cyberjunkie
8-Dec-2011, 17:10
I own a few of those very common projection Petzvals, with black hinged "shutter" cap, and with a front slot for some kind of magic lantern slid-in filter.
They are very easy to find on Ebay, here is an interesting auction, where the lens is shown attached to the original magic lantern:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180769893553+
I have seen many examples of those lenses, either in person or in picture.
The focal length that are easier to find seem to be those between 6" to 8".
IIRC, those i have at home start at 7" and go up to 12", and all of them have the same diameter, so different FL can go on the same focusing "tube". It means that the speed of the lenses gets smaller with the increase of focal length.
I tried to find which maker built these lenses, but to no avail. I have a catalog in .pdf format where the entire(?) line of lenses is reported, as accessories of a magic lantern apparatus. No reference to the actual maker of the optics, though.
The engravings on the cap are not of much help: some have just the FL, some have a small brand mark, with the "London Made" line and the date 1816, another one had the word "OPTIMUS" in it.
The latter could be a clue, but i really don't know if the optics were made in London by Perken, Son and Rayment, or were just engraved as such, because sold together with a magic lantern made by that brand.
I must admit that i didn't make a single image with them, because the 12" is a recent acquisition, and the others are probably too short.
I am looking for a way to mount the front doublet in some kind of shutter, one of the lenses came with two front elements (one at the front and the other at the rear of the barrel!), both with "7 1/2 in." engraved on the cap. Any of them could be used alone, as a poor man's landscape lens, wide open, on 5x7". I am afraid the original barrel "tube" could prove too long to avoid vignetting.
I got very curious about these lenses. Any information about the maker, or any first hand impression, will make me a little happier :)
have fun
CJ
EDIT:
here is a picture of one the various cap styles
They are very easy to find on Ebay, here is an interesting auction, where the lens is shown attached to the original magic lantern:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180769893553+
I have seen many examples of those lenses, either in person or in picture.
The focal length that are easier to find seem to be those between 6" to 8".
IIRC, those i have at home start at 7" and go up to 12", and all of them have the same diameter, so different FL can go on the same focusing "tube". It means that the speed of the lenses gets smaller with the increase of focal length.
I tried to find which maker built these lenses, but to no avail. I have a catalog in .pdf format where the entire(?) line of lenses is reported, as accessories of a magic lantern apparatus. No reference to the actual maker of the optics, though.
The engravings on the cap are not of much help: some have just the FL, some have a small brand mark, with the "London Made" line and the date 1816, another one had the word "OPTIMUS" in it.
The latter could be a clue, but i really don't know if the optics were made in London by Perken, Son and Rayment, or were just engraved as such, because sold together with a magic lantern made by that brand.
I must admit that i didn't make a single image with them, because the 12" is a recent acquisition, and the others are probably too short.
I am looking for a way to mount the front doublet in some kind of shutter, one of the lenses came with two front elements (one at the front and the other at the rear of the barrel!), both with "7 1/2 in." engraved on the cap. Any of them could be used alone, as a poor man's landscape lens, wide open, on 5x7". I am afraid the original barrel "tube" could prove too long to avoid vignetting.
I got very curious about these lenses. Any information about the maker, or any first hand impression, will make me a little happier :)
have fun
CJ
EDIT:
here is a picture of one the various cap styles