Another Soft Focus Lens Blog. The ShitPipe Lens.

[Paul Metcalf]

Great, there goes the price of 3" PVC pipe.

[Petzval Paul]

Very cool , Jim!

[Blueberrydesk]

I'm amazed at a lot of your work, Jim. I wish I knew a helluva lot more about lenses. The first 3 are fantastic!

[gregstidham]

Jim, thanks for posting these wonderful photographs.

I would recommend, however, for maximum optical clarity that the pipe be sloped 1/4" per foot to allow the light to flow properly through the lens to the film.

[ditkoofseppala]

"This would be a stellar lens for full plate work."

Agreed! Particularly if provided with an iris diaphragm to exert that little bit of extra control over the light flow and clear the . . . crap . . . out of the corners. That would be "taking it to the next level," I think. Granted that mounting an iris in the PVC barrel might be too much of a challenge, but it would be EASY to take a hacksaw to the sucker and cut a wee slot into which you could insert homebrew Waterhouse stops! Why not give it a try?

[Joe Smigiel]

Great, there goes the price of 3" PVC pipe.

LOL

[jetcode]

I like the first image the best and there appears to be plenty of entertainment and artistic value in just about anything you sandwich between light and film

These 2 ladies get more work done by accident
than I ever will on purpose

Purpose is overrated ... accidents can lead to far more interesting results

[Jim Galli]

Thanks Joe

[jetcode]

The man who directed the movie "Traffic", Steven Soderbergh blew my mind when he made a statement that essentially he tries to leave his work unplanned to a certain degree so the magic of the moment surfaces naturally, that is, the actors, the script, the circumstance all come together to make something far greater than anything he could have conceived on his own. Here's a guy blowing serious cash every day on the set operating as loosely as he can around the script and shoot deadlines. He says the juice is in the unplanned accident. I think he's right.

If you haven't seen the movie "Traffic" it is one of the best movies I have ever seen in terms of story, creativity, and presentation. It won 4 Academy Awards and I can see why.

[Hollis]

Jim,

How about some color images? I know it is not really your thing but would love to see what happens with the Nevada sun in all its glory and the decided lack of coating. Also, how about a shot or two of the actual contraption...