Looking back, looking forward...

 Update: Fifteen minutes after I posted this, the buzzer to the apartment rang.  It was la poste.  They had my 5in1 reflector.  I came back up stairs and not five minutes after that, as I was taking a leak, the buzzer rang again.  It was le livraison with my Elinchrom system.  Yea!  It's all here and I'm off to visit a new dance studio to see if I can get a more inexpensive but very serviceable place to shoot in.  Whee... the creativity train is set firmly in motion...

--------
Merde!

Les lumieres, ils ne sont pas ici!  I should believe it, but I don't.  The French delivery system from ProPhot.fr is not working as the salesman said it would.  The lights have not yet arrived.  It's going on a week since I placed my order.  I might have to go back, ask a few questions, and see if I can't find the warehouse to go pick the Elinchrom system up myself.  I don't want to be a Horrible Incorrigible Foreigner, so I might have to see if I can get my Indignant Parisian "on".

Geez.

While kafeching my plight with a friend, he sent along a suggestion.  Maybe I should give up all this digital madness and work "real" art.  Wet plate collodion.  The process is interesting, if not a little convoluted, complex, and potentially explosive.  Ether can be that way.  Explosive, that is.

To whet my appetite my friend sent along the following video.

Dana Geraths - Wet Plate Photographer from Kia Anne Geraths on Vimeo.

It reminds me of my many years of hauling around very large cameras in search of ultimate image quality.  The man in this video showed up at the 2012 Brooks Steamup out in Oregon.  I beat him by several years.  My first trip to the Steamup saw me hauling an 8x10 Deardorff and lenses and film holders and tripods and dark cloth.


The things I came away with pleased me well enough and there are a few fine palladium prints in storage that I'm particularly proud of.

Alas, times change and the following year saw me carrying a new digital whiz-bang DSLR.  Such a difference in approach and such a difference in results too.

Thinking about it, the old alternative process ship has sailed for me.  I can't go back.


Sure, it has it's own sense of beauty and grace.  Yes, the final results can be pure photographic.  But I wonder about the flexibility and I worry that so much process could easily sideline my rather mercurial creativity stream.  I'm not sure my wife would appreciate my bringing explosive materials into our small Paris apartment.

So, I sit here impatiently waiting the arrival of my now very late Elinchrom studio lighting system.  Between fits of anxiety over whether it'll ever arrive, I dream of photoshoots and creativity and ideas and artistic frameworks of reality.  I test my ideas and hopes and dreams against other artists output.  I remain anxious to get going on new projects.

I feel like a horse pulling against the reins wanting to get the show on the road.

OK. OK. It sputters and starts again...

To avoid shipping charges, I sold my Paul Buff Einstein 640, PLM 64 kit before moving out of the US.

There were times when I regretted that decision.  I loved that kit.  It was flexible, fast to set up, and easy to carry.  Three heads, tripods, parabolic parapluies, portable back drop rig, and I was good to go.

After arriving in France I realized that for me to replace that kit would set me back nearly 4000USD.  Quel dommage!  Quel horreur!!  C'est vraiment trop cher. 

What to do?

"Use the Force", hook up Google's search engine, and do a little investigating, that's what's to do.

It took me some time, since I was so partial to the Einsteins.  I really wanted that old system, so nothing I looked at was ever good enough.

The problem, I saw, was that Paul Buff's European rep added a ton of uplift to the cost and padded things a bit to make sure their doors stayed open.  In other words, the cost of doing business put the cost of the Einsteins straight out of my price range.

Fortunately, after the fog in my thinking cleared and I realized there MUST be other good, if not better, manufacturers of photographic lighting equipment, I stumbled upon Elinchrom.

Elinchrom offers several light sources, heads, stands, and battery packs.  Since I plan on using these lights only where power is readily available, I could by-pass the rather large costs of a battery pack.

There were several kinds of heads to choose from, so it came down to choosing what I felt I could afford.

I sit, even now, out on the back porch of our new apartment down in the 15th arrondissement, in Paris, France, on a rather hot 33C day, listening to a couple several floors up eat a very late dejuner, watching the doves nesting in a tree near by, and wait, not so patiently, for ProPhot.fr to deliver my new three head Elinchrom BX 500 Ri kit.  They said they'd bring them before 18h00.  It's now 16h00 and my foot is tapping the varanda.

The portable backdrop, muslin, 109cm parapluies, and reflectors should arrive tomorrow from Amazon.fr.

