Old Spiratone lens creates a stir

[patrick j dempsey]

<p>My Pen FT has attracted the attention of ladies... so maybe you are going in the wrong direction? And John, I got the Leica question once about my 35RC and I just started laughing. </p>

[SCL]

<p>About a year ago I converted one of those Spiratone 400/6.3 lenses to use on a Nikon DSLR (as mentioned above, I thought it was a simple T mount, but it needed additional machining for infinity focus). Have had a lot of fun with it, so glad to hear you're enjoying yours. I do occasionally enjoy dragging out the "classic gear" because it always gets peoples' attention, especially newbies who don't have a clue, or other old timers, like me, who remember using the stuff themselves before they got sucked into the modern age.</p>

[jack_welsh]

<p>"I need the longer 500mm Spiratone to catch their attentions :-)"<br>

Ian, remember I had the 500 lens for my Mamiya 500DTL back in the 70s It was a great lens.<br>

Whenever I took my Anniversary Speed or Mamiya Universal to a car show or Railroad Museum. People thought I was the Pro!</p>

[henryp]

<p>Louis Mendez and his vintage Speed Graphic camera outfitted with two flash units and a Polaroid back.<br>

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/nyregion/03polaroid.html</p>

[pictureted]

<p>That Spiratone is a very cool old lens. A real poor-man's long lens for it's time. I've thought about buying a quick release plate for it, but that would cost more than the lens origianally cost... Everyone I knew wanted the Nikon 400/5.6, but bought the Spiratone. Prompted by this thread, I just took out my old lens and put on my D90, so slow, so light and pretty good optics! Easier to focus on the F3 though.</p>

[doug grosjean]

<p>Any odd / strange photo eqpm't creates a stir, in my experience.</p>

<p>I think the nicest, family-friendly stir / good vibe, is with a TLR in nice shape. </p>

<p>But yeah, a Realist or TLR or a Cirkut or a Widelux or a Kodak Panoram.... All draw bit of attention.</p>

[dennisgg]

<p>Yup - just this last New Years weekend at NYC - I had my Gary Fong Lightsphere-2 clear diffuser and got all kinds of questions on what is was.</p>

[dan_b.4]

<p>Yup, Mr. Robison and Mr. Dempsey, the Pen F SLRs do attract a lot of attention. Every now and then, someone asks me if they're digital, which I chalk up to the sleek Art Deco-inspired design.</p>

<p>My pack of rangefinders also gets quite a bit of attention, between the bright red leather on one of my Kiev-4As and the shiny chrome Nikkor lenses. Eastern European immigrants (of whom there are many in the Phoenix area these days) recognize the Kiev bodies and FSU lenses.</p>

[James G. Dainis]

"<I>Gro-oan. Last summer I was using my Century Graphic on a tripod in a national park. Guy, total stranger, walks up and stands there for a minute or so, while I set up the shot on the ground glass. His first words to me: "You know, you really should get a digital camera."</I>

 

<P>I would have said, "This is a digital camera." (Pointing to the ground glass) "See the LCD screen?"<P>

 

When using my woodie 8x10 field camera the most common question I got was, "Does that old camera still work?" Like I drag it, my big tripod and a bunch of 8x10 film holders around for exercise.

[clark_yerrington]

<p>the rolleiflex. and after i take their photo with it, they always crane their neck to look at the back of the camera to see how the photo came out. and they see a little depth of field chart, and i say, 'maybe in a few days'.</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>The three 400mm F6.3 Spiratones I have own are a "simple" T-mount.I have only one today. They have been used on 35mm slr with an Exakta VX; VX500; Nikon F; F2 Nikkormat; and an Minolta; and old 1960's Pentax and Practica. Each only reequired the 3 to 5 buck T-mount adapter for each cameras mount. No mods were required with my 40mm; or any other T mount lens.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>If any of the 400mm were not the later "standard" T-mount, it might have been a few of the 400mm f/7.5.<br>

Most were straight-up T-mount. I've bought several of these. The one I have now is the Plura-Coat version with the "works" - a Tele-X-tender, closeup focusing tube, case. Alas I've not yet found the shoulder "rifle-stock" to go with.</p>

<p> </p>

[john_robison3]

<p>I was fooled by a Vemar brand 400mm f6.3 preset at a photo show couple years back. I bought it for $2 at the end of the day because the aperture blades were wonky. I figured for 2 bucks it was worth a try to fix it. The upshot is that the aperture was non repairable and to my surprise the threaded mount wasn't a 'T' thread but was 4 or 5 mm larger in diameter. I don't know who "Vemar" was, but evidently they had their own interchangeable mount configuration. Even their rotating tripod collar would fit any of my other preset T mount lenses, bummer. The whole thing is strange because I have a 200mm f4.5 Vemar that is a T mount.</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>The 1 1/4" telescope T-mount adapter I got from Edmund in the late 1950's is the same T-mount that fits all my T-mount lenses; Spiratone; Solagor, Tamron etc. Thus to me a standard T mount is the deal I got 50 years ago that fits all my lenses thru the 1970's.</p>

