shots taken wide open with the same DAIII on the Canham 8x10, tripod in the same spot, the first this past October (on Portra 400NC), the second (seen before in these forums, Fuji Pro 160S) the previous summer. I think maybe leaves make things softer and dreamier than bare wood, but perhaps I should have guessed as much.
Larry

[mandoman7]

Both shots are great. Very impressionistic blue in the first one, though.

[Thebes]

I like both but prefer the second. Perhaps it reminds me of Missouri rivers in the summer, I lived there for a while. Very dreamy. I never thought of the dagor design as being soft focus, but they both have a very impressionistic look.

[JoeV]

Near San Ysidro, New Mexico. Preflashed, grade 2, 8x10 paper negative exposed in sliding box camera, 275mm meniscus lens stopped down to F/92. 3-4 second exposure.

~Joe

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4616463605_68c77f589a_o.jpg

[JoeV]

Same camera and setup as before, 4-second exposure. South of Albuquerque, NM.

~Joe

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4457930733_a1efc2d67d_o.jpg

[JoeV]

Foothills of Sandia Mountains, just east of Albuquerque. Preflashed grade 2 paper negative exposed for ~1 second in sliding 8x10 box camera. 240mm Fujinon Xerox lens at F/4.5. Yellow #2 and ND2 filters added to increase exposure time enough to permit hand-operating guillotine shutter with wide-open aperture in bright sun.

~Joe

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1365/5143405467_acb8ec022a_b.jpg

[ljsegil]

Thanks John and Thebes for your kind comments. I think the sky in the first shot went a little otherworldly (although it actually is not too far from the straight Vuescan color inversion, done without adjustment of the Vuescan color controls) when I tried to back down the yellow in the image to keep the green grassy area from itself appearing a little psychedelic. Transparencies are easier to match up for colors, but I have found with the Epson V750 that they tend towards too flat a color rendition for my liking and need more tweaking in PS (in my hands anyway) than negative inversions, and I tend to prefer the results that I can usually get by tweaking a negative image, though of course it may sometimes go a bit awry as you point out.
Larry

[Stephane]

Legzira, Morocco.
Magnifying glass (again).
Dont know why the horizon is in the middle... I have to blame it on the drugs :cool:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5361236666_21af467c94_b.jpg

[David Hedley]

Stream and reeds, Lauerz
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1416/5441856147_d96d37af25_b.jpg
This was with a Dallmeyer wide angle landscape no.4, at f/11, on T-Max 100.

[Stephane]

Legzira, Morroco, magnifying glass 360/3
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5259/5521735235_12fe93213a_b.jpg

Legzira, Morroco, Lancaster 340/8 (out of barrel)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5251/5522325058_d1b53b0e68_b.jpg

[eddie]

Legzira, Morroco, magnifying glass 360/3


love the top one.

[David Aimone]

Did these in Maine with an antique meniscus that Mr. Galli mounted in a polaroid shutter. Decent results for first attempt, now I know more what to expect:

http://www.davidaimone.com/img/v19/p90754947-5.jpg

http://www.davidaimone.com/img/v18/p439757155-5.jpg

[john wood]

Man that last one is beautiful...Maine and Mendocino look similar sometimes... Great feeling in this one...seems like I'm in a foggy haze, lamenting a loss...sound of waves being about the only thing keeping me tethered to reality..

[ImSoNegative]

reviving the thread here are a couple shot yesturday using an old brass something i bought recently, shot on a burke and james 5x7 w/4x5 back

[David Aimone]

Nice work, ISN...lovely

Here's another one with a simple meniscus wide open:

http://www.davidaimone.com/img/v34/p866647083-4.jpg

The bits of sunlight through the trees on top getting funky.

[jp]

http://www.f64.nu/photo/tmp/lff/img415.jpg

Rockland ME. Kodak 305 portrait wide open. B&J 8x10, fomapan100 in pyrocatHD. Strangely, I'm thrilled at how the utility pole and street lamp came out, better than the ferris wheel I think. I'm not thrilled about having a trash can in the foreground. I think I will be on the lookout for more scenes containing utility poles or street lamps and play the possibilities out a little more.

[Steve M Hostetter]

http://www.f64.nu/photo/tmp/lff/img415.jpg

Rockland ME. Kodak 305 portrait wide open. B&J 8x10, fomapan100 in pyrocatHD. Strangely, I'm thrilled at how the utility pole and street lamp came out, better than the ferris wheel I think. I'm not thrilled about having a trash can in the foreground. I think I will be on the lookout for more scenes containing utility poles or street lamps and play the possibilities out a little more.

I like it

[Jim Galli]

I like it

Me too. If you cropped the modern bottom off you could convince yourself that Steiglitz took it around 1896 or so.

[tom_tomek]

Maris
did you unscrew meniscus glass from barrel and get full aperture or did you shot Forest at f/11 (glass on barrel)? I have TTH landscape meniscus f/11 but unscrewed from barrel it's about f/5,2 with beautiful lights that spreads out of whole image - just like on your Forest picture.
Tomek

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Autumn fun with the Goerz Doppel Anastigmat Series III 210/6.8. Both shots taken wide open with the same DAIII on the Canham 8x10, tripod in the same spot, the first this past October (on Portra 400NC), the second (seen before in these forums, Fuji Pro 160S) the previous summer. I think maybe leaves make things softer and dreamier than bare wood, but perhaps I should have guessed as much.
Larry

Larry, because of the last shot that you posted a while ago I bought this lens! Love the painterly quality!

[bobpin]

Lancaster 380mm Meniscus wide open ~F7 with 810 ortho film processed with 510-pyro 1:500 13mins.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6169/6184848145_e7495fc707_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58933716@N00/6184848145/)
Bride's Pool (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58933716@N00/6184848145/) by bobpin2007 (http://www.flickr.com/people/58933716@N00/), on Flickr

[Marko Trebusak]

Quite some great looking images. Let me add something too. These were posted in Abstract thread, but I think they belong here as well. Ice plates, after water dissapeared from the large puddle.