With luck, I might have two models lined up to work with in August and maybe two more to make images with in September.  Though I'm still looking for creative people like those I worked with back in Portland, Oregon, USA.  They'll come.  Soon, I hope.

I'm growing stale...

It's been a full three months since we've moved to Paris, France.

My wife and I have been rather busy.  We needed to visit the OFII to process our long stay visa requests.  We needed to find a new apartment, one that we could live in for at least a year.  We need to get things moved.  All of this has taken an incredible amount of time.

Timekeeper's Goddess

In the meantime, I have been attempting to make connections into the creative community here.  I've been hoping to begin making images again.


Alas, I'm constrained, just as I said I would be, to making travel photos.

I have started to look for a place to work in.  I started with dance studios to see if I could find a room I could rent by the hour.  It's possible that there is such a place down in the 14th, but I'll have to see how far it is from our new apartment.

I have started looking for people to work with.  This is where the differences in cultures between the USA and France seem to be hitting hardest.  The French are indeed conservative.

Sometimes, back in the States, I would come across someone who felt that the only valid art was "good, professional" art.  In other words, art that hangs in galleries and museums.  Art that plays out on a "professional" stage.  Art that is somehow "acknowledged" to be good by some ill-defined group of "experts".

Saint Rationalism

It's disappointing to find this approach to art is in full play here in France.


I'm used to finding creative people, sharing a bit of what I do and how I do it, and to come to a point, in many cases, where we could find common ground where all parties could share the results of an art work party.  Some on some level were professional.  Others were simply very creative people looking to extend their art.

I have yet to find that kind of creativity, quick understanding and engagement here.

I will need to remain patient.  We've only been here three months.  Still, I look forward to getting out of the habit of making travel photos.

... just as quickly...

Just as quickly as the muse arrives to make a "straight" image (see my prior post), she turns and opens the enormous heavy oak doors to reveal a different sister muse.  The first muse leaves and slams the doors behind her.  The second muse comes in and sits herself right down and says "Now is the time to get on with it.  Got it?"

My wife and I had a visitor.  She was a neighbor of ours back in the States who had come over for a two week science study of marmots in the Alps.  We had laughed, shortly before I lost my job in high tech, that it'd be good fun if we met up in Paris after her study was complete.

Our change of life experiences was so vast and so complete that we indeed had the opportunity to see our neighbor.  Right here.  In Paris.  For three full days of fun and exploration.

 Our world is not as it first appears...

 

The line to the Louvre was long and reached from the pyramid all the way back to the gates of the original pre-pyramid entry.  We stood there and hem'd and haw'd trying to decide if we wanted to stand in line for hours.

But, since we couldn't figure out what else to do, and since the line looked like it might be moving nicely, we walked to the end of the line and joined the queue.

We bitched and moaned and complained about all kinds of things.  Which led to a conversation with an Australian couple who were just in front of us in line.  It was a great way to pass the time and before we knew it, 20 minutes had passed and we were going through the screening station inside the pyramid.  Another 20minutes standing in line to get our tickets and we were on our way to see the Vermeers.

Alas, the Vermeers had to wait.

The three of us got completely lost into our own worlds as we experienced the incredible [Bob] Marley statues and the religious stone carvings that date from over 500 years ago.  I had never been in this wing of the Louvre, so it came as a very pleasant surprise to find this treasure trove of incredible art.

I knew fairly quickly that something interesting might come from the visit.

Well...

To anyone who follows my work, seeing a "straight" photograph must come as something of a surprise.

I tend to work in textures and pulled/pushed colors.  My static objects tend to be heavily re-worked to express a time and place that never existed.  My people photos tend to also be heavily worked to move a scene in directions that, hopefully, express what I feel.  In nearly all cases, seldom, if ever, do I make a solitary image.  I prefer to work larger projects where a common theme, look and feel can be expressed.

So, you can imagine my own surprise when I stumbled across an image I made in the Passy Cemetery.  Just the one image.  Nothing else.

Passy is a wonderful place to live.  It's in the 16th arrondisement in Paris, France.  It's people are completely and utterly Parisians.  They are quiet, reserved, and, in many cases, rather well to do.  I sometimes feel more than a little out of place.  Afterall, I'm not much more than a retired software engineering manager of modest means.

