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rguinter
12-Feb-2011, 20:56
Greetings:

I'm wondering if anyone has had success using Petzval lenses in extreme closeup / macro photos?

I tried one of mine last week to see how close it would focus and I got this shot at about 10-12 inches from the subject.

But there seems to be a point where it just won't focus if I bring the lens in any closer.

So my next trial is to take it outside and see what closeups I can get. I really like the shallow depth of focus and what it's doing to the background.

Bob G.

Dan Fromm
13-Feb-2011, 03:04
Rob, two thoughts.

First, the minimum front node-to-subject distance is the lens' focal length. You can't get quite that close because it corresponds to infinite magnification which requires infinite extension. Your camera is shorter than that.

Second, the way we work close up is to set extension to get the desired magnification, then move the entire camera-lens assembly to put the plane of best focus where we want it. Try doing that. If you run out of extension, well, you've hit your gear's limit.

walter23
15-Feb-2011, 13:44
Did this out in the forest, maybe 1:1 or so on the negative. Photosig reviewers trashed it. "It's not in focus and I'm confused!"

http://visualfiction.org/zenphoto/albums/4x5new/sm-img003.jpg

Scott --
15-Feb-2011, 14:20
Not exactly macro, but not too far from 1:1...

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5012/5428663299_dfd15f447f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/scott--/5428663299/)
Artichoke-y... (http://www.flickr.com/photos/scott--/5428663299/) by Scott -- (http://www.flickr.com/people/scott--/), on Flickr

rguinter
15-Feb-2011, 14:39
Walter:

I like it. Exactly the kind of thing I'm planning to try with my Petzval once the winter glacier melts and things start growing again.

Bob G.

Two23
16-Feb-2011, 20:44
Walter:

I like it. Exactly the kind of thing I'm planning to try with my Petzval once the winter glacier melts and things start growing again.



Why not go out now and photo the intricate ice formations, the hoar frost that builds up thick on everything outside, and the finely sculpted snow formations? Winter is absolutely my favorite time of year. I love the stark white landscapes, and the sound snow makes as it squeaks beneath my boots when it's below zero.

Ice is to winter as flowers are to spring.


Kent in SD

Jon Wilson
16-Feb-2011, 21:58
Here is one of a gord taken with a 5.5 inch derogy.

Jon Wilson
16-Feb-2011, 22:01
gords with provia 100F

Dr Klaus Schmitt
18-Feb-2011, 07:44
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/5075908626_299c1766dd_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5163/5292489797_5f20c0b9af_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5241/5293087894_33b4faf673_z.jpg

Not sure is this is "macro" enough...

rguinter
18-Feb-2011, 10:26
Why not go out now and photo the intricate ice formations, the hoar frost that builds up thick on everything outside, and the finely sculpted snow formations? Winter is absolutely my favorite time of year. I love the stark white landscapes, and the sound snow makes as it squeaks beneath my boots when it's below zero.

Ice is to winter as flowers are to spring.


Kent in SD

Kent: I certainly agree with you about winter and much prefer the season over all others. I almost never get chilled no matter how cold and stay outdoors endlessly in winter.

And I certainly would do what you say now if there was anything left (reasonably) sanitary to photograph around here.

I work just across the river from Manhattan and live about 25-miles further West.

The filth outside here now after several weeks of no snow and several days of 40F+ is disgusting beyond description. Almost nowhere to go where it isn't filthy with soot and discarded trash. The level of filth even caught the Sierra Club's attention here recently with newspaper articles by its director Jeff Tittel.

But you can bet I'll be out there soon when we get a cleansing rain or snowfall.

This one not exactly a closeup but done before our recent snowfall became so badly adulterated.

Cheers. Bob G.

rguinter
18-Feb-2011, 10:29
gords with provia 100F


Jon:

Man how I do like Provia.

RDP and all its iterations are special favorites of mine.

A great shot.

Bob G.

David Aimone
18-Feb-2011, 10:30
Dr. Klaus,

Those are great! Particularly like the first. I guess I'll be giving my petzval a closeup workout this spring.

David

rguinter
18-Feb-2011, 10:37
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/5075908626_299c1766dd_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5163/5292489797_5f20c0b9af_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5241/5293087894_33b4faf673_z.jpg

Not sure is this is "macro" enough...

Klaus: A great link to UV photos. Thanks.

Were any of these done with film?

If so I would very much like to try my hand.

My starting photo in this thread was taken under a 4-foot, long-wave UV fluorescent tube in my daughter's room and her incandescent room light, both lighting the toys from above.

I was originally going to do it only with the fluroescent tube but then decided to put both lights on for a less dramatic effect.

I was pleased with the colors the film rendered under these conditions and plan to do more with the same lighting scheme.

So let me know on the UV as I would be pleased to hear.

Regards.

Bob G.

Jon Wilson
18-Feb-2011, 11:54
Jon:

Man how I do like Provia.

RDP and all its iterations are special favorites of mine.

A great shot.

Bob G.

Thank you Bob. Provia is pleasing to me too!

rguinter
18-Feb-2011, 18:29
Dr. Klaus,

Those are great! Particularly like the first. I guess I'll be giving my petzval a closeup workout this spring.

David

I agree with David... I particularly like the first.

But that second one is exactly what I was thinking about when starting this thread. And the central flower is so sharply in focus as to look like I can reach out and touch it.

So my favorite by a tiny margin is number two.

And I know what I'll be doing with my Petzval soon when the flowers bloom.

