Struss / Kalosat re-issued?

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Would it make sense to re-issue the Struss / Kalosat lens i.e. make new lenses based on the very same principle also with quartz lens elements? I'm on the brink of doing that for me and have located the main parts already, but wanted to discuss about that before I start.

[eddie]

sounds like you could sell some.....what is your estimate of a price point? focal length?

thanks

[panchro-press]

Mark me as definitely interested.

Dave

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

I don't really know if todays buyers are users and are interested in the results of such a lens or more of the type buying in name/brands for $$$$, therefore the results "have to be" great....

Any price calculation has to be based on production numbers, a prototype is way more expensive as a set of 10 or 20 such lenses, so I'm a bit reluctant to mention figures here. Certainly it will be a fraction only of the todays market price.

[Steven Tribe]

Remanufacture of simple landscape/portrait types - with simple removeable wheel stops (see current e**y Grubb design) - could be a good idea too for a standard designed barrel series for more exotic soft lenses?
Another idea - for our chinese friends perhaps? - would be better built universal iris mount.

[papah]

Make it compatible with a Lensbaby frame, and you'll sell a ton of 'em...

The M4/3, APS format and 35mm full-frame folks really want something like that. Whether they can see the difference is another story.

Whatever you do, I'm interested.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

As you know and have see Bruce I'm already active in that field, but "soft focus" seems to be an acquired taste and most don't like that. For me it is like the appreciation of "bitter" which comes with age...

I plan on having the focal range 100-300mm covered and two possible speed ranges which determine the price, most likely starting at f4.
Steven's idea of having an aperture wheel would make the whole contraption a bit clumsy, I'd rather use available barrels with built in iris.

Btw.: I already have a 25mm quartz soft focus lens developed for 4/3 cameras, which actually triggered this idea here.

Here a recent shot from Lucerne at "l'heure bleue"
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5111199627_b0904864b9_z.jpg

that one from the Cathedral in Nancy
http://www.pbase.com/kds315/image/127464009/original.jpg

and from place Stanislas
http://www.pbase.com/kds315/image/127464019/large.jpg

and a flower closeup from my famous park here in Weinheim
http://www.pbase.com/kds315/image/127464603/large.jpg

[Jim Galli]

Is the Struss also quartz? I've never had a Kalosat, but am happy owner of 2 Struss lenses.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Jim, that was (also) mentioned here:
http://www.antiquecameras.net/images/759_1931central_camera_co_page_couretsu_kimiaki.net.jpg
(c) antiquecameras.net

[Jim Galli]

Jim, that was (also) mentioned here:

(c) antiquecameras.net

Still confused which is normal for me, so some of them perhaps are quartz (optional?) and some are not? How would you know the difference?

[Steven Tribe]

You would find the difference by checking the actinic against the visual focus point. Ordinary spectacle glass has the usual differences whilst, with quartz, they should be very very close.
Perhaps the quartz option was to compete with Kalosat?

[Paul Ewins]

Klaus, if you are talking about something that can be mounted straight into a 0, 1 or 3 shutter (or barrel) then 10 or 20 units might not be unreasonable. The hard part will be trying to discern how much of the soft focus market is driven by collectors (who will only buy something old) and how much by users (who will take what they can get).

If you do go ahead with this project make sure that the lens has an unambiguous name engraved on it so future owners know what they are getting - maybe "Dr Schmitt Quartz Pictorial" or something similar that has the early 20th Century feel to it.

[CCHarrison]

1921 Ad

Dan

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Klaus, if you are talking about something that can be mounted straight into a 0, 1 or 3 shutter (or barrel) then 10 or 20 units might not be unreasonable. The hard part will be trying to discern how much of the soft focus market is driven by collectors (who will only buy something old) and how much by users (who will take what they can get).

If you do go ahead with this project make sure that the lens has an unambiguous name engraved on it so future owners know what they are getting - maybe "Dr Schmitt Quartz Pictorial" or something similar that has the early 20th Century feel to it.

I will consider that shutter fitting of course when I design my solution. It is basically dependent on getting the lens barrels I want. First I will make a (some maybe) prototypes and do performance tests.