Dallmeyer 3A - Farewell to a late brass model

[goamules]

I've had this very fine Dallmeyer 3A for a while, but kept it under wraps. I don't keep many Dallmeyers, preferring to let them go to users, while I keep the other makes that aren't so expensive. I was going to keep this one for me, but due to a big expense coming up, I decided to sell it. It was sold before I could even post it here! Just wanted to document this beauty and let you see what's still out there.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/5964189489_62c7016816_z.jpg

It has beautiful glass, a working iris, a working "turn barrel for soft focus", and even an old lenscap! Who knows the portraits it took in the early part of the last century? This was used by a long-time studio that had several premium lenses.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6145/5964189419_f83a368007_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6023/5964189167_95e1bac56e_z.jpg

Notice the workmanship on the dual locks; one locks the soft focus barrel into one of four positions, one locks the barrel to the flange. Quality!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6144/5964189077_17b0f36c6b_z.jpg

From the engraving, to the brass work, to the small fittings, to the consistently nice glass, these Dallmeyers really are special. To me, their lenses in these years are the peak of their craftsmanship, before going to the black aluminum bodies, and after the earlier waterhouse stop models with the fiddly soft focus adjustment inside the camera.

[Emil Schildt]

yeah - that's a beauty.

I have shown mine a couple of times, as it is interesting in the way the front lens has "blossomed" (pun intented).

I'm torn: should I have that lens part fixed - should I keep it as the patterns are so beautiful (but prevents a use of the lens)- should I hope one day to find an undamaged front lens part and then use that and keep the "original" as show?

(Garret: would love to hear what you got for it... but respect if you're not telling)

[goamules]

...I'm torn: should I have that lens part fixed - should I keep it as the patterns are so beautiful (but prevents a use of the lens)- should I hope one day to find an undamaged front lens part and then use that and keep the "original" as show?...

If it were me, and I didn't have too much invested in the lens, I'd have it fixed. They're nice to look at but even nicer to use.

[GSX4]

Gandolfi, I would have it repaired. I successfully had a Dallmeyer 3B front doublet repaired. It had similar balsam issues to yours, but not as bad overall. It was a spendy fix, but the lens is in tip top shape now and ready for another 150 years of use!

Try getting a quote from John at Focal Point Lens.... www.focalpointlens.com

the Dallmeyer front elements are typically machined into their mounts and do not unscrew like the Darlot's. So that has to be rolled back with the front lens in a lathe!
This is the biggest risky step as the lens can break.

There are some risks, but I had just about everything that could go wrong, happen to my lens. After separating with heat, one lens element glazed over requiring a polishing step! The glass was VERY soft as I understand it, yet they pulled it off and brought it back without ruining it. They cover their butts for obvious reasons.

Good luck!




yeah - that's a beauty.

I have shown mine a couple of times, as it is interesting in the way the front lens has "blossomed" (pun intented).

I'm torn: should I have that lens part fixed - should I keep it as the patterns are so beautiful (but prevents a use of the lens)- should I hope one day to find an undamaged front lens part and then use that and keep the "original" as show?

(Garret: would love to hear what you got for it... but respect if you're not telling)

[Steven Tribe]

Wonderful example of the fern type crystallisation.

I haven't actually had one in my hands but I do have a theory about the cause. The liquid phase (balsam) has a component that wants to become a solid. Like snow flakes, this component starts to fall out of the liquid phase at a single point (microscopic dust particle?) and then grows outwards - in a recognisable pattern, which isn't a fractile or snowdrop pattern.

If you are brave, you could try to reverse the process with gentle warning for some period. The theory behind this is that the warm balsam will have a better ability to redissolve the component which has crystallised out and the increased surface tension of the thinner balsam will "pull" the surfaces together.

This would only give a satisfactory result if the achromat is free from edge yellowing.
It is was me, I would use a slowly rising temperature warm oven with air circulation going up to around 60 C. and protect the lens with aluminium foil to prevent radiation warm heating surfaces more than this temperature.

I have said this heating is not a good idea for balsam breakdown but may work in these special circumstances. If the "ferns" disappear, they will reappear again - but perhaps in a decade or two.

[eddie]

(but prevents a use of the lens)


have you tried to shoot it? try it first......if you have not.

[Emil Schildt]

have you tried to shoot it? try it first......if you have not.

indeed I should do that..

I have looked at the matt screen, and it doesn't look soft.... it looks more than that..
:o

But who knows what result it would give..

Well: I'm off the the city of Prague! My all time favourite city!!