Hermagis #3 wide open on Delta 100

http://1vtis.si/forum/led.jpg

http://1vtis.si/forum/led_3.jpg

Cheers,
Marko

[jp]

Marko; those are very nice composition; the low contrast winter time is great for soft focus.

[Steve M Hostetter]

Lancaster 380mm Meniscus wide open ~F7 with 810 ortho film processed with 510-pyro 1:500 13mins.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6169/6184848145_e7495fc707_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58933716@N00/6184848145/)
Bride's Pool (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58933716@N00/6184848145/) by bobpin2007 (http://www.flickr.com/people/58933716@N00/), on Flickr

I really like this Bob!

[Marko Trebusak]

Marko; those are very nice composition; the low contrast winter time is great for soft focus.

Thanks! Winter time is great for everything, photography included. Especially if there is lots of snow and cold.

Cheers,
Marko

[Marko Trebusak]

I concur. I like that a lot. Another of those "I wish I'd done that" images.

Thanks! I'm actually very pleased with it as well.

Cheers,
Marko

[bobpin]

I really like this Bob!

Thank you Steve :)

[SamReeves]

Lancaster 380mm Meniscus wide open ~F7 with 810 ortho film processed with 510-pyro 1:500 13mins.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6169/6184848145_e7495fc707_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58933716@N00/6184848145/)
Bride's Pool (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58933716@N00/6184848145/) by bobpin2007 (http://www.flickr.com/people/58933716@N00/), on Flickr

Nice!! That's getting the infrared halo without the infrared film. :D

[Marko Trebusak]

Nice!! That's getting the infrared halo without the infrared film. :D

Yes, that's one of the nice things about soft focus ;). I like this image as well. Very nicely balanced.

Marko

[Stephane]

One of the few waterfalls is Oslo...

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6220615193_c767e0297c_b.jpg

[Marko Trebusak]

One of the few waterfalls is Oslo...



Nice and dreamy. Very nice, Stephane.

Marko

[ImSoNegative]

here is one i shot a couple of weeks back not sure if i posted it or not, shot with an old B&L lens wide open, burke and james 5x7 w/4x5 back http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6128/5947025585_14f8f8cfdc_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/28713901@N04/5947025585/)
oak leaves (http://www.flickr.com/photos/28713901@N04/5947025585/) by J. Golden (http://www.flickr.com/people/28713901@N04/), on Flickr

[stefan d]

http://www.stefandieterich.de/inhalt/images/Forenbilder/580B.jpg

A path near Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
9" Struss Pictorial, 4x5" Kodak TriX

[Stephane]

Oslo botanic garden

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6223762976_6c195f4118_b.jpg

[taulen]

Very very nice, also the one with the waterfall is terrific !
Every time I see one of your photos, I always say to myself, thats got to be one of Stephane's photo, and I have only been wrong once. =)

[bobpin]

Lancaster 380mm Meniscus wide open ~F7 with 810 ortho film processed with 510-pyro 1:500 16mins.


http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/uu222/bobpin/Landscape/Lancaster02b.jpg

[bobpin]

Lancaster 380mm Meniscus wide open ~F7 with 810 ortho film processed with 510-pyro 1:500 16mins.


One more:
http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/uu222/bobpin/Landscape/Lancaster01.jpg

[eddie]

Lancaster 380mm Meniscus wide open ~F7 with 810 ortho film processed with 510-pyro 1:500 16mins.


nice. that far middle rock is glowing perfectly.

[Hugo Zhang]

WP Format with Tmax 400 film and Pinkham lens.

[Tri Tran]

WP Format with Tmax 400 film and Pinkham lens.

It's really soft Hugo, are you sure you had the PS on board?

[fluidrive]

Lost Canoe, tom thompson.
8 x 10 daguerreotype produced from 8 x 10 tri X negative.

hermagis portrait lens, deardorff field.
sunrise.

[fluidrive]

sorry another try at that thumbnail

[Stephane]

Zara lying on a beach near Sidi Ifni, Morocco.
Scan of an 8x10 print from a 5x7 negative, part of the last print exchange (hint?)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/6350588247_e31be0eddb_b.jpg

[jp]

part of the last print exchange (hint?)


I recognized it immediately because of the print exchange! Excellent.

[Scott Walker]

Very nice Stephane

[goamules]

Old adobe, Mesilla, NM. This building was probably present when Billy the Kid was tried there. 7 1/2" Verito on 5x7 Ilford.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6233/6363538713_d2912fa4dd_b.jpg

[gbogatko]

3 from today
All with an Imagon 250
RB Graflex

George

[Jim Galli]

3 from today
All with an Imagon 250
RB Graflex

George

All gorgeous, but the middle one especially graceful.

[gbogatko]

Thank you Jim!!

[pbryld]

Why did this thread die?

I would love to see more.

[buggz]

Nice.
Did you use any of the discs with these, or no?
If so, which one(s)?


3 from today
All with an Imagon 250
RB Graflex

George

[David Hedley]

A cherry orchard in the German black forest;
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7056/7064968733_aa22278a01_b.jpg
Sinar F, Cooke PS945 wide open, Delta 100 / Rodinal

[northcarolinajack]

Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, NC have done a great job building
a Greenway Park System. This is a trail system that connect all the
creeks in the city and county. Here is a shot of McAlpine Creek Trail.
This little Danforth lens opened up is just a little soft, which I like.

Camera -- Speed Graflex
Lens – Wide Angle Danforth uncorked
Film – Ilford HP-4 – Exposure 1/30th at F4


Jack



www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Harris-Photography/109348465760954

[goamules]

Wholeplate HP5 with Verito 7 1/2".