Passy's markets are as up-scale as their clientele.  The bread here is incredible.  The cheeses... words escape me.  The tartelettes are scrumptious.  The chickens, sheep, beef, and pigs are over the top tasty.  The fruits and vegetables are fresh.  Meals around are apartment are generally accompanied with moans and squeals that come from the pleasure of eating fabulous food.

There is also a small art filled cemetery here.  In fact, it sits on the Trocadero.  Due to the high walls, it sits up and over the place where it can collect the light breezes that sometimes waft their way over the city.  Many people don't even know this place exists, such is their intent on seeing la tour Eiffel sitting off in the opposite direction.

One day, my wife wanted to sun a bit and I was looking to make a few images.

The mid-day sun can be difficult to contend with, photographically.  Yet the shade side of the crypts can be wonderful to work near.  The reason is that shadows are filled with light reflecting off near-by light-colored stone crypts.

Working the image back at the apartment I quickly realized that a light touch was all that the image needed.  A little burning.  A little color space manipulation.  A little contrast control.  Et voila!

Medium Format lens tests

Here is another page from my original "hevanet" website devoted to camera system/optics/film testing -

Copyright 1998/1999/2000 Christopher M. Perez/Kerry L. Thalmann/Mike McDonald - All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2002/2003/2004 Christopher M. Perez - All Rights Reserved

Last Updated: 19 April 2004

Medium Format (120/620)
Camera / Lens Resolution Testing

Please note: there are four sections found on this page.  Each section represents a particular camera type.  There are sections for SLRs, TLRs, Coupled Rangefinder Cameras, and Folding Cameras (with coupled and non-coupled rangefinders).

 Single Lens Reflex (SLR)

Camera	Model	Lens	cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp	Comments
Bronica	SQA	80mm f/2.8 Zenzanon-PS	67 53 53 f/2.8 67 67 60 f/4 60 67 60 f/5.6 60 60 60  f/8 60 67 60  f/11 53 53 53 f/16 53 53 53 f/22	very heavy
Bronica	SQA	40mm f/4  Zenzanon-PS	60 50 50 f/4 60 52 60 f/5.6 52 52 66 f/8 52 60 66 f/11 60 60 60 f/16 60 54 54 f/22	Big and Beautiful
Bronica	SQA	200mm f/4.5  Zenzanon-PS	46 33 33 f/4.5 47 33 33 f/5.6 33 42 27 f/8 42 47 42 f/11 24 26 24 f/16 26 33 26 f/22	Big - take special care for stability
Hasselblad	903 SWC	38mm f/4.5 Biogon T*	68 76 54  f/4.5 96 96 60  f/5.6 85 106 76 f/8 68 76 68  f/11 60 60 60  f/16	Great optics!
Hasselblad	500CM (late 1980's)	80mm f/2.8 Planar CT*	68 68 38  f/2.8 60 60 34  f/4 96 96 54  f/5.6 96 107 60 f/8 85 76 60  f/11 68 68 60  f/16 54 48 48  f/22	Great optics!
Hasselblad	500CM (late 1980's)	120mm f/5.6 Planar-S C (early)	85 85 48  f/5.6 85 85 54  f/8 76 76 60  f/11 76 68 68  f/16 54 54 54  f/22	Nice, if not a little old, optics.
Hasselblad	500CM (late 1980's)	150mm f/4 Sonnar CT*	60 60 48  f/4 76 68 54  f/5.6 85 85 76  f/8 85 85 68  f/11 68 60 60  f/16 60 60 54  f/22 42 38 38  f/32	Nice optics.
Mamiya	RZ	65mm f/4 L-A (floating element)	76 76 68  f/4 76 68 68  f/5.6 96 85 76 f/8 96 96 68  f/11 68 76 60  f/16	Big and Beautiful and very sharp
Mamiya	RZ	110mm f/2.8 Z	68 60 60  f/2.8 60 68 68  f/4 76 85 68  f/5.6 76 76 68 f/8 76 68 76  f/11 68 68 68  f/16 54 54 54  f/22	I was hoping that Mamiya's brochure was right and that these optics were "ultra high performance".  Oh well, the Hasselblad still wins the day... but you certainly can't tell from looking at the final prints!
Mamiya	RZ	180mm f/4.5 W-N	54 54 42  f/4.5 60 68 60  f/5.6 54 54 60 f/8 54 60 60  f/11 60 68 60  f/16
Pentax	67 - Mirror Lock Up	45mm f/4	66 60 36 f/4 66 66 42 f/5.6 76 66 54 f/8 76 66 54 f/11 66 66 54 f/16 54 48 48 f/22	Big and Beautiful
Pentax	67 - Mirror Lock Up	105mm f/2.4	54 34 19 f/2.4 60 42 19 f/4 76 67 21 f/5.6 67 67 33 f/8 67 67 48 f/11 60 60 60 f/16 48 48 42 f/22	Big and Heavy

