The Handmade/ Modified Lens

[Fragomeni]

I initially posted this thread on APUG under the assumption that there would be more people there with this kind of experience but I think I was wrong.

I was hoping that we could open up a discussion on handmade and modified lenses. This isn't a discussion of the validity of such techniques or whether or not you like them so lets keep those comments out of here please.

There are many photographers who have taken the concept of Holga photography and taken it to the next level by making and modifying their lenses to help get the closer to their vision. Some such photographers include Peter Liepke and Susan Burnstine to name just a couple. Some such techniques include molding lenses out of plastic, breaking or damaging glass lenses, modifying filters and using them in front of the lens, etc. If you have experience with making or modifying lenses please chime in and discuss your process and modifications. Detailed explanations of the various methods to make a lens would be appreciated. Feel free to include images of your work with these lenses as examples.

I made two successfully tonight. One out of an old loupe and the other out of a set of close up lenses. I prefer the distortion on the one made from the loupe and its shallow depth of field is wonderful. The lens is 68mm f1.8! With an aperture this open shutter speed are always fast which presents a problem because I've mounted it on my Horseman 980 which doesn't have a focal place shutter (if it did it would be the perfect camera). I've ordered some adapter rings and I plan to mount it in a Copal 1 shutter

This should be an interesting conversation. Thanks all who contribute!

[Steven Tribe]

There are many threads here already with "technical?" discussions and posted images!

[Fragomeni]

I've looked. Just did again. Unless Im missing something, I can only find one thread and its not much of a conversation. If I am missing something please post some links. Im very interested in this! Thanks!

[Steven Tribe]

You could start with Jim's thread "Miscl. meniscii".

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

This was one of my attempts using a quartz singlet lens (w. adjustable aperture)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4888584874_8353c0b5ac_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4888584952_43b8ae278d_o.jpg

[Jim Galli]

I have done some wierd things with existing lenses, but there isn't really much interest. One of the more bizarre was to actually de-cement a 23 inch Protar VII, leave out 2 of the 4 elements, and re-cement the other 2 for an approx 8 1/2" soft focus lens.

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/ProtarSoft/ProtarSoft.html

Another was to cobble 2 meniscus doublets together back to back.

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/ShitPipeLens/The_ShitPipe_Lens.html

I later uncobbled them and simply made 2 very nice 15" Achromatic Meniscus lenses out of the pair.

A 1/2 of a longish Rapid Rectilinear, use the rear group and put a +2 diopter out front. makes an interesting fast lens.

Just a few to get us going.

[BetterSense]

What about making actual lens elements? I know that astronomy hobbyists make their own mirrors. Has anyone made their own lenses? Glass is pretty hard to grind, but could you use casting resin?

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Lenses are not complicated to find - why make some yourself? Try to replicate the aspherical Viking lenses? ;)

[Mark Sawyer]

I've looked. Just did again. Unless Im missing something, I can only find one thread and its not much of a conversation. If I am missing something please post some links. Im very interested in this! Thanks!

Here are three of mine:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=35097
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=35482
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=57385

[Uusilehto]

The other day I actually managed to make a 75-80mm lens that covers 4x5". It's built out of some of the front elements of a Pentacon 200mm f/4 (35mm format) and the rear element group of a Schneider 21/4.5 Xenar.

Obviously, it is absolute garbage optics-wise but hey, it's wider than my widest real lens, a 90mm.

I'll try to post some test shots soon.

[Fragomeni]

Thanks to everyone for chiming in! Also, thanks for the links to past posts. I wasn't able to find them in my searches.

I finished a lens today that I'm very happy with. Its a 62mm f2 mounted in a Copal 1 shutter for optimal exposure control. The lens element was scavenged from an unmarked old loupe so I have no idea what its magnification factor was unfortunately but I calculated that it must have been around 3.75x magnification. I ground it down using the surface of my driveway (real high tech) so that it fit snuggly into the front of a Copal 1 shutter and hold in place by its own tension. I've done a few test shots and it appears to be exactly what I was going for. I'm going to work with it a bit and hopefully I can have a few images from it up soon.

[Fragomeni]

I just installed the rear element of an extra Fujinon 250mm f6.3 (no not the one that covers 8x10, I have that and not selling it so dont ask) and it bumped it up to 80mm f2.2 and hopefully this will increase coverage up to 5x7. If my assumption is right then I should be able to put the rear element of the 8x10 version on and it'll cover 8x10! I might be blowing smoke but I'll test it soon as I can!

[Jay DeFehr]

I work in the arctic, surrounded by ice of every description for8/10 of the year. I've been thinking it might be interesting to make some ice lenses, as casting ice is quite convenient here. I'll try to cast a plano-convex lens tonight and see what I come up with. If it works fairly well, I can "cement" two together to make a crude biconvex. I'll keep you posted.

[Fragomeni]

The rear element actually seemed to make the image circle smaller so i took it off.


I work in the arctic, surrounded by ice of every description for8/10 of the year. I've been thinking it might be interesting to make some ice lenses, as casting ice is quite convenient here. I'll try to cast a plano-convex lens tonight and see what I come up with. If it works fairly well, I can "cement" two together to make a crude biconvex. I'll keep you posted.
Now that sounds like a fantastic project! When I read your post I began to consider it myself...and then I remembered I live in Phoenix. Do update if you give it a go!!

[codex0]

I have a book that talks about making ice lenses - "Primitive Photography"

http://www.amazon.com/Primitive-Photography-Making-Cameras-Calotypes/dp/0240804619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301075129&sr=8-1




The rear element actually seemed to make the image circle smaller so i took it off.


Now that sounds like a fantastic project! When I read your post I began to consider it myself...and then I remembered I live in Phoenix. Do update if you give it a go!!