4x5 similar to Tenax I Novar Anastigmat?

[natek83]

I really love the Zeiss Ikon Tenax I with a 35mm f/3.5 Novar Anastigmat. It's lack of coatings, low contrast, and the way it flares gives a really romantic quality of light. Anyone know a 4x5 lens which has a lot of flare and low contrast like this lens or would it be easier for me to use a diffusion or some other filter on my modern lenses? I would prefer it to be low cost and be mounted in a shutter and not just a barrel lens but it's not absolutely necessary.

[Math]

How about a 135mm Novar Anastigmat? :) Though any low-grade / cheap and old triplet lens will get you close to what you want!

[Fotoguy20d]

I haven't seen too many in the 135 length that are faster than f4.5 (and those are generally Tessar types). The triplets generally are around f6.3 I think

I have a few of them laying around. For example, a Kodak Cooke Taylor Taylor & Hobson triplet anastigmat f6.3 in Compound shutter - I think it's around 170mm (don't remember and not measuring now) - off a large Kodak folder. A 170mm f6.3 Kodak Anastigmat in Ilex Universal, also off a folder - this one looks to be a dialyt type.

And then there's the lowly meniscus (see attached). Many at 5-6" were sold in shutters which limited the aperture to f11, at which point they become quite respectable. Remove that hard stop, or use a different shutter, shoot wide open (don't remember the aperture but probably around f5-f6), and you get what's attached.

Dan

[natek83]

I can't find the photo from the Novar that made me fall in love with it. It was off another internet forum and was of some stone buildings at night and they had glowed amazingly shot with a Tenax I. I suspect the author took it down or a photobucket link was blocked.

I saw this other site showing more examples from a meniscus lens like you mentioned. http://galactinus.net/vilva/retro/bwde_sg.html The other shots are from a Schneider Radionar which i believe is a triplet like the Novar. After seeing them side by side I want both types now! They both have a very awesome effect. The triplet has a low contrast and slight flare, the meniscus has extreme flare! I really like this shot from the meniscus lens. (http://galactinus.net/vilva/retro/bwde_sg_files/sg2584_s.jpg)

[Ole Tjugen]

Rodenstock Geronar and Trinar, Staeble Trigon, Meyer Trioplan, Zeiss Triotar, Schneider Radionar and possibly Xenar Typ D (possibly, because mine is a reverse Tessar and not a triplet) - there are lots and lots of triplets. Mostly uncoated.

Generally the more lens groups a lens has, the more it flares - so a Dialyt like the Rodenstock Eurynar will have far more flare than a single meniscus under the same conditions (some Eurynars are triplets, though).

Most of there come in shutters, too.

[paulMD]

As mentioned, uncoated triplets. You could also look for anything uncoated with more elements, the air-glass interfaces will tend to rob contrast. Something like a Rapid Rectilinear might be good for your purposes.