Links to more soft focus lens resources...

 

I've been adding links since first posting this. A bit more Philosophy and more on Dallmeyer. In no particular order...

Dallmeyer -

A SHORT comment on the Mutac - https://largeformatphotography.info/soft-focus.html  - It's a triple convertible.  Given the elements involved, users can select one or more lenses for varying effects. 

An interesting overview -  https://deltalenses.com/the-dallmeyer-story/

Dallmeyer site entry point - http://thedallmeyerarchive.com/index2.html

 Portrait 2B settings - http://thedallmeyerarchive.com/Records/lensident/portrait.html

 Serial numbers starting from 1863 - http://www.thedallmeyerarchive.com/Records/Identification.html

3B -  https://negativnacestach.cz/en/dallmeyer-3b/

https://antiquecameras.net/softfocuslenses.html 

http://thedallmeyerarchive.com/Records/biog.html 

https://timlaytonfineart.com/dallmeyer-bergheim/ 

An image made using a 3b - https://blog.markus-hofstaetter.at/2025/11/the-white-rabbit-make-your-choice/

 

Philosophy -

Pulligny/Puyo - Les Objectifs d'Artistes - Photo Club de Paris 1906 - Dr Russell Young turned me on to this text and it's really outstanding.  Well worth a reading for comprehension.  https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1091147q.texteImage 

https://galerie-photo.com/soft-focus-objectif-portrait-flou.html in French

https://grisebouille.net/lhdg35-pourquoi-je-fais-de-lart-libre/ in French 

https://negativnacestach.cz/en/when-did-photography-go-soft/

This and that -

Hermagis Eidoscope interview - https://negativnacestach.cz/en/eidoscope/

Hermagis Eidoscope -  https://apenasimagens.com/en/eidoscope-hermagis-som-berthiot/

Hermagis landscape-  https://apenasimagens.com/en/landscape-lens-hermagis/

Nice history of soft focus lenses -  https://antiquecameras.net/cameralensinformation/softfocuslenses.html

Did you know he did excellent soft focus work? - https://spenceralley.blogspot.com/2019/11/soft-focus-photography-by-frederick-h.html

 https://timlaytonfineart.com/ps-vs-verito/

https://timlaytonfineart.com/2025/06/30/why-i-kept-these-soft-focus-lenses/

 https://1library.net/article/development-soft-focus-lens-focus-anglo-american-pictorialism.qvl3n5dy

https://timlaytonfineart.com/hermagis/ 

https://imaging.nikon.com/imaging/information/story/0051/ 

This isn't pretty, but I'm on a mobile device until further notice. However , these should do the needful.  

Flickr - how to downrev mobile app to something useful

[Update 1 September, 2026] - I just read a Flickr page where they've backrev'd their application to a previous known good state. 

"... Thank you for your patience and feedback about the recent app update... we're rolling the app back to the previous version while we address the issues you've been experiencing..." 29 July, 2026

---------------------------------------- 

Just this week Flickr updated their Android mobile app.  It's what I use when on the road. The latest version, v5, however, is half baked and lack functions I rely on.  The new version does not (yet?) ...

• Allow image selections that then upload through Flickrs app
• Name multiple images on import
• Add images to groups from the uploader
• Tag multiple images on import 

The v5 app is very clumsy and forces a user to deal with one image at a time for naming, tagging, and group submissions.

Frustration breeds solutions, but only after I calm down.  Here's one way to downrev the Flickr mobile Android app to the last known good state.

• Uninstall Flickr
• Download the last known good version - I use APKmirror
• Go to Play Store and install APKmirror Installer
• Run APKmirror Installer 
• Select the older Flickr version 
• Follow the directions
• Go to PlayStore - settings - manage and disable Flickr auto-update

I've left out certain details as I'm typing this on a mobile device. But this is a decent outline of how to get around Flickrs latest mobile app version deficiencies. 

 If further clarification is useful,  let me know and I will update this when I get in Big Computer range.