Hi,
I just got a 750mm Apo-Germinar. This huge heavy lens has a particularity that I don't understand. Besides the apperture ring there is another larger ring that can make a quarter of a turn, but nothing changes (seems to change on the ground glass) when you manipulate it. Does any one knows what is this ring for. There is a picture of this lens at http://www.skgrimes.com/lenspics/750zeiss.jpg.
Thanks,
Charles.
That ring opens up a slot in the lens barrel to allow you to insert waterhouse stops or a thin filter. This is quite common on Repo Lenses. For certain graphic arts processes, the shape of the hole in the waterhouse stop needs to be "shaped" a certain way.
That is a nice fast answer, thanks a lot.
Do you think this repro lens could be use to take 8x10 pictures in the wild, like a tele?
I am ready to try, but am not sure of the result. Is there any contra-indication apart from the fact that this less is heavy and difficult to attach safely (to my old Sinar P2)?
By the way I dont know what a waterhouse is.
Thks.
A waterhouse stop is a thin shim of metal with a hole in it corresponding to a given f/stop. There would be several different ones for each lens. This system was popular in the 19th century, before iris diaphragms were common, and are still used in graphic arts.That's because they can be made with extreme precision (unlike an iris). The slot also may have been used to hold filters.
You could use that lens in the field if you have enough bellows extension- which you can add to your Sinar. You'll also want the Sinar shutter and two very large tripods. See the work of the late Reinhart Wolf, especially his book "New York". He used a similar setup, with spectacular results.
Nice, I bought two used metallic heavy weight Gitzos tripod for that purpose (very heavy); A question I am wondering about the bellows: I have a 4X5 bellows connected to a 4x5-8x10 bellows (that I have not received yet from ebay) and I am wondering if I will see the whole circle in the ground glass or if the bellows will shade off the lens borders. I did some test with the 5x7 bellows it is OK (I am obliged to cut the film since the 5x7 color film does not exist anymore). The final aim is to reproduce a picture I took with a digital camera two years ago but this time with a very high definition: www.zenobie.be/Architecture. Cross the fingers....
You will need 30" of Bellows to focus this lens at infinity (almost a yardstick). For semi-close up shots you will need almost a couple of yards. You will need extension rails for the sinar, and possibly 2 4x5 bellows with 2 intermediate standards, and they might crop on close up work.
Best field camera design for this lens might be an old Agfa/Ansco triple extension 8x10 camera.
Hi Charles,
congrats to that 9/750mm lens, it is regarded as one of the best lenses in that focal length range. I believe I can say that because I played and am playing with quite a few lenses in that focal length range i.e. up to the 47"/1200mm range.
The positive thing about this lens is the f=9 which does give you a bright image on the focussing screen, I am using on a Sinar a Bossscreen, which allows to see also very fine details.
Since it is a barrel lens you need a shutter, I do not have experience with the "hat method", "the Galli shutter" .. the simplest solutions but with their natural limitations.
I tried 3 systems which worked, the Sinar behind-the-lens shutter, the Compur 5FS behind the lens shutter and the Compur 5FS carrying front and rear elements on both sides.
In your case the first two approaches do work, for the Sinar/Copal behind-the-lens I took a Sinar board and mounted in front of it a 110mm flange ring together with a distance ring to allow for the rear lens extension of the Apo Germinar. This modified flange takes the 750mm lens with its 110mm thread and is monted on the Sinar front standard which towards the film side carries the Sinar/Copal shutter. The rear element of the lens is just about 10mm away from the shutter.
Now you may ask ...will the front standard carry the weight of the lens and will it keep the lens reliably in its postion vertical to the film plane ?.. The good answer is :YES .. I tried that with a P frontstandard .. but to my surprise even a F2 standard did it .. I am now using a F front standard from a Sinar F5x7/13x18(cm) .. this one is heavier in design.. .. the same approach was done with the 5FS shutter .. in this case I had an adapter made with 110mm thread on the lens side and the wide diameter thread on the shutter side .. this mounted again on a Sinar board .. in this case without the Sinar/Copal shutter of course. This last set up allows control from behind the camera, wide open for focussing, closed to the taking f-stop for control, then closed/cocked and fired with time range between 1/60 of a second to 32seconds, .. a very smooth shutter .. allowing for multiple exposures if wanted .. and the added option to use the iris of the shutter to act as a mechanical f-stop to avoid the light bouncing around on the bellows interior.
Above options hold a lenses like the Apo Germinars 9/750 and 12/1000 reliably. In case of a Apo Ronar CL 16/1000, a true heavy weight champion, I had adapters made for the 16/1000 and mounted on both sides of the 5FS shutter to have at that weight a better balanced lens, had to chose though a Sinar F 5x7 rear standard (not the intermediate standard !!) via a Sinar 5/7 to 4/5 reducing adapter connected to a 5/7 to 4/5 bellows to accommodate the larger diameter of the rear element .. from there onto a 4/5 intermediate standard which towards the film side either had a 4/5 -8/10 bellows or other variations .. but this was for the 1000mm combo. In your case all you need is a 4x5 straight bellows to an intermediate standard .. and from there with a 4/5 to 8/10 bellows ..or if you have one of the longer 4/5 bellows you may as well go via an intermediate standard to a 4x5-5x7 bellows if you want to use the smaller format .
The P2 is a heavy weight, you can get away very well with the stronger F-standards of the Sinar's F 5x7 or 8x10.
I recommend two tripods, that is more important than one heavy tripod, I believe that good practice allows to work successfully with two tripos of moderate weight. It is good to have more weight on the front of the rail when it postions itself onto the front tripod. ... etc.
I am sure there are more things to be said, but I want to encourage you to do it, you will develop certain work practices specific to working with the long lenses .. but you will be rewarded with some outstanding performance .. the system is very powerful.. and you will leave far behind all digital systems .. with the technique of our fathers. Have fun !
Joerg
if you have specific questions please feel free to ask.
Thanks, I have some questions.
First of all let me describe the system: two heavy tripods, a three pieces rail, a 8x10/4x5 bellows, a 4x5/4x5 bellows, a Sinar shutter, the lens supported by its flange on a P2 standard and another front standard to support the front side of the lens (security first, I already dropped a smaller lens one day) that will also carry a 4x5 bellows for shading purpose.
My question about this 750mm lens which has a f/128 iris closure, that I would like to try for making very long pause pictures, so the crowd disappears magically from the scene. I usually measure the light in the distance with a Nikon D200 and I should say it is quite accurate, I do not exactly know how to convert a 1/60s, f16 to the resulting speed at f/128. Any existing tables?
One problem is left, the weight of all that equipement causes surcharge fees in some airways companies.
Cheers,
Charles.
Since one stop is one step on the time setting, the 6 stops from f/16 to f/128 requires 6 steps longer time.Originally Posted by mosndup
The mathematical way is T=T0 * (f/f0)^2 where T0 and f0 are the initial settings and T and f are the result. In your example that works out to T= 1/60 * 8^2, which is 64/60 second or just about one second.
Joerg Krusche and his 750mm Apo Germinar in action at the 2006 LF conference in Fontfroide abbey, France
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/3...1a9dca_b_d.jpg
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