I have a full set of B60 proxar and softars.
Getting started on 4x5 and curious if you gents/ladies have used the above on LF lenses.
What are your observations on the image outcome?
I found an adapter by Heliopan 62mm-B60 at ~$100. Other options available?
Thanks in advance!
Not particulariy useful for view cameras.
Hasselblad Proxar are "close up" diopters used to allow closer focusing with Hasselblad lenses. This is required for cameras with a lens mounted to a fixed box camera like the Hasselblad, alternative being using a lens extension tube. Typical view camera has a bellows and attatchmet of a wide variety of lenses and making the effective distance between lens to film holder variable and not fixed like the Hasselblad. To achieve closer focusig of subject to film plane, simply extend the camera's lenght between lens to film plane, done. Close up diopters like the Hasselblad Proxars can be used to reduce camera/bellows draw to allow for closer focusing. If the camera has plenty of extension and bellows for the lens focal lenght being used applying optical aids ala Proxar or diopters is not needed in any way.
Similar applies to Sifters, yes they can be used. Compared to the universe of true soft focus lenses made for and available for sheet film view cameras, IMO FAR better results comes from properly using soft focus lenses. Soft focus filters like Softars are more of a visual aid than what is achieved with a true soft focus lens.
B60 implies Hasselblad CF lenses. There are plenty of B60 to threaded adapters. Think the most common was B60 to 67mm.
Ideas/habits from using fixed lens, box based cameras do not always directly transfer to this LF view camera stuff.
Bernice
Originally Posted by dzulu
On a similar note, I have gotten great results from using lenses off folding 122, 620, 616, etc. cameras. The Kodak No. 3 Autographic model C folding camera is a great one to acquire. Its 122 film size was 3 1/4" x 5 1/5". Lenses come with a shutter with usually T, B, 1/25, and 1/50 shutter speeds which. I always shoot wide open, since by stopping down you get a sharp image with none of the "vintage" Bokeh. Look for ones which the bellows has been trashed, since you'll only be using the lens and shutter on your 4x5 camera. Current project is a no name 4x5 box camera with a single element lens and T and I speed settings. Finally got the 5 part (2 wires, one spring, and 2 pieces of metal) shutter to work "reliably". Now to have the two 1 1/8" x 1 3/8" finder mirrors resurfaced to be able to use the two finders.
Some people like "soft-focus" filters, some don't. There are a TON of different types of SF filters -- and they all come in different strengths. The Softars are just one type -- and also come in different strengths. Hoya, and perhaps others, made SF filters using the same technique as the Softars.
If you search the web, you'll find a lot of photographers that swear by them. But they are really only usable/useful for certain situations/subjects. Fortunately, portraits are the place where they work the best. Why? Because the nature of the Softar soft-focus technique works best with longer focal length, wide-aperture lenses. If you are using a lens that is stopped down or normal-to-wide-angle, the results are horrible -- because of the way they work.
So if your objective is portraits with wide-aperture lenses, they might work for you.
You might want to check out:
http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/softfocus.htm
As to using Proxars, as mentioned, just add more bellows extension to get close-up -- instead of using a supplementary lens like a Proxar. If you run out of bellows and want to get closer, it's better to use a shorter focal length lens -- hopefully one designed to close-up magnification. But if neither of these are options for you, the Proxars will work FINE -- no change in exposure needed.
Zeiss used to make Proxar lenses as simple wide angle attachments for large format cameras. The also made negative diopter lenses called Distars to increase the focal length of the camera lens. Other manufacturers made similar attachments. Maybe this type of use it not for you, but Proxars and Distars can still be of use for old plate cameras with fixed lenses.
Keep in mind these optical add ons are needed for fixed lens-box cameras as they do not have the capabilities and abilities of a LF view camera. These optical aids can absolutely used on any view camera, are they needed most often not as there are direct optical solutions that can meet the image goal needs far better than applying an optical aid.
This is one of the primary diffences between any fixed lens/box camera -vs- the universe of view cameras where it's camera to support lens/optics required to meet a given image goal.
Bernice
Thank you everyone for your responses.
Good point on using the proxar to compensate for bellow length if needed.
I will have to try out the softar and see what the outcome looks like.
Anyone aware of options for a converter xx-mm to B60 (not B60 to xx-mm)? I only found one by Heliopan.
I actually encourage you to try the softar. For portraits it’s often useful, especially Softar 1. The others, to me, are a bit too much. But maybe recreating David Hamilton style pics are your thing… who know? To temporarily attach why not use blue painters tape? If you like it might be better to get a softar in another threaded mount that will either directly fit your lens or work in a more easily sourced adapter.
Last edited by BrianShaw; 9-Sep-2022 at 08:42.
… and since @xkaes mentions the large diversity of SF filters… if you like the notion it’s worth seeking out a variety. I tried out about a dozen and finally found what works best for me: duto, followed by Tiffen SoftFX1 and Softar1. All have minor and observable differences in effect.
If you really, really like SF… a “real SF lens” is optimal. That’s another topic fraught with profound opinions.
There are a wide variety of inexpensive import adapters online these days (RAF + others), so keep searching, or try tape as mentioned... Soft filters can be interesting to lower contrast or soften sharpness (look up what cinematographers do with them)... And the C/U adapters can give some extra wide angle relief when needed, but might change the marked f setting...
Worth a try...
Steve K
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