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7647676914_0f5a6c1bc2_c.jpg

[davehyams]

Nice shot Garrett, I love Mesilla, need to get back there sometime and shoot some wet plate.

[cosmicexplosion]

A foggy scene to help further soften the Kodak Portrait Lens, 305mm shot open at f/4.8, 1/50 second, on Portra 400NC with a Canham 8x10. This is a better scan (Epson V750 with negative taped to ANR glass and suspended over the scanner bed by 4 cents, corresponding well to the worth of my work) of this shot that I previously posted in the "Galli Style" thread, it eliminates some Newton rings and I think better matches the true exposure of the negative to better bring out a bit more of the color of the actual scene. Some of the softness is the fog, but I think most of the credit for yet another soft image from me goes to Kodak, rather than needing to blame my usual ineptitude. Critiques as always are welcome, my "expertise" grows best through all of your collective talent, wisdom and knowledge
Larry
(If anyone is actually interested I can post a sharply focused modern lens version of the same scene for contrast and amusement)


this image is beautiful, i can smell the air, and feel the stillness. soo many good shots here.

[goamules]

Nice shot Garrett, I love Mesilla, need to get back there sometime and shoot some wet plate.

Hi Dave, yes Mesilla is a enchanted place that I have many good memories of. I lived in Las Cruces just a 10 min drive away. But now I'm in Tucson (where the second shot, Mark's house, was taken). Aren't you in Santa Fe? When I lived in LC, we always planned trips to Santa Fe for the best of the Land of Enchantment!

[Reinhold Schable]

Hayden Covered Bridge (1918) Alsea, Oregon.

77828 77829

285mm Wollaston Meniscus, 5x7 Deardorff.
FP4, Home brew. One @ f:11, one @ f:5.6

Reinhold

Wollaston's available here:
www.Re-inventedPhotoEquip.com

[Jon Wilson]

Here are 2 images taken last weekend in Hells Canyon/Bonneville region with a 9 inch Struss Pictorial lens and my little pacemaker. Both were shot at f8, but the focal shutter helped in providing faster shutter speeds.

[goamules]

Wow Jon, don't see too many Struss Pictorial lenses being used. Good job.

[Jon Wilson]

Wow Jon, don't see too many Struss Pictorial lenses being used. Good job.
Thanks Garrett. It was very hot out and one never truly knows what "circle of diffusion" you get until you get the neg out of the soup. :)

[wentbackward]

A cherry orchard in the German black forest;
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7056/7064968733_aa22278a01_b.jpg
Sinar F, Cooke PS945 wide open, Delta 100 / Rodinal


This is lovely David. Have not seen much of this lens character. The focus fall-off is so smooth, buoyant almost

[alman1]

Soft trees. Fuji xray film, Verito, Foma Matt Paper.
I learned so much on this forum, so I am trying to post too, but there are so many beautiful photos here...

77937

Alain

[jon.oman]

Soft trees. Fuji xray film, Verito, Foma Matt Paper.
I learned so much on this forum, so I am trying to post too, but there are so many beautiful photos here...

77937

Alain

Very nice image!

[pbryld]

Soft trees. Fuji xray film, Verito, Foma Matt Paper.
I learned so much on this forum, so I am trying to post too, but there are so many beautiful photos here...

77937

Alain

Very nice. You may want to read Ansel Adams' books if you are new to this stuff.

[alman1]

Thank you jon and pbryld.

I have Ansel Adams books, but from reading to perfect practice, the path is loooooong

[gsinico]

http://gelatina.altervista.org/FIAT%20FUERUNT/content/images/large/_boarioScan_120923_0009.jpg

I post here, but it is a second submission: soft focus 250 fujinon is the main reason...

[Jim Galli]

I post here, but it is a second submission: soft focus 250 fujinon is the main reason...

Beautiful balance of softness, glow, and detail with this lens.

[gsinico]

Beautiful balance of softness, glow, and detail with this lens.

I'm learning to use this lens, it is a big effort, this one is f/9 + yellow disk.
I'm praticing portrait with SF too. Any tips?

[evan clarke]

http://gelatina.altervista.org/FIAT%20FUERUNT/content/images/large/_boarioScan_120923_0009.jpg

I post here, but it is a second submission: soft focus 250 fujinon is the main reason...


Beautiful Giovanni, Did you use the strainer? If not, what aperture? Evan Clarke

[Jim Galli]

I'm learning to use this lens, it is a big effort, this one is f/9 + yellow disk.
I'm praticing portrait with SF too. Any tips?

Here's a tip. Find a girl that looks like the one Luke (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?94444-September-2012-portraits&p=935330&viewfull=1#post935330) is photographing over in the portrait thread :~'))

[Miguel Coquis]

...with the Italian soft touch ,

[gsinico]

Beautiful Giovanni, Did you use the strainer? If not, what aperture? Evan Clarke

I've got both the strainers for the 250 SF, red and yellow dot. Till now I've only used this lens with the yellow strainer and used F/ between 8 and 11 (yellow marks), so this one will be f/9 (yellow marks).
I wonder if I take it off, because as you can easy see in the small glow on the left of the tree there are some littles spot surronding, this is the strainer mark.
I would like to see only one white spot on the glows. Hope you can undestand my english explanation...

:)

[gsinico]

Here's a tip. Find a girl that looks like the one Luke (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?94444-September-2012-portraits&p=935330&viewfull=1#post935330) is photographing over in the portrait thread :~'))

yess, and then ???
;-)

maybe italians find better dark hairs girl than blondes one...

[gsinico]

...with the Italian soft touch ,

I've posted a portrait of a madam+chamonix in the mirror,
see the september portraits section.
The light was quite dim, it was f/8 1/2sec. yellow "strainer" disk.

[gsinico]

Beautiful Giovanni, Did you use the strainer? If not, what aperture? Evan Clarke

those trees are Taxodium distichum, and I find them on the mountain, val Camonica, Boario termal park. here the ground grass is completely wet.