Coupled Rangefinder (non-folding)

Camera	Model	Lens	cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp	Weight
Fuji	GW690III	90mm f/3.5 Fujinon	60 53 47 f/3.5  60 53 47 f/4 67 67 47 f5.6 67 60 53 f/8 60 67 47 f/11 53 60 60 f/16 53 47 60 f/22 47 47 47 f/32	1460 grams
Mamiya	7	50mm f/4.5	68 76 68 f/4.5 107 96 42 f5.6 107 107 48 f/8 96 96 68 f/11 85 85 68 f/16 54 54 60 f/22	.
Mamiya	7	80mm f/4	120 120 60 f/4 120 120 68 f5.6 120 107 68 f/8 107 107 76 f/11 76 76 68 f/16 60 60 60 f/22	1210 grams
Mamiya	6 MF	75mm f/3.5	76 76 53 f/3.5  76 67 53 f/4 95 76 53 f5.6 95 85 53 f/8 85 85 60 f/11 76 67 67 f/16 60 60 53 f/22	1150 grams
Plaubel	Makina 67	80mm f/2.8 Nikkor	54 48 60 f/2.8  60 60 60 f/4 48 60 67 f5.6 48 60 76 f/8 60 67 67 f/11 76 67 67 f/16 67 67 67 f/22 Focused approx 5 inches 'closer' (acording to scale) at 61 inch distance from target- 67 48 48 f/2.8  76 54 48 f/4 67 60 60 f5.6 85 76 67 f/8 85 76 67 f/11 85 67 60 f/16 60 60 60 f/22 Focused approx 6 inches 'farther' (acording to scale) at 61 inch distance from target- 19 19 19 f/2.8  24 19 24 f/4 17 19 24 f5.6 21 27 42 f/8 30 36 54 f/11 54 60 67 f/16	?

Twin Lens Reflex (TLR)

Camera	Model	Lens	cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp	Weight
Mamiya	C220 Pro	80mm f/2.8	48 24 33 f/2.8 60 48 42 f/4 67 60 48 f/5.6 60 67 60 f/8 67 67 60 f/11 67 60 54 f/16 54 54 48 f/22 42 38 38 f/32	3 pounds
Mamiya	C220 Pro	55mm f4.5	34 42 21 f/4.5 42 38 21 f/5.6 48 48 21 f/8 60 48 24 f/11 48 48 27 f/16	.
Mamiya	C220 Pro	135mm f4.5	42 30 21 f/4.5 48 42 34 f/5.6 60 54 34 f/8 60 54 34 f/11 54 54 38 f/16 48 48 38 f/22 34 28 24 f/32	.
Mamiya	C220 Pro	180mm f4.5	38 38 24 f/4.5 42 42 24 f/5.6 54 54 24 f/8 54 54 38 f/11 54 48 38 f/16 38 38 30 f/22 32 30 30 f/32	.
Rolleiflex	2.8E Model 1 US  (serial #1,62x,xxx)	80mm f/2.8 Schneider Xenotar	54 30 13 f/2.8 107 96 13 f/4 120 68 17 f/5.6 107 96 27 f/8 85 68 48 f/11 76 76 54 f/16 54 54 48 f/22	1280grams - without meter
Rolleiflex	2.8E Model 1 US  (serial #1,66x,xxx)	80mm f/2.8 Zeiss Planar	68 68 42 f/2.8 76 96 68 f/4 68 76 68 f/5.6 96 96 76 f/8 96 85 68 f/11 68 76 60 f/16 54 60 48 f/22	1200grams - without meter
Rolleiflex	3.5E Model 1 US  (serial #1,7xx,xxx)	75mm f/3.5 Schneider Xenotar	48 48 24 f/3.5 85 96 42 f/5.6 96 96 68 f/8 76 85 60 f/11 68 68 54 f/16 54 54 42 f/22	1120grams - with meter
Rolleiflex	3.5F Model 3 US  (serial #2,29x,xxx)	75mm f/3.5 Zeiss Planar	76 85 48 f/3.5 96 85 60 f/5.6 85 85 60 f/8 76 68 60 f/11 60 68 54 f/16 60 54 48 f/22	1120grams - with meter
Rolleiflex	3.5F  (serial #2,2xx,xxx)	75mm f/3.5 Schneider Xenotar	42 38 34 f/3.5 60 60 34 f/4 67 67 34 f/5.6 76 60 60 f/8 67 67 60 f/11 60 54 42 f/16 54 54 38 f/22	1120grams - with meter
Rolleiflex	3.5T (serial #2,199,xxx)	75mm f/3.5 Zeiss Tessar	54 68 21 f/3.5 68 68 27 f/5.6 68 68 42 f/8 68 60 68 f/11 60 60 48 f/16 48 48 42 f/22	1000 grams (approx)
Rolleiflex ***(please see note)	Rolleiflex	75mm f/3.5 Schndeider Xenar	31 56 39 f/3.5 22 22 31 f/4 35 39 63 f/5.6 35 35 70 f/8 22 35 70 f/11 39 50 70 f/16 50 50 50 f/22	1100 grams (approx) - This camera must have been out of alignment.  There is no way the Xenar can be this much worse than the other three Rolleis I tested.
Yashica	Yashicamat	80mm f/3.5 Yashnon	67 60 53 f/3.5 42 67 53 f/4 53 60 53 f/5.6 38 76 60 f/8 38 67 67 f/11 53 60 60 f/16 47 47 47 f/22	?

