Help With A Fuji Soft Focus Lens

[ed_balko3]

I've just purchased a lovely Fujinon Soft Focus Lens, f5.6/250mm. I'm

unfamiliar with the use of this lens and control of the soft focus

effect and am hoping someone here might provide guidance.

 

It appears that the perforated discs are installed at the inner face

of the rear lens group, this being done by unscrewing the group and

fitting the disc edge into an annulus on the lens group face. Please

correct me if I'm wrong here. I have both discs that, I understand,

are normally supplied with a Fuji SF.

 

The diaphragm adjustment lever moves way past the position marked for

the smallest indicated f-stop, f22 and the iris opening continues to

close. In addition, there are a series of figures, integers 8 through

12, between the shutter speeds figures and the f-stop markings. I

presume that both the diaphragm travel and the mysterious numbers are

part of the controls for the soft focus effect and I would be most

appreciative if some could explain them to me.

 

Thanks in advance.

[ed_balko3]

Five minutes with the lens on the camera and I think I'm able to answer my own questions.

 

The perforated discs mount on the rear of the front element group; they clip onto a metal rim provided for that purpose. If placed on the rear element group, the disc binds the diaphragm motion.

 

The discs are color coded with either a red or yellow dot. The dots are visible through the front of the lens and the colors correspond to either the extra yellow or red scale on above the normal f-stop settings. These colored values evidently indicate to the effective f-stop when the iris is closed with a disc in place.

 

The softening of the image is quite apparent as the lens is opened.

[alpshiker]

Beyond f11, the lens becomes sharp and contrasted just as a normal lens, that's why there are no markings beyond f22.

[s.k. grimes inc]

I think the discs are intended to be used instead of and not in conjuction with the built in iris of the shutter. <p> The Imagon lens which is the original design of this type of lens is intended to be used only with the discs and not with the built in iris. As configured at the factory the Imagon lens has no f-stop numbers engraved for the built in shutter iris becaus its not intended to be used with the lens.

<p> Its likely that the Fuji lens uses the same principle.

[alpshiker]

Steve, the Imagon and Fujinon SF have a slightly different design. The Imagon disks are in fact two superposed disks. To decrease the light passing through the holes and thus the soft focus effect, you turn the front disk and the holes progressively fill. The Fuji has single disks and once they are fitted inside the lens, you use the iris on a two stops course to decrease the soft focus effect. But both lenses produce very similar images. The coating of older Imagons is poor and the Fujinon is much better with flare. Otherwise, I bet no one could distinguish images made with either lens.

[emile_de_leon9]

I use this lens regularly on 5x7 to 12x20. I only have the yellow dot disc but it works well with the disc or without for different effects. I estimated a f stop scale and put it on the lens via tape f32 to f90 and now have a very interesting lens from f5.6 to f90.Right now this lens is my favorite on 12x20 useable even wide open for a dreamy fantasy look. Sharp stopped down.

[ed_balko3]

Thank you for your helpful comments everyone.

[mark_tucker2]

Are there soft-focus lenses that aren't long like that? Yours and

the Cooke seem to be mid-200's. Are there 150's or shorter that

are distinctly soft-focus?

 

MT

[ed_balko3]

I can offer the speculation that soft focus lenses are probably most often used for portraiture and a slightly longer than "normal" lens is useful for that purpose (in 35mm format, a 90mm is usually preferred to a 50mm for portraits).

 

Lenses in the focal length of about 250 mm would seem to be just right in 4x5 format, and, given the specialized nature of these lenses, a manufacturer would probably choose just to make this one size.

[renee_galang1]

Mark,

Look at the Congo website. It has a new 150mm F4 soft focus lens. Recently I have bought a wollensack verito 7 1/4 inch (180mm)F 4 diffused focus lens. I have asked a local camera repairman here in Australia to make an adapter to be able to mount this lens into copal#3. He has and now I am in the market for a used copal #3. This is an interesting project for me and I can't wait until I start making photos. I was very tempted to buy the cooke portrait lens but the price is outrageous! Besides I think I prefer the older soft focus effects. To Ed, good luck on your fuji!