[evan clarke]

HaHa..a great situation with the GG!

[evan clarke]

I love this look so Much I bought this lens, I love it so much I bought the 180 too. Thanks for the inspiration, I love this dreamy, soft treatment..Evan Clarke

[gsinico]

I love this look so Much I bought this lens, I love it so much I bought the 180 too. Thanks for the inspiration, I love this dreamy, soft treatment..Evan Clarke

I wonder if I can take the 180 instead of the 250, but I have yet a 180 non soft focus, and I would not have double... too hard to choose between... (it's also a word joke?).
I'm involving in the praticize with one at time, and it is a beautiful choiche if I have to borrow it for a 8x10" guy.

[adamc]

I shot this one back in September. Wolf Creek in Banning State Park, MN. It was taken with my Speed Graphic and Velostigmat Series II, the soft focus ring set to "15".

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8216/8336827448_f12ef5380b_c.jpg
Arista 400 film - Scanned neg.

[Ramiro Elena]

That is awesome/amazing.

[Scott Schroeder]

Agreed. Really wonderful feeling that compliments the calming landscape.

[andreios]

My, that is one wonderful image. I wouldn't hesitate to hang it on my wall!

[Gary Tarbert]

I shot this one back in September. Wolf Creek in Banning State Park, MN. It was taken with my Speed Graphic and Velostigmat Series II, the soft focus ring set to "15".

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8216/8336827448_f12ef5380b_c.jpg
Arista 400 film - Scanned neg. Very dreamy subjet creally suits the technique used Bravo!! Cheers Gary

[adamc]

Thanks everyone!
Although it's quite a deviation from my usual image-making, I have been really enjoying working in this style.
This is my new favorite Image Sharing thread, Anybody have some to share?? I'd like to see more of these SF landscapes.

[adamc]

Here's another image I took from the same area. A long time ago, this was part of a sandstone quarry.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8081/8336818794_9a2ae1d1d9_c.jpg
scanned neg

[Jim Galli]

Here's another image I took from the same area. A long time ago, this was part of a sandstone quarry.
scanned neg

This is just spectacular. How different from all the run of the mill we see these days. Bravo.

We have a tough go in the desert. No trees to mess with the light. No water for reflections. Lots of sage brush though.

[jp]

Here's another image I took from the same area. A long time ago, this was part of a sandstone quarry.

scanned neg

Couple nice photos there! Same lens for this one? Keep shooting and posting!

[adamc]

Thanks to you both!

Jim - I'd like to try photographing in the desert some time, never been to that part of the country.
JP - Yep, same lens / camera. I have more to post, just need to get the scanner fired up again. I'm heading up to Lake Superior for a long weekend, hopefully I'll have more to post next week!

[adamc]

The lack of snow around here is kind of disappointing.
Here is a soft focus photo from a few days ago. It's an old fishing shack on the north shore of Lake Superior.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8509/8385705814_22b5c4b571_c.jpg
Speed Graphic / Velostigmat Series 2 / Tri-x 320
scanned neg

[Ramiro Elena]

I need to take my Velostigmat appart!

Another great one Adam. You should do a book or exhibit with these.

[gbogatko]

I shot this one back in September. Wolf Creek in Banning State Park, MN. It was taken with my Speed Graphic and Velostigmat Series II, the soft focus ring set to "15".


How did you set it to 15? I thought it only went to 5? Did you remove the stop screw? :-)

[Scott Schroeder]

The lack of snow around here is kind of disappointing.
Here is a soft focus photo from a few days ago. It's an old fishing shack on the north shore of Lake Superior.

Speed Graphic / Velostigmat Series 2 / Tri-x 320
scanned neg

That's a great photo. love it.

[D-tach]

The lack of snow around here is kind of disappointing.
Here is a soft focus photo from a few days ago. It's an old fishing shack on the north shore of Lake Superior.


Speed Graphic / Velostigmat Series 2 / Tri-x 320
scanned neg

I like this very much, beautiful

[adamc]

Thanks again, everyone!
gbogatko - Yes, the screw was removed when I got the lens. If I remember right, it can go to about "25" before the front element comes completely off.

Adam

[Jim Fitzgerald]

A little while ago I got this Half of a Hermagis Edioscop 150 from Jim Galli. I love this little 275mm gem of a lens. The second image is shot with this lens and the first one is from my 14" Darlot shot wide open. Both are scanned carbon prints.

[Tri Tran]

A little while ago I got this Half of a Hermagis Edioscop 150 from Jim Galli. I love this little 275mm gem of a lens. The second image is shot with this lens and the first one is from my 14" Darlot shot wide open. Both are scanned carbon prints.

Great lens , great images.I will double check ... I think Jim sold me the other half :)

[Jim Galli]

Great lens , great images.I will double check ... I think Jim sold me the other half :)

Don't give me any ideas!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Jim,any more half lenses in shutters to sell. I remember getting some crap from some of my friends ( not Tri) for buying this lens from you.To bad I knew from my research what it would do. Love it.

[Joe Forks]

The Ranch in Hondo. Zone VI 8x10, Wollensak series A one size too small. HP5 in pyro MC, test / contact print

[Scott Schroeder]

Darlot petzval I was actually having trouble with. But it's pretty 'soft' ;-)

http://www.schroederworks.com/Wetplate/CypressRiver.jpg

[jon.oman]

Here's another image I took from the same area. A long time ago, this was part of a sandstone quarry.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8081/8336818794_9a2ae1d1d9_c.jpg
scanned neg

Wonderful image! The light is just fantastic.....

[Jim Galli]

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/MisclMenisci/150Lancstr130Kodak/ClarkSta130s.jpg
clark station, 5 mile ranch, east of tonopah

The rancher says the wood buildings were first a stage stop on the road to Ely, NV from Tonopah, then a highway stop with gas pumps. There's a foundation for a garage this side of the trees. The road goes around the hill in the back now, so these ancients are undisturbed.

