Soft focus (portrait) lens for 12x20?

The subject line sort of says it all. Glenn Evans currently has a

KodaK portrait lens available in the 405 mm (16") length, which he

identifies as covering 12X20. A quick web search suggests that this

lens was designed to cover 8X10. Do Kodak Portraits come in longer

focal length? Anything out there in the soft focus category that

would cover 12X20?

 

Thanks,

 

Nathan

Since 12x20 was a format invented for photographing large groups of people, a sharp lens would have been desired. Most other lenses that cover that size seem to be for copying, so they are also sharp. Sounds like you want to boldly go where no man has gone before...

The Kodak Portrait lens was a single element, not likely to cover your huge format. But the "View Camera" magazine that came last week has a detailed article by someone who makes their own SF lenses cheap. That may be your answer..

That sounds like a not too bad answer. If you want to pursue it, check out Alan Greene's recent book, _Primitive Photography_ from Focal Press, which has detailed instructions for building three simple 19th-century lenses.

It's a rare lens that won't cover it's focal length at portrait

distances, so look on that well-known auction site for old lenses

over 18 " in focal length. Lenses for smaller cameras are more

common, but the big brass monsters turn up too. For some

reason, they are more common on the UK and German specific

sites than the main, US-biased on.

 

Portrait lenses usually work by leaving a controlled amount of

spherical aberration in place. This is usually regarded as a

curse, but gives nice glowing haloes and a smooth bokeh. So

another option is more modern lenses with a known focus shift

(also usually caused by spherical abberration) like the Dagors,

or even the cheaper long enlarging and process lenses. Use

them wide open and revel in the fuzz.

 

Or start taking the front cell of lenses you already have. Doing so

usually roughly doubles the focal length and f-number, and

introduces extra aberrations. Spherical looks nice, but coma

doesn't, so if you want to check the 'look' without burning film

($ouch!$) put a point light source in the corners of the frame and

check for little comets on the ground glass.

One more thing, do you have enough bellows draw to make the portrait?

I know with my Korona there is no way I can get that close...but then maybe you are not getting too close. Anyway it just poped in my mind so I figure I ask...Good luck and show us a pic someteime!

Hi Nathan,

I just purchased a Fuji 250mm SF (1970's)on ebay and received it today with a new flange courtesy of Mr. Grimes, intending it to be used on my 5x7 but decided to put it on my 12x20 to see the coverage. Well low and behold it cast an image circle wide open(no disc) at 5.6 focused at infinity of about 17" albeit with the edges soft/abstract, but thats the look of a SF lens. Anyway ....as you stop down the image circle really grows and sharpens... seemingly to cover 12x20 at f22 or greater. So now I have a lens that is ultrawide on the 12x20 format(20mm in 35mm)! I have yet to test this lens but it seems like it will work in a nice way with it's fast aperture, short bellows ext. and particular SF look for portraits/nudes in 12x20 and abstract landscapes.

Nathan, there's a 25" Hunter-Penrose lens on ebay right now that sounds perfect. Seller is Stephen Shuart, one of the most reliable sellers.

I was at Lens and Repro in NYC yesterday afternoon, and they appeared to

have quite a few large (18" or longer) soft focus lenses, which may or may not

be appropriate for your ULF camera. Try calling Jeffrey Kay at L&R (212) 675-

1900. He may also know something about that weird Penray lens.

Nathan,

there are two ways to have soft focus results on 12x20 film:

a) use a big rectilinear lens wide open or at large apertures, ie Voigtlander Euryscop.

b) an achromatic single cell or an anastigmat single cell of appropriate focal lenght used wide open or at large apertures.

Both methods will give you what you are looking for.

Also some old portrait lenses could work

For more details you can contact me at dan.tanto@virgilio.it

Daniele Tanto