[GerrySiegel]

<p>A cute sea story on drawing attention. Followup to JDM's remark on the always fascinating and great seller at the time Stereo Realist aluminum brick with apparent three lenses upfront:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Try going some place with a Stereo Realist around your neck. Unfortunately it does not seem to attract members of the opposite gender.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Not sure any camera attracts the ladies, JDM. I prefer this stuff I dab on called Hawaiian Blue..:-)..</p>

<p>Carrying my Stereo Realist F 2.8 Olden Special on neck strap in a park in Yokohama some twenty plus years ago. Native Japanese takes a close look, asks," Excuse me. Your camera?. Is it made in Germany?" "No" I reply, "<strong>Made in America</strong> . " Prolonged (befuddled?)" hissing" sound on lips of my questioner. </p>

<p>I would likely get the same response if I used my Century Graphic, Dave Sims, but I bet it would be mistaken for a Toyo. A real he man's camera. I have mounted on it the 100mm Zeiss Tessar closeout lens left over from defunct Graflex XL series, lens alone that I bought from Olden. Along with a Prontor grip and cable release. Hot outfit. Medium format negs, a revelation to scan and tweat and they return to life.</p>

<blockquote>

 

</blockquote>

<p> </p>

[GerrySiegel]

<p>Bought my Century Graphic with its original Trioptar self cocking 3 element lens already used in 1955 from Phil Levine at Crimson Camera on Mass Avenue. Bellows and Bakelite body still now in decent shape. Lots of use in college. Carried at sea and in Europe. Used by my office PH striker to take our b and w wedding shots. Sentimental, you bet your bippy. Spiratone and i got in a spat over a return of one of their camera bags, alas. I said" lousy and not as advertised.". They said "best seller, you know from nothing." Ended our brief fling. Spiratone sold some unique stuff at that time. An early optical flash trigger. Closeup lenses with prisms for the stereo cameras.</p><div></div>

[jonathan_spira]

<p>I'd like to thank everyone for the great comments and address JDM's comment about the influence of SFS on the T-mount system. As you know, Tamron and other brands were unknown in the U.S. at the time and Spiratone was the biggest importer of Sun and Tamron lenses.<br>

Spiratone had its own optical engineers and consultants who worked on lens design alongside the manufacturers so there were separate Spiratone models that the manufacturers made which sometimes had more costly design elements than what they otherwise manufactured. We also had QC inspectors at the factories who worked directly for Spiratone (until it became cost prohibitive, we had a small office in Tokyo run by an American expat).<br>

Although I do not know the exact details (but I do know whom to ask if necessary), SFS did play a significant role in getting Japanese lens makers to agree on interchangeable lens mount standards, first with the T-mount and later with the YS adapters.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Spiratone was an interesting company. The mostly carried photographic notions and novelties, usually a half-notch above the crap marketed in the cheapie ads in the back of Modern and Pop photo way back when, the photo equivalent to X-Ray Specs and black face soap for tons o' politically incorrect hilarity. Some Spiratone items were better than half a notch above crap and were rather unique. One such doodad I still treasure is the Portragon 100mm f/4 soft focus portrait lens, a sort of predecessor to the first LensBaby.</p>

<p>If Spiratone had a remotely hip marketing department they might have hung on to be the next LensBaby. But cumudgeonliness seemed broad and deep throughout Spiratone. They were determinedly unhip and old school, from their cheesy catalogs right down to the sometimes comically grouchy customer service attitudes. As a kid back around 1970 one of my favorite NYC shops to haunt was the Spiratone outlet, mostly because the grumpy old clerks would grouse at my buddy and me non-stop from the time we entered the store. "Whaddayou kids want? You got money? Gonna buy something? Don't touch that, it ain't a toy."</p>

[dave_s]

<p>Gerry, since we're doing Graphic porn, here's mine. April 1962 date code, with a tasteful grey Mahoganite box and a snazzy red bellows. It was my first medium format camera. I bought it second (or third) hand in 1983 or so, and I still use it for backpacking. The lens is a Symmar-S of much more recent vintage.<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/10464750-lg.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[edgreene]

<p>Try lugging this 120-600 Vivitar (240-1200mm on my 4/3rds gear) and be inconspicuous at the same time:</p>

[edgreene]

<p>Try lugging this 5-pounder:<br />120-600 Vivitar (<em>240-1200mm on my 4/3rds gear</em>) and be inconspicuous at the same time:</p>