4X5 130mm Kodak Achromatic Meniscus (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?99390-4X5-Soft-Focus-in-Shutters!-2-Achromatic-Meniscus-lenses!-Lancaster-150mm-NoName-130) put into a Betax shutter.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/MisclMenisci/150Lancstr130Kodak/AncientTrees150s.jpg
ancient trees

This one with the Lancaster in the same listing as above.

[Marko Trebusak]

Wonderfoul images Jim! Ah, and another Jim reminded me, that I have some tests with half of Eidoscope #3 to develop.

Makro

[Marko Trebusak]

Darlot petzval I was actually having trouble with. But it's pretty 'soft' ;-)

Scott, I would say "wild", but that just me. And I like this image somehow.

Marko

[life_in_sepia]

It's an old fishing shack on the north shore of Lake Superior.

That's a beauty!

[tgtaylor]

A work print from last night that I stopped after determining the basic exposure - I had to get-up early and I wanted to "live" with the print a few days before deciding whether to go further and, if so, how.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8089/8455295812_229da7ac7f_b.jpg

Shot on Fuji Acros with a Toyo 45CF using a 250mm Rodenstock Imagon lens @ H5.8. Printed on Ilford MG Art.

Thomas

[Ramiro Elena]

Olive tree
Graflex Speed Graphic
Lupagon 102mm ƒ3
Foma100 in Moersch Finol

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8522/8465296855_46e3192991_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8465296855/)
Lupagon 102mm ƒ2,3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8465296855/) by rabato (http://www.flickr.com/people/rabato/), on Flickr

Same thing at ƒ8 trying to get a little less soft.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8241/8465338383_428a7eda57_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8465338383/)
Lupagon 102mm ƒ2,3 @ƒ8 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8465338383/) by rabato (http://www.flickr.com/people/rabato/), on Flickr

[C. D. Keth]

I like the first of those a lot, Ramiro. It's almost a gesture of a tree rather than a full rendering.

[Joe O'Hara]

Agreed!

[Ramiro Elena]

Thanks! I am somewhat dissapointed though. The image in the GG was really nice. Same softness but a lot more detail, I am a bit puzzled. Even so I like the first one too. I had high hopes put in this lens and the ability of stopping it down for more definition.

[Marko Trebusak]

Ramiro, try your lupe with orange filter. You might have problems with chromatic abberation and focusing shift.

Marko

[Ramiro Elena]

!!!!

Thanks!

[Ramiro Elena]

Can't compare it with the other two because I used a meniscus lens instead of the magnifying glass. This is with an orange filter but didn't shoot one without it to compare it with.
It is more accurate however. I can do better since I underexposed by one stop and the sun moved form behind the trunk. There are some nice textures in the out of focus areas if you look at the larger version.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8094/8468148413_ab8d8317aa_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8468148413/)
Meniscus olive tree (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8468148413/) by rabato (http://www.flickr.com/people/rabato/), on Flickr

Eastman View 8x10
Meniscus lens from the front of a Petzval 300mm ƒ5,6
Efke100 in Moersch Finol

[Marko Trebusak]

Ramiro, if you ask me, I much prefer this last one. The first one is dreamiest of them all, but I find it rather out of focus and without detail, even at this small size. You observed that as well. The second one have too muzch "tunnel vision" effect for my taste. On the other hand this last one is just beautifoul.

Marko

[adamc]

I agree with Marko - the last one is very beautiful, Ramiro.
The last one feels like it's sharp and soft in just the right spots. Nice work!

[Ramiro Elena]

Thanks Marko and Adam. I totally agree with you two. Although I like that pictorial dreamy character in the first one. I will try more with the orange filter.

[Marko Trebusak]

Ramiro, you might try to test the right spot for focusing lens with chromatic abberation. If I remember correctly, you'll need to move rear standard a bit forward from your best focus. Frederick Ewans coplained on his Dallmeyer-Bergheim soft focus lens, that he can't be sure what he'll get, so you are in a good company ;).

Marko

[Petzval Paul]

I shot this one back in September. Wolf Creek in Banning State Park, MN. It was taken with my Speed Graphic and Velostigmat Series II, the soft focus ring set to "15".

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8216/8336827448_f12ef5380b_c.jpg
Arista 400 film - Scanned neg.

I love this! The light is just shimmering and the image is surcharge with atmosphere!

[Peter Lewin]

Adamc: Beautiful image, it makes me feel as if I'm back around 1910, contrasting the Pictorialist school with the then-new F64 club!

[jp]

Ramiro, you might try to test the right spot for focusing lens with chromatic abberation. If I remember correctly, you'll need to move rear standard a bit forward from your best focus. Frederick Ewans coplained on his Dallmeyer-Bergheim soft focus lens, that he can't be sure what he'll get, so you are in a good company ;).

Marko

Back then, the plates & film had different sensitivity to spectrum (more UV sensitive) so it could focus differently, and the Dallmeyer-Bergheim soft focus lens was more complicated than most. The biggest problem focusing now with soft lenses is that we must usually focus at the aperture to be used because of changes in spherical aberration (I'd say distribution of focus) as things are stopped down.

[Marko Trebusak]

You are right, that material changed. But even today's film is very much sensytive in blue and UV region. Just look at say Ilford Delta spectral sensitivity (http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2010628953322222.pdf). And the fact is, that with orange filter on simple lens resolution is better than without it. You are also right, that one must focus at taking apperture, but in my experience that is just part of the problem of focusing lens with both chromatic and spherical abberation.

Marko

[Ramiro Elena]

Same set up as before but without a filter.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8515/8483563906_b1ba402d7e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8483563906/)
Almendros (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8483563906/) by rabato (http://www.flickr.com/people/rabato/), on Flickr
Eastman View 8x10
Meniscus lens 300m aprox ƒ5,6
Efke100 in Moersch Finol


PS: I shot some 4x5 with a modified Velostigmat that were a horror to focus. Will develop soon...

