cyberjunkie
15-Oct-2012, 10:21
I love french vintage lenses, so i took the chance and purchased two unmarked brassies which definitely look Darlot made.
One is clearly a Petzval made for photographic use, with factory-made cut for waterhouse stops.
It has two features that sets it apart from the other 3 Darlots i own:
1) there is no lens shade, and no thread to fit one (like with projection petzvals)
2) the characteristic Darlot knob has a double, rounded knurl on its periphery, different from the simple flat, knurled surface that's commonly found (Google Pictures shows a lot of examples of the latter build, and only a few of the former). It is strange that both my new lenses share the same knob design, while the others i own have the simpler one.
All in all, nothing unconventional. The true reason for posting this thread is the second lens.
It looks like a Darlot-made Petzval, with badly ruined lacquer, and in not-so-good condition.
There is an iris diaphragm though, scaled from 1 to 5.
The second and third pictures show the iris, seen from both sides of the barrel.
The position of the diaphragm is where you should expect it to be, with a Petzval design (i.e. 2/3 of the length, from the front of the lens).
That should place the word END to my speculations about the nature of the lens, BUT i remember having seen one of the many anachromatic designs manufactured by Darlot, which had roughly the same aesthetical features.
Any clue?
Of course i will (try to) disassemble the lens and clean the glasses, once i have it in my hands, and that will provide the answer... but it will take some time, and i am too curious and impatient to keep my doubts for myself. :)
If some interesting informations will be provided, it could even prove to be a worthy reference for future searches, who knows...
One is clearly a Petzval made for photographic use, with factory-made cut for waterhouse stops.
It has two features that sets it apart from the other 3 Darlots i own:
1) there is no lens shade, and no thread to fit one (like with projection petzvals)
2) the characteristic Darlot knob has a double, rounded knurl on its periphery, different from the simple flat, knurled surface that's commonly found (Google Pictures shows a lot of examples of the latter build, and only a few of the former). It is strange that both my new lenses share the same knob design, while the others i own have the simpler one.
All in all, nothing unconventional. The true reason for posting this thread is the second lens.
It looks like a Darlot-made Petzval, with badly ruined lacquer, and in not-so-good condition.
There is an iris diaphragm though, scaled from 1 to 5.
The second and third pictures show the iris, seen from both sides of the barrel.
The position of the diaphragm is where you should expect it to be, with a Petzval design (i.e. 2/3 of the length, from the front of the lens).
That should place the word END to my speculations about the nature of the lens, BUT i remember having seen one of the many anachromatic designs manufactured by Darlot, which had roughly the same aesthetical features.
Any clue?
Of course i will (try to) disassemble the lens and clean the glasses, once i have it in my hands, and that will provide the answer... but it will take some time, and i am too curious and impatient to keep my doubts for myself. :)
If some interesting informations will be provided, it could even prove to be a worthy reference for future searches, who knows...