Koni-Omega RF system

Focal Length	Lens type	cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp
58mm f/5.6	Hexanon serial number 7210xxx	42 48 42 f/5.6 54 60 42 f/8 76 76 67 f/11 67 67 60 f/16 60 60 54 f/22 48 48 42 f/32
58mm f/5.6	Wide Omegon serial number 501xxx	67 67 54 f/5.6 67 67 54 f/8 67 76 54 f/11 67 67 60 f/16 54 60 54 f/22 42 42 32 f/32
58mm f/5.6	Hexanon serial number 721x7xx	67 60 30 f/5.6 67 76 30 f/8 67 76 54 f/11 76 67 60 f/16 67 67 60 f/22
90mm f/3.5	Hexanon serial number 37xx71	60 60 19 f/3.5 67 76 24 f/4 76 67 24 f/5.6 85 95 33 f/8 85 95 38 f/11 76 76 48 f/16 67 60 54 f/22 48 42 38 f/32
90mm f/3.5	Hexanon serial number 37xx68	60 60 38 f/3.5 54 60 38 f/4 67 67 38 f/5.6 67 67 42 f/8 67 76 48 f/11 76 76 60 f/16 67 60 54 f/22 48 48 42 f/32
135mm f/3.5	Hexanon serial number 513xxxx	54 54 42 f/3.5 54 48 48 f/4 33 33 60 f/5.6 76 76 76 f/8 76 76 67 f/11 67 67 67 f/16 54 54 54 f/22 42 48 42 f/32
180mm f/4.5	Tele Omegon serial number 901xxx	48 54 30 f/4.5 54 60 34 f/5.6 67 54 42 f/8 67 67 48 f/11 67 60 48 f/16 60 54 42 f/22