[jp]

Same set up as before but without a filter.


Eastman View 8x10
Meniscus lens 300m aprox ƒ5,6
Efke100 in Moersch Finol


PS: I shot some 4x5 with a modified Velostigmat that were a horror to focus. Will develop soon...

That's damn cool. The feeling and mood and composition work well with soft here!

[Ramiro Elena]

Thanks!

Here's the same place and same day with a Toyo 45A and a modified Wollensak Velostigmat 7½ at ƒ4,5
Foma100 in Moersch Finol.
I overdid the fuzz which made it impossible to focus. The results are not great either. I much prefer the look of the meniscus lens on 8x10.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8529/8490362068_27db5a5052_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8490362068/)
Almendros (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8490362068/) by rabato (http://www.flickr.com/people/rabato/), on Flickr

Here's at ƒ11. The result is equally fuzzy.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8242/8489253531_ca1d500da1_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8489253531/)
Almendros (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabato/8489253531/) by rabato (http://www.flickr.com/people/rabato/), on Flickr

[adamc]

A white pine. My father-in-law calls them the King of the Forest.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8252/8493383763_3c0bdbc1ab_z.jpg
scanned neg

[adamc]

Man, this winter is getting loooong - and another snow storm is on the way.
I guess these could also go in the 'post your trees' thread, but I like this thread better.

Pacemaker Speed Graphic, old barrel lens, Tri-x 320:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8531/8494484558_f95206da71_z.jpg
scanned neg

[jp]

How big a deal a fraction of a stop makes! I slightly favor the f6.6 version here as there is nothing really needing the detail of the f8. 4x5 tmy2 in pyrocat hd.

190mm reinhold wollaston meniscus at f6.6, speed graphic.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8386/8526987109_0b83f48d83_z.jpg

and at f8

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8392/8528102028_b13b38fa39_z.jpg

[Joe Forks]

Zone VI 8x10 with #2 Eidoscope @f14 1/50th, HP5, pyro mc two bath, scan of sepia toned rc contact print.
did have some uneven development, but not bad.

[CCHarrison]

Swamp

Dan

http://antiquecameras.net/images/860_swamps7.jpg

[Joe Forks]

Nice Dan!

[adamc]

That's beautiful, Dan. Nice work.

[Kerik Kouklis]

Dan, wow! Nice.

[andreios]

Dan, that is a wonderful image! Could you share any further information about it?

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Dan, yes that is a beautiful image! Do tell?

[Jim Fitzgerald]

In the dark forest.

[CCHarrison]

Thanks for the nice compliments !

Ektar 127mm on an old Crown Graphic camera on Polaroid 55, softened with a piece of "nude" nylon stocking... tweaked in PSE 9

Dan

[evan clarke]

Last year, Giovanni Sinico posted a beautiful picture made with a Fuji SF lens and I really like the look. Over the winter, I acquired 4 of them, 180 and 250, 2 in Seiko shutters and 2 in black copal shutters. Finally mad pics with them last week.

[evan clarke]

Conley 7 1/2" meniscus...

[gsinico]

thanks for the appreciation... I'm still in the learning curve of this lens...

[JRCriton]

Just wondering, but what's the difference between using a UV filter with vaseline on it vs a soft focus lens?

Here's an example of a photo I took with my 4x5 camera with a vaseline coated UV filter on the lens. I used Adox Ort 25 and the F/stop was 45. Sample image (http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/114/7/8/test_image_of_stairs_copy_by_jeremybrotherton-d62wxuh.jpg)

[jp]

You're welcome to do make it soft anyway you want, but it's a naieve question that borders on trolling considering the cult following of soft focus collectors and users.

Your image is the softness I'd get if I brought my head up out of the water and water was still in my eyes. Normal soft focus lenses layer simultaneous soft and proper focus; how evenly that is distributed varies by lens and aperture. How strong the ratio of soft to proper focus is usually a results of spherical aberration that diminishes as you stop down. Not always but normally (imagon/fuji being exceptions that let you vary softness with discs rather than solely with aperture, and some older soft focus lenses have a separate softness dial)

The academic answer is to review old lens brochures (found on line), and Russ Young's overview (thesis pdf)

The real long answer is to try it.

[JRCriton]

You're welcome to do make it soft anyway you want, but it's a naive question that borders on trolling considering the cult following of soft focus collectors and users.

Your image is the softness I'd get if I brought my head up out of the water and water was still in my eyes. Normal soft focus lenses layer simultaneous soft and proper focus; how evenly that is distributed varies by lens and aperture. How strong the ratio of soft to proper focus is usually a results of spherical aberration that diminishes as you stop down. Not always but normally (imagon/fuji being exceptions that let you vary softness with discs rather than solely with aperture, and some older soft focus lenses have a separate softness dial)

The academic answer is to review old lens brochures (found on line), and Russ Young's overview (thesis pdf)

The real long answer is to try it.


I really didn't mean it as a trolling question. I honestly was wondering what the difference is visually? What is the benefits of the lens vs a filter? Okay I'll try to word it another way. I once wanted to use fog in images so I started studying what different methods would do visually. I wondered if I used a filter on the camera what it would do vs diffusion on the enlarger lens, vs Photoshop vs a fog machine. And after I looked deeper I found out that each has it's pluses and draw back that vary visually. So yeah, that's what I meant and was wondering. "but it's a [naive] question" Why is it bad that I'm asking a "naive" question? We all start somewhere do we not? And since it was truly a naive question that I asked and since I meant no harm by it, I don't understand why I should be made to feel bad for asking it?

