A Page Where I Test 4 Vintage lenses for LOOK

[Jim Galli]

Saturday AM I set out to make images with 4 different antique lenses. 2 are soft focus lenses and 2 are not. The images will surprise you I think. They were:

Gundlach Meniscus 18" f6

Cooke Aviar 12 1/2" f6

Meyer Goerlitz Aristostigmat f6.5

Beach Multifocal Series A 16" f4.5

I photographed a common scene with all 4 but tried some different apertures. The set-up is very similar to size and distance from a head and shoulder portrait sitting. I purposely did that to "see" what the depth of focus might look like in portraits.

I used my Kodak 9a Studio 8X10 camera. The Packard shutter was unwilling on this morning. It actually broke down. How dare it! It's only 80 years old. So I simply proceeded with 2 8X10 dark slides with V shaped slit formed. I metered between 1/30 and 4 seconds on these.

All are imperfect, but they get the job done visually for comparison sake.

Go have a look, it will take you 5 minutes or so, then let me know which one you like

The images are here;

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Po...tPictures.html

I plan to post this at Ape Hug also for those of you who cruise both places.

[brook]

I think the Beach is a real sweetie. If you have not yet, you must try a kodak portrait lens. Of course you'll just drive the prices up.....

[Eric Biggerstaff]

They are all nice, I think I like the Cooke the best.

[Bruce Watson]

They are all nice, I think I like the Cooke the best.

Second the Cooke.

[Pete Watkins]

Jim,
I have a Cooke (it's engraved T.T.H.) 10 1/4 " f 4.5 Aviar mark 2. It's an ex War Department lens and although I've never tried any of the other lenses on this test my Aviar is superb. This is not patriotic B.S. it really is a great lens despite the bubbles and other manky looking marks.
The Aviars have a superb reputation, cameraeccentric has some good info on these lenses.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Geary Lyons]

Well,
I kinda like the Meyer stopped down. The lighting/contrast/frame fill has some variances between the Meyer and the Cook shots, but I like the Meyer. But then, I don't know s#!t about these old lenses. I would stand there all day trying to figure out how to cock the shutter!

Cheers,
Geary

[Ole Tjugen]

The Aviar is bottom of my list - the rest all have different strengths. For pure softness the Meniscus is king; the Beach is nice, but not quite as "fuzzy"; and the Aristostigmat has good sharpness with pleasing bokeh (unlike the Cooke, which is too harsh for my taste).

[Alan Davenport]

The Cooke is certainly the best, but I also like the Meyer at f/22.

Thanks for sharing.
Alan

[Ken Lee]

Which is better, a flute or a violin ? It depends on what you are composing.

Each of these lenses has their own personality, and even that varies, depending on the f/stop.

You have made lovely portraits with all sorts of lenses.

[C. D. Keth]

I rather like the meyer, especially stopped down. I have a feeling I would like the meyer even more at a stop somewhere in between wide-open and f22. What is its focal length?