Folding Camera

Camera	Make	Shutter	Lens	cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp	Weight
Balda	Enna Werk Munchen	Prontor-SV B, 1 - 1/300	Ennagon 7.5cm f3.5	33 30 30 f/3.5  48 42 42 f/4 42 30 34 f5.6 34 30 38 f/8 42 30 42 f/11 53 53 48 f/16 60 43 48 f/22	505 grams
Kodak	Special Six20	Compur-Raplid	100mm f/4.5 Kodak Anastigmat	21 19 15 f/4.5  at approx 7' 19 17 17 f/5.6 12 19 19 f/8 14 19 19 f/11 19 24 33 f/16 24 33 43 f/22 42 42 38 f/32 Re-tested at 12 feet: 57 50 36 f/11 at 12' on scale 40 63 45 f/11 at 13' on scale 63 57 31 f/11 at 11' on scale 57 63 36 f/16 at 12' on scale 63 57 50 f/22 at 12' on scale	Less than 800 grams
Muscova	Zeiss Super Ikonta C - like camera made in  Russia	?	11cm f/4.5	16 16 16 f/4.5 19 16 16 f/5.6 13 13 19 f/8 13 12 17 f/11 17 17 19 f/16 26 24 19 f/22 48 38 38 f/32	Less than 900 grams
Graflex Corp.	Pacemaker Crown Graphic- RH8/120 rollfilm back (ie: film 'bows' in the middle and needs be compensated for)	Supermatic 800	101mm f/4.5 Ektar	17 19 19 f/4.5 54 76 30 f/5.6 76 76 53 f/8 76 85 60 f/11 85 76 60 f/16 67 67 67 f/22	System weight is heavier than other folding cameras, but much less than a TLR or SLR
Graflex Corp.	Pacemaker Crown Graphic - RH8/120 rollfilm back (ie: film 'bows' in the middle and needs be compensated for)	Rapax	3 1/2"(90mm) Wollensak Wide Angle Raptar	15 30 42 f/6.8 17 15 60 f/8 26 54 67 f/11 54 54 60 f/16 42 54 42 f/22	.
Graflex Corp.	Pacemaker Crown Graphic - RH8/120 rollfilm back (ie: film 'bows' in the middle and needs be compensated for)	Linhof-Compur	Schneider 65mm Angulon f/6.8	19 24 48 f/6.8 34 42 48 f/11 34 54 60 f/16 60 60 42 f/22	.
Voigtlander	Perkeo I	Pronto B, 1/25 - 1/200	Vaskar 75mm f/4.5	13 24 24 f/4.5 13 24 21 f/5.6 19 30 30 f/8 33 42 42 f/11 38 42 38 f/16	515 grams

Notes:

***It appears that the Rollei lens may be quite fantastic.  Just look at the edge numbers!  But the lack of accurate top lens calibration (happened sometime after leaving the factory) is enough to cause serious sharpness issues.  The Mamiya C220 or Yashica didn't have this problem...
1. It appears that film flatness is a serious issue with some medium format cameras.  It may be that 120 film "bows" in the middle of the pressure plate for some of the cameras tested.  It shows up most frequently when shooting 6x9 (2 1/4 x 3 1/4) format cameras and film backs and earlier Rolleis.
2. Many camera lenses were tested at 20:1 distance to focal length ratio.  Those that weren't are noted in the above table.  For 75mm/80mm lenses this works out to 5 feet from the test target or 50 to 61 inches.  For 100/105mm lenses this works out to 7 feet from the target.
3. For folding cameras the target proximity required that the distance be calculated using a tape measure and the lens being tested was set to that distance on it's scale.  If the distance scale on the lens is mis-calibrated then the lenses optimum resolution would be compromised in these tests.  In many cases this 'reality' is borne out in the test results.  In 'three space' many of these systems will perform better than shooting against a 2D target would suggest.

Test Conditions-

• All tests were made using Kodak's TMax100 film, processed in D-76 to my system's requirements (zone system), and viewed under 40x magnification.

• All cameras that supply direct focusing were tested as a system using the focus provided by the direct mechanism.  In the case of the Muscova this is a rangefinder (which may not be accurate as the system tested poorly at 7 feet).  In the case of all TLRs and SLRs the focus was set using the std. groundglass.

Photography costs!

[This was cross-posted to my Retiring out of America blog]

Yesterday evening I decided to make a few images of la tour Eiffel from out the front window doors.  This time I wanted to make some very high resolution photographs.  This involves taking multiple overlapping photographs of a scene and then stitching them together after the work is downloaded off the camera.

I set up the tripod and worked on the scene from around sunset until just after 2200h.

At 2230 the door bells rings.

Ancient Photographer (me): "Qui est-ce?"

La Police (the oldest of them): "La police."

Thinking as fast as I could about home invasion robberies and the likelihood that these aren't the police, I took a chance and opened the door.  I was greeted by three men in normal street clothes.  One showed me their badge and said...

LP:  "Vous prenez des photos, n'est pas?  Votre voisin nous téléphonons.  Vous avez une télescope, oui?"

 Center section of la tour Eiffel - 100% crop

It turns out, someone across the street from us in the general direction of la tour was concerned I was taking their photo!


AP: "Non.  Je n'ai pas une télescope.  Mais, oui.  J'ai pris des photos.  Et, je ne m’intéresse pas de mes voisins.  Ce qui m’intéresse est la tour Eiffel."

If the man wanted to see a real telescope, I could have showed him a big brass monster that someone across the way keeps in their window.  No doubt for star gazing purposes.  Hah!

LP: "La tour Eiffel?"

AP: "Oui."

He then asked me to show some ID and show him the photos.  But I was a little peeved and asked about how they were clothed.