P.S. So what would be a good lens to start off with that would fit a 4x4 lens board? Would it be shutter less? How can I find out more to see what would best fit my visual needs? Also what are the benefits of disks vs stopping down? It seems to me with what little I know that disks would be limiting? Where as being able to vary the effect with the aperture would give you more control?

P.S.S Thank you for mentioning Russ Young's overview I'm really enjoying it.

[Reinhold Schable]

jp498 made some good observations on using a meniscus lens. See post # 10 here:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?100643-250mm-f-3-4-Wollaston-Meniscus-Lens&highlight=reinhold
A few years ago I experimented with fog filters made by lightly dusting some hair spray on a UV filter.
It worked ok, but I found that a strong contrast object in the near foreground kept the mushy "fog" effect on more distant objects from overwhelming the photo.
I find that longer meniscus lenses have a more gradual transition from soft to (relatively) sharp scene rendition, making it easier to learn.
For example, here's a 500mm meniscus shot wide open, compared with one stopped down two stops:
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum426/117640-kitchen-sink.html

Reinhold
www.re-inventedPhotoEquip.com

[evan clarke]

Buy one of Rienhold's Wollastons. They are well made and inexpensive..

[JRCriton]

Buy one of Rienhold's Wollastons. They are well made and inexpensive..

You know when I get the money I just might do that. They look very interesting.

[jp]

I really didn't mean it as a trolling question. I honestly was wondering what the difference is visually? What is the benefits of the lens vs a filter? Okay I'll try to word it another way. I once wanted to use fog in images so I started studying what different methods would do visually. I wondered if I used a filter on the camera what it would do vs diffusion on the enlarger lens, vs Photoshop vs a fog machine. And after I looked deeper I found out that each has it's pluses and draw back that vary visually. So yeah, that's what I meant and was wondering. "but it's a [naive] question" Why is it bad that I'm asking a "naive" question? We all start somewhere do we not? And since it was truly a naive question that I asked and since I meant no harm by it, I don't understand why I should be made to feel bad for asking it?

P.S. So what would be a good lens to start off with that would fit a 4x4 lens board? Would it be shutter less? How can I find out more to see what would best fit my visual needs? Also what are the benefits of disks vs stopping down? It seems to me with what little I know that disks would be limiting? Where as being able to vary the effect with the aperture would give you more control?

P.S.S Thank you for mentioning Russ Young's overview I'm really enjoying it.

I know you didn't mean it as a trolling question, but people have done similar things, particularly like "why do you need that $5k antique cult lens when you just smear some vaseline on a cheap filter?" A general clash of people taking pride in thrift versus people who take pride in their tools/historical collection.

Diffusion in a camera diffuses light. Diffusion on the enlarger diffuses darkness.

Reinhold's lens is an inexpensive and practical way to get started. It's mostly what I use. Varying aperture to control softness is easy. Jim Galli also builds soft focus lenses; haven't tried his, but plenty of people have. Both are nice guys. Fuji makes some affordable softs but they aren't really soft enough for my taste. Imagons would be the next affordable. The discs vary spherical aberration by controlling light ratios of light entering the center of the lens versus the perimeter; the discs control light entering the permiter. This allows depth of field control with softness adjustability. But highlights can take on the shape of the disc, which is unfortunate, but you can use them without discs. Then, there is the Kodak 305 portrait starting at about $600 After that, they get less affordable. Budget a box of film too. you won't be able to figure out a soft focus lens with a few sheets of test film. You have to actually use it regularly to get in tune with it.

[JRCriton]

I know you didn't mean it as a trolling question, but people have done similar things, particularly like "why do you need that $5k antique cult lens when you just smear some vaseline on a cheap filter?" A general clash of people taking pride in thrift versus people who take pride in their tools/historical collection.

Diffusion in a camera diffuses light. Diffusion on the enlarger diffuses darkness.

Reinhold's lens is an inexpensive and practical way to get started. It's mostly what I use. Varying aperture to control softness is easy. Jim Galli also builds soft focus lenses; haven't tried his, but plenty of people have. Both are nice guys. Fuji makes some affordable softs but they aren't really soft enough for my taste. Imagons would be the next affordable. The discs vary spherical aberration by controlling light ratios of light entering the center of the lens versus the perimeter; the discs control light entering the permiter. This allows depth of field control with softness adjustability. But highlights can take on the shape of the disc, which is unfortunate, but you can use them without discs. Then, there is the Kodak 305 portrait starting at about $600 After that, they get less affordable. Budget a box of film too. you won't be able to figure out a soft focus lens with a few sheets of test film. You have to actually use it regularly to get in tune with it.

I think I found a lot of good information related to all the questions I have here http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?98989-Convert-normal-lenses-to-soft-focus/page1
Thank you all for the help I'll wonder off that way now so I'm no longer diverting the original posts topic.

[jon.oman]

Buy one of Rienhold's Wollastons. They are well made and inexpensive..

I just ordered the 285mm version........

[evan clarke]

I just ordered the 285mm version........

You'll be happy, it's a product made from passion and well done

[jp]

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3832/9294954505_a13a086b8b_c.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13759696@N02/9294954505/sizes/c/in/photostream/

Loring Air Force Base, Limestone ME. Reinhold Wollaston 190mm meniscus lens at f8. Speed graphic, 4x5 FP4+ film in pyrocat HD

The light and foreground flowers drew me in to the scene when I drove by real slow. I stopped and setup the camera. It's a closed base, so no worry about photographing secret cold war infrastructure. It's a genre I like, mixing pictorialism and modernism in different ways.

[Jim Galli]

I recognize those! Those are approach lights for landing flying saucers. Didn't know they had any in Maine!


http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3832/9294954505_a13a086b8b_c.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13759696@N02/9294954505/sizes/c/in/photostream/

Loring Air Force Base, Limestone ME. Reinhold Wollaston 190mm meniscus lens at f8. Speed graphic, 4x5 FP4+ film in pyrocat HD

The light and foreground flowers drew me in to the scene when I drove by real slow. I stopped and setup the camera. It's a closed base, so no worry about photographing secret cold war infrastructure. It's a genre I like, mixing pictorialism and modernism in different ways.

