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Thread: Eastman Kodak Portrait Petzval.

  1. #21

    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    46

    Re: Eastman Kodak Portrait Petzval.

    Quote Originally Posted by karl french View Post
    In 1866 Dallmeyer introduced the Patent Portrait Petzval. Flipping the rear air spaced pair and slightly changing the curves of the elements. Also allowing the two rear elements to be separated to introduce diffusion. Many people copied Dallmeyer's changes. Those copies are rightly called "Dallmeyer copies" as an easy way to identify them in comparison to the "standard" or original Petzval design.

    In fact this lens is a Dallmeyer copy. Not by the mere fact that it's an f4 lens, but because it has the flipped rear elements and diffusion control at the rear.
    Quite so!.
    But we are not going to enter into patent discussions that I think we already have clear, or in wars of European or American manufactures. The important thing is to rescue this lens to be able to enjoy its qualities.

    As for the curvature of the elements, both the front and the two rear, look like the design of a RR. - less pronounced concave faces- Is there much difference between this design and an "original" petzval???
    Talking about sharpness and swirly
    Thanks Karl.

  2. #22

    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Tonopah, Nevada, USA
    Posts
    6,334

    Re: Eastman Kodak Portrait Petzval.

    Russ! You're #4 looks to be one of the ones that Burke and James re-finished and coated in the late 1950's - '60's. I have a black 18" Cooke VI, coated like this, also a Burke and James re-finish with their coating.

  3. #23

    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    46

    Re: Eastman Kodak Portrait Petzval.

    Quote Originally Posted by russyoung View Post
    For the benefit of readers who are not familiar with both lenses, here they are together. The enrgaving on my Eastman Kodak lens is oriented opposite from the original poster's lens, i.e., it reads properly for the sitter rather than the photographer, as do most (but not all) lenses.
    Russ
    Attachment 189085
    Awesome! Both seem to be in mint condition.
    The lacquered finish of mine has suffered a bit in the part of the barrel where it has the engraved.
    I will immediately turn that part of the barrel around.

    Have you used the lens?
    What about soft focus control ???

  4. #24

    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    713

    Re: Eastman Kodak Portrait Petzval.

    This is a good article on Petzvals:

    http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

    I have examples of both standard and Dallmeyer Petzvals. They are both good. I'm not sure I can say one is better than the other, but the industry generally shifted towards the Dallmeyer arrangement with a few holds outs (Hermagis being an important example. I have a Hermagis 250mm f3 that is one of my favorites. It and the Dallmeyer 3B are the last two I would part with.) It doesn't take too much to go from the Dallmeyer mod to the Rapid Rectilinear (which he also introduced in 1866.)

    In terms of soft focus (or diffusion control), there should be an index mark on the innermost of the two cells in the back. Some examples have numbered hash marks on the outer cell/barrel, some don't. Outer barrel screwed all the way home should be the sharpest, and unscrewing introduces diffusion.

    On my B&L 2A the rear cells were in reverse order and the front glass was flipped around in the barrel. Just about every petzval I purchased has been messed with.

  5. #25

    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Posts
    46

    Re: Eastman Kodak Portrait Petzval.

    Quote Originally Posted by karl french View Post
    This is a good article on Petzvals:

    http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

    I have examples of both standard and Dallmeyer Petzvals. They are both good. I'm not sure I can say one is better than the other, but the industry generally shifted towards the Dallmeyer arrangement with a few holds outs (Hermagis being an important example. I have a Hermagis 250mm f3 that is one of my favorites. It and the Dallmeyer 3B are the last two I would part with.) It doesn't take too much to go from the Dallmeyer mod to the Rapid Rectilinear (which he also introduced in 1866.)

    In terms of soft focus (or diffusion control), there should be an index mark on the innermost of the two cells in the back. Some examples have numbered hash marks on the outer cell/barrel, some don't. Outer barrel screwed all the way home should be the sharpest, and unscrewing introduces diffusion.

    On my B&L 2A the rear cells were in reverse order and the front glass was flipped around in the barrel. Just about every petzval I purchased has been messed with.



    ... This example has the marks on the outside of the back cells. The inner cell a mark. The outer cell has four numbered marks (1 2 3 4)

    .... This lens also arrived badly assembled. The front element was flipped and mounted next to the iris ring. The hood was sticky to the last section of the barrel. Penetrating oil and one night in the freezer did enough work to loosen and the thread would not be damaged

    .... So, this redesign of the original Petzval lenses is more corrected and shows less the "original" character. Itīs right...

    Thanks Karl

  6. #26

    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Blue Ridge of Virginia
    Posts
    196

    Re: Eastman Kodak Portrait Petzval.

    Jim, thanks for that information. i had wondered for twenty years why that lens was (1) not lacquered brass and (2) in nearly perfect condition.
    Much appreciated,
    Russ

  7. #27

    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Wilmington NC
    Posts
    32

    Re: Eastman Kodak Portrait Petzval.

    I want one of these so bad. If you want to sell it, PM me.

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