Any tips & tricks for operating lenses without own shutter (lens cap on-off)

[Drew Wiley]

But there are different methods. On the other side of the world they count, one Brahmaputra, two Brahmaputra, etc.

[Moogie]

Thanks to all of you for all the valuable input.
As my wife was too tired this evening I had to improvise and arranged some toy story on the table.
With a bellows extension of almost double the focal length, some darkness with only one soft golden 10 degree spotlight,
I was able to achieve long enough exposure times between 15 and 25 seconds.
So the lens cap on-off technique I tried first.
This was actually quite OK to handle as my cap is not too sticky (it's not the original but a little bigger one made smaller with a velcro strip).
More difficult was to close the aperture, as the ring is not really smooth anymore, without moving the camera...
I hope tomorrow I find some time to develop and scan.
Let's see the result and get surprised...

The advanced galli technique I will definitely also try later...

[Vaughn]

Using barrel lenses in the redwoods with exposure times in the minutes, the caps have worked fine. I usually wiggle the cap almost all the way off, let the camera settle down, then remove the lenscap the rest of the way...usually downward, letting gravity assist...and generally back on from the bottom, also. Not 100%, so I lose a negative occasionally to shake.

[Moogie]

You were right, I am surprised!

I did not expect this lens would be still so good and somehow I am not seeing anything blurred from camera shaking.

This was the 15 seconds exposure, with F45.

Thanks a again to everybody. Looking forward to try this lens a little more.

Nice weekend, Miguel


The_Monsters_and_the_girl by Miguel Buschhauer, on Flickr

[Nodda Duma]

Great result! Yes, antique lenses can achieve beautiful results if they are used as originally intended (long exposures, working within the color spectrum they were designed for, etc.

[Jim Galli]

Sometimes some of them can achieve great results working in black and white outside of the color spectrum they were designed for in order to achieve a soft focus halo buzz. Most of that was gone even in the oldest lenses though.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Of course if working in low light, we can use a diffuse flash. Reveal lens, make exposure, cover lens. No camera shake.

[LabRat]

I shoot a lot of still lifes with barrel lenses in the dark, using low wattage lights (inc LED & CFL) using an enlarging timer for timing... Lights out, pull slide, let settle, hit timer button, and slide in again and done...

Just don't exceed the rated load marked on timer for lamp wattage...

Steve K

[Moogie]

Yes, this is an obvious method to come around some of the obstacles.
I wonder why it didn't come into my mind before :-)
So I will add this to the techniques I will try in future, with or without enlarging time involved...

Thanks, Miguel

[CHELLM]

Dear forum friends,

I know a lot of you guys are using antique lenses, probably many of them have no shutters.

I heard about the lens cap on-off technique, if you do not want to invest in a back mounted shutter.

As I want to try this lens cap on-off first, I am wondering if there are any tips, tricks dos and don'ts when using this technique.
Which exposure time is minimum recommended to do this technique.
Take it off from left, put it on from right to avoid one side darker than the other?
How to best avoid shaking the camera...

Probably tomorrow I want to give it a first try, so maybe some of you can help me to make it right straight away?

Thanks a lot and best regards, Miguel

Hullo.
1- Bowl Hat
2- Square shoes box you hang down as far as the lens board.
3- Same soft pouch bag you carry the lens