Petzval LF Film Shots

[goamules]

In 2007 or so I started a Flicker Petzval Photographs group. It was great back then because it was all large format, no one had figured out how to get a Petzval to work on 35mm or digital. That changed with LOMO, who made their "petzval" which really is NOT that design. They cashed in on the word, but make a different design that basically creates a ton of swirl and aberrations. Today, the group posts 99.9% Lomo lens shots on digital. Too late to change it, but it's creating the image (no pun) in the photography world that every Petzval shot has to be wildly swirled. As we LFers know, in the 1800s they used a larger focal length petzval for format, and would "crop out" all that swirl.

Today it's still difficult to get a fast Petzval that will fit on a Speed Graphic so you can use the shutter. This is one of mine, but it still doesn't cover well. Yet, I like the look. I shot this this weekend. It's a Convair 340 Pilot's chair I pulled out of a boneyard and polished up. Used an 1867 Frederick J. Cox petzval on a Speed Graphic. Stopped down to about F5.6 with a waterhouse stop. Shutter 1/20. Ilford FP4. I shot a few more sheets, coming soon. Post em if ya got em....

[Andrew Plume]

That's a very good start Mr A, the Fred Cox Petzval's seem to or did command a good price over on the you know what thing

All best

Andrew

[Scyg]

I've always gotten vertigo from Petzval pictures.

[Two23]

I have two 19th C. Petzvals put in F mount for my D850. One is an 1851 CC Harrison.


Kent in SD

[goamules]

If you look at any portrait from the 1850s to the 1880s, more than half were taken with Petzvals. Scgy, you just have seen the ones that show the swirl, but back in the day, photographers would not allow it to show. So unless you get vertigo looking a portraits of people....

[goamules]

For a larger portrait, I like my 14" Gasc and Charconnet. On 8x10.

[Scyg]

...you just have seen the ones that show the swirl, but back in the day, photographers would not allow it to show. So unless you get vertigo looking a portraits of people....

I realize that - I was referring to the obvious, swirly ones, like the first image in this thread.

[goamules]

If you have a nice large format petzval photo, this is the place to post it. I didn't start the thread for a discussion of if you like them or not.

[Two23]

8x10 tin type. 1862 Voigtlander Petzval FL-12 in.



Kent in SD

[paulbarden]

Garrett, I didn't realize that Petzval Flickr group was yours! I've been a member for awhile. :-)

You know, I bought one of those LOMO Petzval lenses for my Nikon last year, and it was dreadful. I've never worked with such an awful lens in all my life. I sent it back and got a refund.

Anyway, my favorite large format lenses are my Petzvals: a Darlot 11.75 inch, a Lerebours et Secretan 15 inch, and a Voigtlander about 8 inch focal length. The Voigtlander is my favorite by far.

Here's a couple images from 8X10 inch wet plate negatives made with the L&S 15" lens:





And one from a 5x7 inch glass negative using the Voigtlander:



You don't have to maximize the Petzval swirl to get the best from those lenses. Sometimes a subtle result is even more rewarding, IMO.