Re: dreamy Nikon lenses
Thank you all for the comments on varying the elements. I have wondered if any lenses were made with doughnut shaped stops (open in the center and around the edge) so as to have a sharp image and a soft flaring image together. Sam, I think I might have one of those Wollensak Extreme Wide Angle lenses around. I'll look into it. Thanks, Jack On 7/21/08, sam wang <stwang@clemson.edu> wrote: > Jack, > > I agree with John that the best way is to enlarge the aperture: try that > with any disposable plastic camera lens and you've got it. > > What focal length and film format are you trying to use? Here is a solution > for 4x5 and 5x7: the Wollensak Extreme Wide Angle 12.5 lenses intended for > 4x5 and 8x10. Each can be found quite inexpensively. If you enlarge the > aperture from 12.5 to about f/9 (as far as it can go) you'll get very > beautiful soft focus. Every bit as nice as the best. Matter of fact, if you > point the camera at say sunlight dancing on water, I bet you'll be > mesmerized by the image on the groundglass. > > Sam > > > On Jul 21, 2008, at 1:48 PM, Jack Brubaker wrote: > > > > To the lens experts out there... > > > > I have a question about using an old lens as soft focus. Someone > > mentioned that an old triplet could be made to give that soft halo > > effect by moving the front element out a bit to introduce spherical > > aberration. Do I remember that right? If so can this be done with some > > of those old lenses I have laying around that have what I take to be a > > front pair and a rear pair each mounted in a brass ring and threaded > > into a brass tube. Can the space between the front and rear elements > > be varied by screwing them out a bit and get any of these effects, or > > by seperating the front pair and placing a shim between them in the > > brass mounting ring? > > > > Hopeful and expectant, > > > > Jack > > > >
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