Thanks for showing.

Bob G.

rguinter
23-Feb-2011, 19:56
Last week's film just came back.

And two more Petzval lens closeups just through the scanner.

First one on Portra VC.

Second on CDU II cross processed in C-41.

From the Zemeno Dream Fairy collection;

Bob G.

Kirk Gittings
23-Feb-2011, 20:55
Interesting work guys. Makes me want to get out with my Petzvals.

Guys, shouldn't this be in the image sharing section?

Jim Galli
23-Feb-2011, 22:26
http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Devil/KnockoutPunchesS.jpg
greenlee knockout set

I've had fun doing quite a lot of this, but not closer than 1:1


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/3ModelAs.jpg
3 Model A's

Paper negs are fun with these.

rguinter
24-Feb-2011, 10:37
Interesting work guys. Makes me want to get out with my Petzvals.

Guys, shouldn't this be in the image sharing section?

Kirk:

Certainly OK with me to move. I started the thread here because I was thinking "lens."

But in retrospect it probably would do better in "Image Sharing" with more members submitting examples.

I vote to move.

Bob G.

northcarolinajack
24-Feb-2011, 17:31
I have been clicking a shutter longer than most people reading this have been alive. One goal was to record whatever I was shooting to be recorded as sharp as possible. That is until I started looking at some images on LFF. I still do not know what a Petzval lens is. I talked to Jim and Richard about a purchase, but since I did not know what I wanted, how to use it, what I would do with it I did not buy a lens. However, someone had one in a desk draw and I used it today. Shot a couple of 4x5 frames with my Super Graflex with a very small lens. I think it is a beat up old projector lens. As far as I can tell it is about 90mm with an F stop of about 4.5 or so.
Anyway here is the first frame made with old Kodak color negative file and process in out of date soup.
The subject is cropped showing a beautiful North Carolina shell picked up at a visit to the beach last year. Or is it an eye?

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

rguinter
28-Feb-2011, 19:46
Everything so dingy here following the melt-down of our winter snows.

Nothing much worth photographing except I found this old thistle in the woods last week standing up out of the snow.

And this one out of several shots seems to catch the image I was after.

About as close as my lens will focus and quite a bit bigger than lifesize.

Adox 25 with a 3-stop ND filter @ 1/125 sec. My Petzval lens is fitted in a #3 shutter. Thistle body was eV 15.

Bob G.

goamules
9-Apr-2011, 12:28
Here's a wetplate (halfplate) of some old wetplates (1/9 and 1/6 plate). 1858 Chapman petzval.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5603958324_bf1e358b55_z.jpg

GSX4
9-Apr-2011, 20:26
Here's my contribution....

6" -ish darlot lantern lens on my Chamonix about 16 inches from the front element.

Two23
9-Apr-2011, 20:45
Hey Andrew, I like that one. Creative use of shallow DoF. Where are you in MN--the cities?


Kent in SD

Kirk Gittings
9-Apr-2011, 21:15
Here's my contribution....

6" -ish darlot lantern lens on my Chamonix about 16 inches from the front element.

Brilliant.

luphot
10-Apr-2011, 00:36
Hermagis portrait extra-rapid lens 9in f:3

eduardtoader
11-Apr-2011, 02:10
Hermagis portrait extra-rapid lens 9in f:3


a big bravo for you.

rguinter
11-Apr-2011, 18:18
Here's my contribution....

6" -ish darlot lantern lens on my Chamonix about 16 inches from the front element.

You must've been listening to yer old Lynyrd Skynyrd records when you took that one...

...And I'm tellin' ya son, it ain't no fun, starin' straight down a 44...

Bob G.

rguinter
11-Apr-2011, 18:24
Here's my latest contribution.

March 20th was a nice warm sunny day and the crocus were just coming up.

I set the Tachihara right down on the ground and focused as close as I could get with my 140mm no-name Petzval for this one.

Next day it snowed several inches of heavy wet slush and the crocus was dead.

Now it lives again.

Bob G.

Jon Wilson
11-Apr-2011, 20:41
Here's my latest contribution.

March 20th was a nice warm sunny day and the crocus were just coming up.

I set the Tachihara right down on the ground and focused as close as I could get with my 140mm no-name Petzval for this one.

Next day it snowed several inches of heavy wet slush and the crocus was dead.

Now it lives again.

Bob G.

Very nice Bob. Do you recall what film you were using? Jon

rguinter
12-Apr-2011, 03:20
Very nice Bob. Do you recall what film you were using? Jon

Sure Jon. specs for the crocus photo:

Tachihara 4x5 inch
Portra VC
Petzval approx f3-f4
1/125 sec w/ 3-stop ND
White areas were eV 14

Rick A
20-May-2011, 15:12
Cambo SC II w/4.5/150mm Doppel Anastigmat in Pearl Rapid shutter. TMY in Pyrocat-HD, printed on Kodak Polycontrast III RC 5x7.

Found this old cog along side the road walking home the other day, it's only 5cm in diameter at its widest, perched atop a can thats been painted light gray.

Jim Galli
20-May-2011, 15:15
Cambo SC II w/4.5/150mm Doppel Anastigmat in Pearl Rapid shutter. TMY in Pyrocat-HD, printed on Kodak Polycontrast III RC 5x7.

Found this old cog along side the road walking home the other day, it's only 5cm in diameter at its widest, perched atop a can thats been painted light gray.

Looks like a pinion spider gear from a Ford Model A.