[LargeFormat] Bausch and Lomb Portrait Lens

[Les Newcomer]

> From: Clive Warren <cocam@blueyonder.co.uk>
> Reply-To: largeformat@f32.net
> Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2002 14:29:14 +0100
> To: largeformat@f32.net
> Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] Bausch and Lomb Portrait Lens
> 
> At 11:43 pm -0700 12/4/02, Les Newcomer wrote:
> big snip
>> 
>> Now after I typed all that, I found in "Handbook of Photography c1939, B&L
>> made a Plastigmat Portrait lens.  Which has only a minicus front element and
>> an achromat rear cell (plano-concave cemented to a convex)
>> 
>> It has a field of view of 40 degrees, speed of f5.6 and were made in focal
>> lengths ranging from 9-18.
> 
> Les,
> 
> You are the fountain of all knowledge when it comes to these old
> lenses. Thanks for all that info. Exactly what was required :-)

My wife says, 'When it comes to useless information, He's just full of it."
> 
> The 15" f5.6 E.F Plastigmat Portrait lens here has a cemented rear
> cell - I know this because there is about 1/8" separation in the
> balsam running around the outside of the rear cell - nothing to worry
> about.

"And the soft edge effect just gets better with age!! "No wiry sharpness
around the edges on images from this lens!"
> 
> The E.F probably stands for Effective Focal Length.
> 
> I had guessed that the front cell was a simple single element and am
> intrigued to discover that it is a Protar design. The diaphragm is
> very close to the front meniscus element.
> 
> I just took the beast outside and from the ground glass cannot see a
> soft focus effect - but I probably need to focus on a definite
> subject ie a person rather than foliage to really check this out.
> 
> The lens has no shutter and I was surprised not to find a Packard
> attached to the back of the lens board, nor any evidence of one that
> may have been removed. I guess this was a lens cap shutter
> arrangement but would have thought that film speeds were fast enough
> in the 30's to warrant some form of shutter. Particularly given the
> fast speed of the lens at f5.6 How do you think it was used in the
> studio?

the guy musta had a basement studio?
there were focal plane shutters designed for the rear of the camera
And then there were the Ilexpo shutter boxes, or shutter boxes with a
packard on them, so (in theory) he could change lenses without changing
bulbs and hoses. But even in the twenties, having more than one lens was
uncommon.  I suppose a short lens for doing full or 3/4 lengths and this for
doing busts and head shots.

Nobody, not even me, has attempted to document the evolution of the country
shutter, but I'm sure they were around.  A country shutter is nothing more
than a small box on a stick.  I've made one out of mahogany and flocked the
interior with box jointed corners and dovetailed the handle. But in truth
most are made of a 4x5 film box stuck to a stainless steel ruler with gaffer
tape.  The idea is the same as the lens cap but with a much faster exposure
as a 'flick of the wrist' is all it takes. Just for fun I played with my
Calumet digi-tester and my shutter. It varied a bit but the times were 1/8
to 1/15 of a second.

I've also used this when doing multiple pops with a flash.  Open the lens
and stick the shutter as close as possible without touching. Flick open and
flash, then close. Wait for the flash to recharge. Flick open and flash.
This way the flash can build up without the danger of moving the camera
recocking the shutter.
> 
> Having looked through the ground glass I find that it is in fact a
> 5x7 back - doh!
> 
> So am looking for a 4x5 and 8x10 back now :-)
> 
> Cheers,
> Clive
> 
> 
> 
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