[TimeShare]

Conley 7 1/2" meniscus...

Very nice image !

[jp]

It has the DOF of a small aperture but was photographed at f8. Soft focus is essentially focus stacking for landscapes as not everything comes into focus at the same spot; a fatter DOF in each shot compared to a sharp lens. A pinhole would be a guaranteed way to achieve a soft landscape.

[Stephane]

Queribus castle with wineyards in the foreground, back home last July, 1h exposure, as seen through a Plasticca 400mm reversed.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7385/9420060387_cf76ae2517_b.jpg

Geraldine in the Agly River, near Planezes (France), as seen through a Kalosat.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/9420063613_c8d3bbf6c0_b.jpg

[Jim Cole]

Stephan,

I really like the Kalosat image. A perfect use of the lens.

[Jim Galli]

stephan,

i really like the kalosat image. A perfect use of the lens.

x2 ++

[Steve M Hostetter]

wonderful Stephan

[Harley Goldman]

Geraldine in the Agly River, near Planezes (France), as seen through a Kalosat.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2887/9420063613_c8d3bbf6c0_b.jpg

This is taking great advantage of the lens glow. It works beautifully, with a great dreamy quality. Very well done.

[gsinico]

http://www.gelatina.altervista.org/Gaina%20Falls%202012/content/images/large/Gaina_03.jpg


some SF250 fujinon shot on trans

[gsinico]

http://www.gelatina.altervista.org/Ritratti%20agostani/content/images/large/08_2013Scan_130901_0028.jpg

Sisters

(Seems to me that there is not a soft portrait thread here, so it is a bit landscape and the rest portraiture.)

fujinon SF 180

shoot in front of the Linhof Technica of my best friend Paolo.
It was the first time for him to shoot with his new outfit.
Unluckily he pull on the light in the darkroom reloading this sheet, so he wasn't able to have any pic of those nouns.

[vitality]

http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55245071/photo/sinar_pulligny_landscape_lens.jpg

http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/55245071/photo/sinar_pulligny_landscape_lens_fp4%2B.jpg
Sinar Alpina, Pulligny Adj. Landscape lens, Fp4+.

[scheinfluger_77]

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5250505458_e0cfb856b1_b.jpg
Forest Light, Soft Focus

Gelatin-silver photograph on Fomabrom Variant 111 VC FB, image area 21.4cm X 16.5cm, from a Tmax 100 negative exposed in a Tachihara 45GF 4x5 field view camera with a 3 dioptre single meniscus lens.

I realize this is an old thread, but I really love what is happening to the specular highlights in these images. They look like time lapse of waves washing around rocks.

[ImSoNegative]

one shot today, 8x10 using a 200mm Imagon, no disk x ray film

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1546/24216694252_8f713338b7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/CTWTvf)park bench2 (https://flic.kr/p/CTWTvf) by john golden (https://www.flickr.com/photos/126756312@N03/), on Flickr

[jp]

I'm excited to see this thread revived. Keep it up!

[Maris Rusis]

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7573/16089436050_b850a4b094_c.jpg
Past Imperfect #3

Gelatin-silver photograph on Ultrafine Silver Eagle VC FB photographic paper, image size 21.3cm X 16.4cm, from a 4x5 Tri-X Pan Professional negative exposed in a Tachihara 45GF double extension field view camera fitted with a 150mm f4 Wollaston Meniscus soft-focus lens and a #25 red filter. Titled and signed recto, stamped and annotated verso.

My photographer friend died after a long long illness and some of his equipment passed into my hands. There were many film holders that he had loaded with Tri-X fifteen years previously but could not expose. The film had corroded through the passage of years but I took it to those places we had walked with our cameras in times gone by. This Past Imperfect exposure is of a style he would have appreciated.

[Stephane]

Somewhere near Essaouira, over-exposed and through a Port-Land 9".

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1487/23972317819_199189a774_b.jpg

[Leonard Alecu]

Dallmeyer-Bergheim 55" on 8x20 camera. Iceland 2014.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/133949712@N07/24324752196/in/dateposted-public/

[Stephane]

Leonard, there is a little arrow-pointing-down icon in the lower right of the screen when you see your photo in flickr: click on it, then choose "view all sizes". Click on the size you want to show, and right-click on the image to "copy image location".
Here, in the answer window, click on the "insert image" icon, and paste the link in the "insert URL". Then your photo is included in your post...

[Leonard Alecu]

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1651/24324752196_b60e02b64e_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/D4uHnf)A033 (https://flic.kr/p/D4uHnf) by Leonard Gabriel Alecu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/133949712@N07/), on Flickr

[Leonard Alecu]

Thank you Stephane but I can not find a "copy image location".
Yours, Leonard

[jp]

Maris, that is excellent!

I've been out shooting in the snow with my 4x5 speed graphic and soft focus lenses. This is with the 7.25" Verito. FP4+ in pyrocat hdc. Beech Hill, Rockport ME

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1467/25084607931_0169953485_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EdDb1c)
img861 (https://flic.kr/p/EdDb1c)
by Jason Philbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/13759696@N02/), on Flickr

[LeeSimmons]

I've been playing with my Imagon 200mm.

147320
@ F8 3 sec on 20 year out of date tri x, Shen Hoa 4x5 camera.

147321
This second image shot a few minutes apart show the scene different focal length. While a bit of a give away I find it enjoyable to see how the soft focus renders the scene and enjoy the different emotional response I get from it.

It's been fun finding a voice with this lens. I'm slowly starying to find a rendering I like.

Lee

[orgraph]

147345
Ukraine. Wista SP, Fujinon SF 180/5.6 @ 8.5