Which of my 5 LF lenses are worth keeping or worth upgrading?

[Alan Gales]

they definitely exist: https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensrev...Soft-Lens.html

Thanks. I learned something new.

[Greg Y]

Here's another option Alan, if you find it difficult to decide, when looking at the negative or tranparency with a loupe, make a few sectional prints. Rack your enlarger to large print magnification, or if you're not doing the lab work, have your lab make you a couple of 8x10" prints from a portion of your negative scaled to the actual large print size you desire.

[Bob Salomon]

Here's another option Alan, if you find it difficult to decide, looking at the negative or tranparency with a loupe, rack your enlarger to magnification, or if you're not doing the lab work, have your lab make you a couple of 8x10" prints from a portion of your negative scaled to the actual print size you desire.

That’s a bit confusing, if you are using a loupe it’s magnification could be different then the print size you want.

[Bernice Loui]

Kiyohara VK70R = 70mm, VK50R = 50mm. These "soft focus" lenses were specifically designed for 35mm film. Sort of a fad item back when new, few years ago they were mostly unknown and very low $ on eBay and else where, not any more once it was discovered they work on modern mirrorless digital cameras. They are sort of like a miniaturized Kodak Portrait lens.




Sample image made using a Canon mirrorless digital:




Canon made a 85mm FD (manual focus) soft focus lens and a 135mm EF (auto focus) soft focus lens. Canon and others past and present made small format soft focus lenses. IMO, they are Meh... compared to 5x7 and larger sheet film made using soft focus lenses then contact printed. These prints have a unique and rather special image quality in many ways.


Bernice

I can't even think of a soft focus lens for 35mm cameras.

[Tin Can]

Rodenstock Imagon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodenstock_Imagon

[Alan Klein]

Thanks everyone for the ideas about sharpness. Since I shoot landscapes mainly, greater DOF is my usual criteria. Of course with LF, tilts allow a different focusing technique over MF I had been shooting. For what it's worth, these are sample shots from the first three LF lenses I've used - 75mm, 90mm, and 150mm. I just got a 300mm from Japan (three day shipment time, pretty amazing), but haven't tried it yet.

Could you tell from scans how the three lenses are? To me they seem sharp OK. I realize these are scans with a lot of sharpening that's required of scans. But I don't think I have experience enough to know if a negative/lens is really sharp just looking through my 8x loupe.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...57714124881023

[Greg Y]

That’s a bit confusing, if you are using a loupe it’s magnification could be different then the print size you want.

You're right Bob..... I meant make a print or have a print made. Not an 8' x3' print made..... but small (8"x10") sectional prints.... BUT portions at high magnification.

[Bob Salomon]

You're right Bob..... I meant make a print or have a print made. Not an 8' x3' print made..... but small (8"x10") sectional prints.... BUT portions at high magnification.

You misunderstood me. If you use a 4x loupe on 45 you are seeing what to expect on a 16x20” print.
If you are having 810 prints made from a section of a large print you may easily be looking at more then 4x.
And things that are acceptable at 4x, like depth of field, may be very unacceptable on a 30x40” print.

[Alan Gales]

Kiyohara VK70R = 70mm, VK50R = 50mm. These "soft focus" lenses were specifically designed for 35mm film. Sort of a fad item back when new, few years ago they were mostly unknown and very low $ on eBay and else where, not any more once it was discovered they work on modern mirrorless digital cameras. They are sort of like a miniaturized Kodak Portrait lens.




Sample image made using a Canon mirrorless digital:




Canon made a 85mm FD (manual focus) soft focus lens and a 135mm EF (auto focus) soft focus lens. Canon and others past and present made small format soft focus lenses. IMO, they are Meh... compared to 5x7 and larger sheet film made using soft focus lenses then contact printed. These prints have a unique and rather special image quality in many ways.


Bernice

Thanks, Bernice!

[Alan Gales]

Rodenstock Imagon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodenstock_Imagon

I wouldn't mind having an Imagon for my Fujifilm Xt3!

I doubt they made a lens close to the focal length of my Fujifilm 56mm APD. Of course if it had a Nikon or Canon mount, I could use a speed booster. Probably be cheaper to just buy one for 4x5 or an RB with a Mamiya 150mm SF lens.