No One Making New Lenses?

[Tin Can]

Fantastic news! We need many more.

I am a self taught engine tech starting at 16. It became a career.

Thank you for this uplifting link!

You might like to see this: https://youtu.be/dcIusrw50PM

[Nodda Duma]

Tri Tan is making new lenses. Maybe Cooke? Wollaston? Jason certainly could make some if there was enough interest.

I have an idea for a lens that I’ve been chewing on for the past few days. Haven’t put the idea into Zemax yet. Maybe next year.

I’ve also been thinking about new leaf shutters.

[Dan Fromm]

I have an idea for a lens that I’ve been chewing on for the past few days. Haven’t put the idea into Zemax yet. Maybe next year.

I’ve also been thinking about new leaf shutters.

Shutters are probably a more pressing need than lenses.

Re leaf shutters, why not electronically timed ones? They need many fewer parts than clockwork shutters. These days timer chips and software for them seem to be stock items.

[Havoc]

Shutters are probably a more pressing need than lenses.

Re leaf shutters, why not electronically timed ones? They need many fewer parts than clockwork shutters. These days timer chips and software for them seem to be stock items.

I have been thinking about using Fuji GX lens shutters. But so far, apart from taking one apart I haven't got far. OK, maybe there are other issues getting in the way but still, documentation on them is scarce and kept "secret" that I don't feel the need to damage a dozen of them to get an idea how they work.

[Bob Salomon]

Shutters are probably a more pressing need than lenses.

Re leaf shutters, why not electronically timed ones? They need many fewer parts than clockwork shutters. These days timer chips and software for them seem to be stock items.

Prontor Magnetic, Schneider electronic, Rodenstock and Sinar E shutter, Rollei Linear Motor, Horseman, Compur Electronic etc.
But except for Prontor and E shutter the others are gone.

[Jac@stafford.net]

[... self deleted - off topic ..]

[Drew Wiley]

Compur electronic shutters from pre-press cameras get thrown away. I don't even remember if I have one stuffed in a box somewhere on my loft.

[Matt Stage]

Yes. Tri Tran has recently introduced an all new line of soft-focus meniscus lenses. They come in a range of sizes from 9" to 30". Each one is handmade and finished to the highest standard. 9” is the smallest and it produces a beautiful image on a 4x5 Speed Graphic -- much nicer than a lot of the classic pictorialist lenses for which others demand a king's ransom. And you can put it in a widely available Copal 3 shutter. Please check it out -- he'll be happy to make one with your name on it.

https://www.tritranphotography.com/tt-signature-lens

[Jac@stafford.net]

I wonder if any have explored Fresnel lenses such as those used for lighthouse projection and more recently for interocular implants. Of course scale is an issue but if we consider pinhole lenses, why not small Fresnels? FWIW I have them in both eyes to counter optical (not nerve) blindness and due to manufacturing metrics they failed miserably, however that should not discourage use in cameras.

[Nodda Duma]

Yes, long ago when diamond turning optics became practical. Theoretically cool, but there is a significant and unsurmountable problem for use in visible imaging.


Fresnel is an example of a diffractive optic, where the surface is cut in steps to provide additional optical power.

The problem is in visible wavelengths there is far too much forward scatter and related artifacts. So imagine horrible, terrible glare that is really bad on-axis. Like not even pretty. It can’t be avoided due to size of the steps vs the wavelength. So they are not useable in the visible, near infrared, or short wave infrared spectrum except in specific applications like for your eyes or as Fresnel lenses for very specific yet difficult to explain reasons. However, diffractive optical elements are used very often for thermal imaging, where the wavelengths are much longer and thus don’t interact with the stepped surface to create the forward scatter.

I wonder if any have explored Fresnel lenses such as those used for lighthouse projection and more recently for interocular implants. Of course scale is an issue but if we consider pinhole lenses, why not small Fresnels? FWIW I have them in both eyes to counter optical (not nerve) blindness and due to manufacturing metrics they failed miserably, however that should not discourage use in cameras.