Soft focus (portrait) lenses for 4x5

[Jim Galli]

Let's see, the Kodak Portrait lens, the Pinkham Series 1 Series II Series III and Series V, The Spencer Portland, The Gundlach Achromatic Meniscus Portrait, just to name a few that come to mind very quickly, all Meniscus types. The Verito is just a meniscus with a magnifier up front. I would venture that MOST of the soft focus images on earth have been made with this basic lens type. An achromatic meniscus doublet.

Some more I forgot. Rodenstock Imagon. Bausch & Lomb Plastigmat Portrait, Kalosat, Plasticca, The original Cooke Portrait f6.

[goamules]

More meniscus soft focus lenses. The granddaddy of them all, the Taylor, Taylor Hobson RVP. The Struss Pictorial.

[Toyon]

i must be a well meaning ignoramus because my meniscus is not sharp in the center.

That's due to poor construction. It is not a deliberate effect. But it may have accidental greatness?

[jp]

Of course it's not deliberate that I'm a well meaning ignoramus with 3 meniscus lenses.

[jnantz]

i must be a well meaning ignoramus because my meniscus is not sharp in the center.

same here, about 8 or 9 of them ...