Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 22

Thread: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

  1. #11

    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    38

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    Another newbie alert...

    What do you / would you use for a shutter with a lens like this?

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    166

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    One uses one's opera hat of course

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Atlanta, Georgia USA
    Posts
    1,023

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kirks518 View Post
    Another newbie alert...

    What do you / would you use for a shutter with a lens like this?
    Google: Harris Shutter or Drop Shutter

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...35536563608720

  4. #14
    Andrew's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    368

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    Hi... couple of points:

    First up, because I'm Australian, I'm very VERY impressed that you've scored a French lens that looks like it's been imported at time of manufacture for an Australian distributer!

    Second, it's a wide angle rectilinear so the focal length of the original lens was probably only about 4 inches for the stated coverage. The elements may not have been quite symmetrical but the single element is probably about 8 inches and you're using more bellows extension than that because you're focusing at close distances.

    with a single element you'll have a very usable lens but it'll always be a bit soft compared to a modern lens.... you may even prefer that? If you have any interest in soft focus, you might like the look from taking the glass out of the barrel and using it at it's maximum possible aperture [the current aperture in the barrel would give you f16 at tops and it may well be a stop or two slower than that]

    the brass barrel isn't very big so the fancy way to shutter it would be to drop it into a large old shutter if you were serious

    but I'm interested in the other story with the Dallmeyer... PM me if you like

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Wherever My Laptop Is (Usually Australia)
    Posts
    32

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew View Post
    Hi... couple of points:

    First up, because I'm Australian, I'm very VERY impressed that you've scored a French lens that looks like it's been imported at time of manufacture for an Australian distributer!
    Yes, I've seen few Baker & Rouse parts around myself. It does make it somewhat easy to age the lens as from what I can tell Baker & Rouse ceased trading under that name in 1907 when they merged with Kodak Australia (?). So the lens, I assume, has to be at least 100+ years old. Shame I am unable to determine which French lens maker made this lens.

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew View Post

    Second, it's a wide angle rectilinear so the focal length of the original lens was probably only about 4 inches for the stated coverage. The elements may not have been quite symmetrical but the single element is probably about 8 inches and you're using more bellows extension than that because you're focusing at close distances.

    with a single element you'll have a very usable lens but it'll always be a bit soft compared to a modern lens.... you may even prefer that? If you have any interest in soft focus, you might like the look from taking the glass out of the barrel and using it at it's maximum possible aperture [the current aperture in the barrel would give you f16 at tops and it may well be a stop or two slower than that]

    the brass barrel isn't very big so the fancy way to shutter it would be to drop it into a large old shutter if you were serious
    I found a lens cap that was a fraction too large for it so have taken a few shots with it in the Plaubel Supra II (in cardboard lens board as shown a few posts back). As I don't yet have a shutter for it I set up some indoor shots so I could expose for seconds not fractions of a second. I did a couple of still life shots and the sharpness was impressive to my eye, at least on the negative.

    I found an old Epson 4870 which I purchased and am ever so eagerly awaiting delivery of. Once I receive it I will post some shots from it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew View Post
    but I'm interested in the other story with the Dallmeyer... PM me if you like
    Nothing amazing, it is a 5x4 rapid rectilinear brass lens. Unfortunately it is fixed into some sort of barrel. I have had several attempts at 'freeing' it from the barrel with no luck as yet. It has roughly the same end diameter as the Baker & Rouse lens. I would love to get a shutter for one or both the lenses but unfortunately I am not very mechanically skilled.

    The Baker and Rouse has an interior thread with a diameter of about 38mm, I thought if I could get a shutter with a similar size front thread I could find, fashion or get made some sort of converter between the lens and the shutter. I have been looking at Copal No 1 shutters, wondering if that might be the first step as the lens mount on it is 40mm.

  6. #16
    Andrew's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    368

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    I have a soft spot for Dallmeyer...
    have a look at the serial number and you might get lucky and find it in the archive under "rectilinear settings":
    http://www.thedallmeyerarchive.com/R...ification.html

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Wherever My Laptop Is (Usually Australia)
    Posts
    32

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew View Post
    I have a soft spot for Dallmeyer...
    have a look at the serial number and you might get lucky and find it in the archive under "rectilinear settings":
    http://www.thedallmeyerarchive.com/R...ification.html
    Serial is 50491

    Unfortunately both pages I checked failed to load:

    http://www.thedallmeyerarchive.com/R...liding/5x4.pdf

    http://www.thedallmeyerarchive.com/R.../Rigid/5x4.pdf

  8. #18

    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Wherever My Laptop Is (Usually Australia)
    Posts
    32

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew View Post
    I have a soft spot for Dallmeyer...
    have a look at the serial number and you might get lucky and find it in the archive under "rectilinear settings":
    http://www.thedallmeyerarchive.com/R...ification.html
    I did find the entry for the other Dallmeyer I have. A 2.5" Detective Tele Photo Attachment 55567. I understand this is a negative lens, not quite sure what it would be used for though.

  9. #19
    Andrew's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    368

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    sorry about the failure to load, they were working earlier tonight... try again later

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Wherever My Laptop Is (Usually Australia)
    Posts
    32

    Re: Old Rectilinear Lens with only One Element. Any Use?

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew View Post
    sorry about the failure to load, they were working earlier tonight... try again later
    Is that your website?

Similar Threads

  1. newbie question: what is a rectilinear lens and..
    By kelzo in forum Lenses & Lens Accessories
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 18-Aug-2007, 20:57
  2. rapid rectilinear lens
    By Dave Willison in forum Lenses & Lens Accessories
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 25-Feb-2001, 13:54

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •