Cyclops

Some time ago I wrote an article about a prototype lens I put

together called 'Cyclops', it's basically a magnifier incorporated

into a lens barrel/shell to create a simple lens, it's grown into a

system now where I now have several magnifiers/junk lens elements

which I can interchange w/two lens barrel/shells, an 80mm and 150mm

shell native to my Mamiya 645 system.

 

The 150mm shell has a leaf shutter so I can use a flash w/Cyclops,

and there are some images in the article shot w/Cyclops shot with and

without flash.

 

The article is located @

www.alternativephotography.com.........after getting to the front page

you'll see 'Articles and Books', click on the word Article, that will

take you to 'Film cameras',....scroll down to the last article listed

in film cameras, which is Cyclops.

An excellent contribution Jonathan!!!! Photography is imagery. The first building block of that image is imagination....which you have expertly applied. Although we all know that the tools do not make the photographer, we all seek the use of tools (filters, extension tubes etc.) to help us capture our creative vision. I see great potential for portrait photography. Beautiful soft images. I would like to see more shots made with the 'Cyclops'.

Thanks for the nice words Jay, even though this has already been tried by others, I was inspired and spurred into action by the incredible images of George Rossov, a Russian photographer whose been on this trail for quite some time, I believe you can google his name and track down his website.

 

This was a 6 month project and I went through a great number of junk lenses to come up with the rear element to an old Kodak projection lens that got me my first images, it got easier from there, I hope Cyclops gives anybody thinking of trying this some ideas.

Forgive me, it's been awhile since I've visited his site, the photographer who I was refering to is Georgi Rozov.....his site is here.......http://www.rozov.ru/first.shtml.....I don't speak Russian, so count down 6 from the top of his gallery list for the gallery of images done exclusively with a monocle(what Russian photograpers call this type of lens)......................there is one image in this gallery that decided for me my starting Project Cyclops,...... this image.....http://www.rozov.ru/foto/monokl/118.jpg.....once I saw this image, Cyclops was going to happen.

 

There is some fabulous work on this website.

Much less rugged than your pro-spec camera, Jonathan, the lens system on my 'garden' camera (it's too small for a 'field' :) follows a similar pathway with interchangeable lenses. In this case I used a Prontor shutter from a 1950s 6x6 folder and obtained some new single diopter lenses from an optician who cut them to size. They just push into place. This shot used +6 diopter optical lens (focal length 175mm) and a Polaroid back. Lit with a softbox.

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The simple method I use for changing the glass means that I lose the original filter mount from the shutter, which is a loss! However, it also takes a 6x7 RFH so I might try some colour shots some time. Your step forward is a great advance.

I love the shot Sandeha, must be a relative of my sons bear 'Snuggy'!!