[Ian Rance]

<p>Thank you all for the very interesting comments, and thank you Jonathan for the input - such nuggets of information are tasty indeed.</p>

<p>What I was wondering is whether it is worth upgrading my older version for a Pluracoated Sharp-Shooter type (with the rubber grip). Any comments on that matter would be appreciated. Also, as an aside, what aperture do these lenses perform best at?</p>

<p>Anyway, lack of Pluracoat notwithstanding, I have the 400mm lens fitted right now to my F3 ready to catch the sunrise.</p>

<p>Thank you all again, Ian</p>

[kelly_flanigan1]

<p>Ian; The advert above shows the Modern Photographys test; witrh Excellents from F11 to F22. I tested on of mine about 20 years go.</p>

<p>When I shot baseball with my 400 F6.3; I often used F11 @1/500; with a yellow filter. This lens has no ED glass; it is a 1960's design. It does have chromatic abberation; since it is along lens of only 4 4 elements. With B&W one can get a tad better sharpeness by shooting with a filter; say deep yellow; even green too. The *foot* oj the tripod socket here was scuffed up and rows filed so it digs into the pad on my tripod. A dumb black construction paper hood is what I used with this lens; it helps in bright sun.<br>

<br /> Once in the 1970's I shot some 8mm cine with the 400mm. I shot the moon rising using time lapse. I used a Nikon F to C mount adapter (cine) then a c mount to d mount adapter ( for 8mm cine) . As a rough swag the moon or sun is 1/100 of a lens focal length on film; thus a 400mm is 4mm; nice on a 8mm cine frame.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Thanks to Jonathan Spira for the information. The family has a website dealing mostly with Fred Spira's marvelous collection of historical cameras (<a href="http://www.spira.com/spira/home.nsf/home?open">link</a> ).<br /> I think there are hopes to upgrade it to further issues in the future if possible.</p>

<p>And, I have to add -- I thought Mr. Spira was too classy for the "Girlwatcher" lens and here is the actual culprit: it was Sterling-Howard, as shown in the ad attached.</p>

<p>I dealt a lot with Spiratone in the old days and my memories of them as someone calling in from outside was quite contrary to the "grumpiness" charge. My guess is that Lex is <em>now</em> grumpier than Spiratone <em>was</em> * ;) I think the company was doing well so long as it was in the hands of the family, it was after it was sold that it went to ruin. Cheesy catalogs? I still treasure mine and compared to the normal run of catalogs from outfits like Peerless, their catalogs are wonderful. The "half-notch" above Johnson Smith (the X-ray glasses outft) is also off base. I won't say that Spiratone never had a dud product (the 7mm fisheye comes to mind), but most stuff was very good indeed. Johnson Smith, on the other hand, overfulfilled their part of the "90% of everything is crap" principle.<br /> It wasn't just the Portragon, it was also the first decent and inexpensive 500mm mirror lenses, and many other great lenses, not to mention all kinds of great little gadgets.</p>

<p>________<br>

* I wonder, could the child be father to the man? ;)</p><div></div>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>"My guess is that Lex is <em>now</em> grumpier than Spiratone <em>was</em> * ;)"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Very possible, JDM. I may have reached the point where I'd be a perfect sales clerk for a revitalized Spiratone. "It's a polarizer. If you don't know what it is you don't need it. No, you can't rummage for bargains through the bargain rummage boxes. Now, off my lawn, ya punks."</p>

<p>Ian, all of those T-mount preset teles I've owned and tried performed about equally, so I doubt you'd see a significant improvement by swapping for the version with better coating. Using a good lens shade and avoiding flare inducing situations will make more difference. The low contrast is one reason I've kept a couple of T-mount lenses in moderate tele lengths for portraits, including a Lentar 135/3.5 T-mount preset. Satisfactorily sharp for portraiture and snapshots of people, but very flattering and forgiving of minor skin blemishes and imperfect application of cosmetics, compared with my more ruthless 105/2.5 AI Nikkor.</p>

<p>Another goodie for folks interested in such lowbrow gems was the Vivitar 300mm f/5.6 T-mount preset. I had one for several years, through several SLR systems, swapping T-mount adapters between Canon FD, Minolta, Olympus OM and Nikon F mounts. Optically it performed comparably to the older non-ED Nikkor 300/4.5 teles - a bit mushy wide open, very good stopped down, but always lacking in the snappy contrast of later models. Physically it was a brute - it felt more heavy and rugged than any of the 400/6.3 and 500/8 preset T-mount teles I've handled. I finally sold mine for $25 when I got the 300/4.5 AI ED Nikkor, but looking back at the photos taken with the Vivitar it wasn't bad at all for the casual use I put it to, which mostly included the water fowl that lurked along our lake front home.</p><div></div>