brass lens paradise (vintage large format) 19C Lens Revival Operations

The lens, Dallmeyer Soft Portrait 4D 350mm? F6, was displayed at an

exhibition of a japanese photographer, Kohei Yasu, worked in

Guatemala 100 years ago. I tried to revive some lenses, all covered

with dust and mold of 100 years. This is one example of my lens

revival operations. Regret to say, the focal length of this Dallmeyer

lens was too long for my 8x10 camera. As I missed an extention rail

on the spot, this was the minimum possible focusing distance. I wish

I could get closer to the subject.

It was in 1976 when there was a big earthquake in Guatemala. A bookshelf fell down in a house at the old city of Antigua and some 900 glass plate negatives were found from the backspace. These negatives were all taken by Yasu and his son in law at the turn of the last century. Historical reserch proved that these included portraits, buildings, churches, people, entertainments, landscapes of 100 years ago Guatemala city and Antigua. Exhibition displayed his phtographs as well as some photo equipments including lenes actually he used.

Hello Yasumasa

This is a fine portrait with wonderful ubiety!

Well rendered - 6/6

Regards, Nick.

A little desolate that only few people are interested in such a quest in digital era. Even digital technology is based upon the effort of our ancestor, I believe.