Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: Two23 on October 03, 2018, 06:48:35 pm
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Below photo: Chamonix 045n 4x5 field camera, c.1862 Voigtlander Petzval FL=12 in., Annie the Cat. I'm trying to figure out how to mount the lens to the camera. I've got my chief engineer looking into it. (I think I need a bigger lens board.) ;)
Kent in SD
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I love it!
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Is that a Catadioptric lens? Inquiring minds want to know.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catadioptric_system
Jim
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There's a YouTuber who goes by the name of Uncle Doug. He repairs and restores old tube (valve) amps, mainly the electric guitar variety but also the odd hi-fi unit too. Very knowledgeable guy, with a wry & dry sense of humor. Before he'll touch any piece of gear his black cat, Jack, must first give it the sniff test of approval. After the amp is in proper working order Doug tests it out via simple strumming on a cheap guitar before turning it over to "Jack" for a proper workout on a better instrument.
-Dave-
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Is that a Catadioptric lens? Inquiring minds want to know.
Catadioptric lenses were made in the 1970s and 1980s, if I remember correctly. The lens above is a Petzval. These were invented in 1840 by Josef Petzval, an Austrian mathematician. They were the first true portrait lenses and actually made portrait photography with Daguerrotype possible since the process was so slow. They reigned supreme from 1841 into the 1890s, and were still being made in the 1940s. (They are again being made for 35mm/FX by Lomography.) The Petzval might be the most successful lens in history! There is quite a story about them here: https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2010/10/from-petzvals-sum-to-abbes-number/ The Petzval is a four element lens, with a cemented doublet in the front and an air spaced doublet in the rear. They are typically around f3.5. Most of the smaller Petzvals are convertible in that you can remove the rear group and place the inverted front group in that space and create a slower but longer focal landscape lens. The larger Petzvals such as mine above generally aren't convertible. I love these lenses as they give a very distinct look to an image! I was just kidding about mounting the huge one to the fragile little Chamonix and actually intend to mount it to my c.1925 Gundlach Korona 5x7. It's still on the verge of being too big for it though!
Below photos:
1. A few Petzvals ranging from 1845 to 1863
2. 5x7 Korona with FL=8 inch Petzval
3. Korona 5x7 with FL=12 in. Petzval (as yet unmounted.)
Kent in SD