Soft Focus Lens With Shutter for Zone VI 4x5

[Louis Pacilla]

Also, after a while, you decide that the original generations that made the art with these lenses without shutters weren't superhuman. They weren't smarter than we are. If they could do it without Copal shutters, you can too.

I'll AMEN that brother Jim.

AMEN!

[Bernice Loui]

Soft focus is best on 8x10 contact printed. There is a long history and legacy of speciality soft focus lenses specific to 8x10 when used properly and the negative contact printed to make a 8x10 print the visual quality needs to be properly experienced to appreciate what makes these images special. IMO, there is something lost when these soft focus negatives made using classic soft focus lenses are projected into enlarged prints.

Some years ago on LFF, got into a dis-agreement about soft focus lenses for small formats (35mm and cinema and etc) over how the visual effect of soft focus is not the same as those contact printed with 8x10 soft focus lenses and film negative.

The entire soft focus and LF images in general takes time, knowledge and wisdom to appreciate what makes them special (IMO, too many initially get interested in LF believe the potentially "shaper" image is automatically better than all else). There are a lot of possible image subtleties that will not be present in smaller film formats and demands depth of understanding to fully appreciate what LF has to offer.


Bernice

[Duolab123]

Soft focus is best on 8x10 contact printed. There is a long history and legacy of speciality soft focus lenses specific to 8x10 when used properly and the negative contact printed to make a 8x10 print the visual quality needs to be properly experienced to appreciate what makes these images special. IMO, there is something lost when these soft focus negatives made using classic soft focus lenses are projected into enlarged prints.

Some years ago on LFF, got into a dis-agreement about soft focus lenses for small formats (35mm and cinema and etc) over how the visual effect of soft focus is not the same as those contact printed with 8x10 soft focus lenses and film negative.

The entire soft focus and LF images in general takes time, knowledge and wisdom to appreciate what makes them special (IMO, too many initially get interested in LF believe the potentially "shaper" image is automatically better than all else). There are a lot of possible image subtleties that will not be present in smaller film formats and demands depth of understanding to fully appreciate what LF has to offer.


Bernice

My Dad graduated from high school in 1934, I have his portrait. It's amazing. 8x10 contact print, slightly soft, I suspect it was a "Verito" type lens. His brother, my uncle graduated in 1948, his is a 8x10 contact print, hand colored. It's a stunning work of art. These prints are amazing,

[Kate Miller-Wilson]

Bernice, I can't speak for anyone else getting into large format for the first time, but I think there is definitely a heavy emphasis on sharp lenses in general these days. I'm not sure what that is - maybe just a trend. In trying to figure out what kind of work I wanted to do in LF, I spent a lot of time looking at photos and writing down the lenses used in them. To my surprise, most were soft focus!

[Duolab123]

One thing I've noticed with my 8x10 and my 11 x 14 cameras. No matter what you do, when taking head and shoulder portraits you tend towards a dreamy look. I use Kodak Commercial Ektars and Ilex lenses made in the 50's and early 60's. I also have a big old barrel Wollensak with a Packard shutter for the 8x10. None of these lenses are "soft focus" lenses. However the Wollensak is a f 4.5, and the others are f6.3. These lenses are 12 to 14 inch lenses, your depth of field is so shallow you have to try to keep the nose and eyes in focus and let the ears go soft. This is a function of focal length not some fancy lens. Put a 12 inch lens on a 4x5 and get back a ways. This is why I tell people that digital can't do what film can do. If you want the look of a classic 8x10 portrait, you need an 8x10 "sensor" or film to achieve that perspective and atmosphere.

[mdarnton]

Duolab is basically right: with 8x10 if you focus on the eyelashes, don't count on the eye's iris being sharp. It's not really soft focus, but it's not modern - sharp either.

A good option that might cover several bases is to get a 12" soft focus f/4.5 Velostigmat. This is Wollensak's basic sharp Tessar lens with an adjustment allowing you to crank out the front element separately on separate threads to gradually drive it over into soft focus. Use it sharp, or not. They often show up on Ebay in shutters, though there's nothing there right now.

Found this photo of mine. As you can see, it's a big one:



velo-leica by Michael Darnton, on Flickr

[Duolab123]

Duolab is basically right: with 8x10 if you focus on the eyelashes, don't count on the eye's iris being sharp. It's not really soft focus, but it's not modern - sharp either.

A good option that might cover several bases is to get a 12" soft focus f/4.5 Velostigmat. This is Wollensak's basic sharp Tessar lens with an adjustment allowing you to crank out the front element separately on separate threads to gradually drive it over into soft focus. Use it sharp, or not. They often show up on Ebay in shutters, though there's nothing there right now.

Found this photo of mine. As you can see, it's a big one:



velo-leica by Michael Darnton, on Flickr

I've got a 19 inch Red Dot Artar, came off a Robertson process camera. I've used process cameras these lenses are tack sharp focused on the copy board. Put it on a regular camera and point it at a 3D object it gets "dreamy" even wide open.

[Peter De Smidt]

I agree with the comments about long lenses going soft really quickly. A Betax No. 5 would be awful big on a Zone VI 4x5.

[mdarnton]

Whoops! I forgot that the discussion was 4x5.... that same series of lenses has something shorter that's appropriate for 4x5, in a much smaller shutter.

[Bernice Loui]

Kate,

Follow your passions, Follow your interest. Use the history of art as a guide to what has been done and what can be done yet do not allow these previous works to completely dictate your own work. This is much about finding your own artistic voice.

A view camera, digital camera or any other imaging creating device and system are mere tools and process to facilitate expressing your artistic voice.

As with any endeavor in life, there is and will be much to learn and experience. Know some of the very best works come from the ashes of failure. Know being able to resist the chains of failure is one of the foundational means to achieving your artistic voice.

At this point, do pick up the view camera of your choice and proceed to burn film in vast quantities to produce prints. This is how your journey of creative image making needs to begin. The lenses, camera, film, developer and related to print making is lesser than the actual act of print making.



Do this
Bernice

Bernice, I can't speak for anyone else getting into large format for the first time, but I think there is definitely a heavy emphasis on sharp lenses in general these days. I'm not sure what that is - maybe just a trend. In trying to figure out what kind of work I wanted to do in LF, I spent a lot of time looking at photos and writing down the lenses used in them. To my surprise, most were soft focus!