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Thread: Early Petzval stop location

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Sep 2017
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    Early Petzval stop location

    Where is approximately the stop of a Petzval type magic lantern/early type Petzval lens?

    I ask this to be able to measure the focal length more accurately.

  2. #2
    Foamer
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    Oct 2010
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    South Dakota
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    Re: Early Petzval stop location

    The first ones had no stops. In the 1850s it was a big washer placed roughly halfway between the lens groups. After ~1860 waterhouse stops placed in roughly same spot. Not sure why you need such precision since wet plate is more than a bit imprecise when it comes to exposure.


    Kent in SD
    In contento ed allegria
    Notte e di vogliam passar!

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Sep 2017
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    194

    Re: Early Petzval stop location

    Quote Originally Posted by Two23 View Post
    The first ones had no stops. In the 1850s it was a big washer placed roughly halfway between the lens groups. After ~1860 waterhouse stops placed in roughly same spot. Not sure why you need such precision since wet plate is more than a bit imprecise when it comes to exposure.


    Kent in SD
    Thanks. I was not sure that it is more or less in the middle.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Denmark
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    Re: Early Petzval stop location

    The central stop - or the position of the Waterhouse slot - was never quite in the middle. The “correct” position is dependent on the comparative focal lengths of the front and rear optical groups.

    Central mounting was not so common as it required accurate machining (screw thread or bayonet) and was most often used when supplementary central lenses were available or when the front achromat of a Petzval could used separately.

    The usual F control was a pill-box system om top of the Lens hood with various sized washers. One French speciality was the “cup” insert stop system. This is where washers are placed quite close to the top surface of the front achromat, deep inside the lens hood. Quite a neat system, but few of these Hermagis, Lerebours etc. lenses from the 1840’s 1850’s still have this attachment as Waterhouse conversions made them surplus to requirements.

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