LP: "Vous n'avez pas de police dans les États-Unis?"

AP: [gestering to my clothing] "Pas comme ça!  Et, ce qui concerne votre identité..."

There must have been just the right tone inflection and indignation as the officer went on to explain they were from the Municipal Police and all they were going to do was go back to the caller and explain I wasn't taking a photo or acting as a "peeping Tom."  The other two police showed me their badges as well.

 Near the very top of la tour Eiffel - 100% crop

About this time, Jude shows up at my elbow and peeks around me to have a look.  She, it turns out, was concerned about the same thing I was.  Home invasion.

AP: "Bouge pas!" [turning to get my passport and camera]

My wife locked the door behind me, but not before I heard the officer saying "... oh, rest assured, I'm not going anywhere..."  I knew I'd hit a cord, yet I had no idea if it was "good" or "bad".  AND having the door locked behind me must have really driven home a point.  Again, I'm still not sure which point that might have been.

 The Offending Photo at 1/4 resolution of the final result 
~ over 7500x17000 pixels ~

After showing my passport, giving our telephone number, and showing the officer the images of la tour, they bid us a "bon soir" and left.

Jude asked me "Did they really think you would be taking photos of someone in their apartment?  You should've told them "If the person who phoned you is so pretty that they need to be concerned about other people sneaking photos of them, you should have brought them with you so we could've had a look-see for ourselves.""

Funny thing was, while being indignant and trying hard not to be too condescending, I was thinking exactly the same thing.

Alas, my French language skills are several light-years away from that level of banter. Particularly with the "authorities".

Old stuff...

Here is an interesting bit of news.  An early prototype Leica just fetched 2.16MILLION Euros at a recent auction.  That's a far amount of money for something that used 35mm movie film stock.

I suppose I'm not sure how I feel about that amount of money changing hands for a prototype instrument.

 Vintage image?  Or not?  And does it matter which it is?

On the one hand, it could be viewed as an interesting bit of history.  If so, then it should be put in a museum somewhere.  On the other, it makes me wonder why anyone would feel this particularly instrument would be worth that kind of money.

The BBC article notes that "The prices such cameras fetch show the growing interest in early photographic materials."

If this were true, then why these small format cameras and not some of the potentially fascinating equipment from the mid-1800's?  After all, there was an incredible explosion of engineering creativity at the birth of photography.

What was used to make this image? Does it matter?

I think of Petzval formula large format lenses.  They were mathematically designed to render out of focus areas of an image in very specific ways.  Few equivalents exist for small format cameras today.  And the lenses which do similar things to the Petzval likely achieve the effects quite by accident, not by design.

That is just a simple single example of something I feel could have incredible value at auction.  If only people understood what went into the making of very early photographic instrumentation.

Then I think about tools of creative expression.  Would this kind of money change hands if it were, say, one of Matisse's paint brushes or a have used glob of Rembrandt's paint?

I suppose the dictum is true: How we spend our money is a direct reflection of our values.

What is valuable in this?  This exercise is left to the reader to sort it out.

... oh... the active mind...

Before we moved to Paris I nearly sold my Nikon manual focus fast apertured lenses.  In fact, I did sell the incredible 180mm f/2.8 Ai I owned.  Fortunately, I kept nearly everything else, including the 24mm and 35mm f/2 Ai lenses, a 50mm f/1.4 and the very sharp 85mm f/2 Ai.

While visiting the Montparnasse Cemetery to say thank you to Soeur Rosalie, I took just a few moments to try my hand at making three images.  So far I have processed two of them and find that I'm very pleased with the results.






The technique is rather straight forward.  Take one Sony APS-C sensored NEX5 and mount up that nice Nikon 50mm f/1.4 and shoot it wide open (you might need a ND or Polarizing filter to knock down the exposure in full sun).  Put the camera into Manual exposure mode and meter the most important part of the scene.  Use that exposure for all shots in the sequence that follows.  Take a series of overlapped images somewhat near the primary subject, spilling the scene well beyond the subject so as to make sure you have covered the scene with enough room to work with.  Stitch the images using Hugin's latest version of open source software or the University of British Columbia's "Autostitch" trial version.  Save a sufficiently large result of the "Ransac'd" output (I like 6000x6000 pixels for the level of resolution I get in the final processed images).  Process to taste.


Yes.  I think the technique works.






It reminds me of shooting 4x5inch large format film using old fast optics shot wide open.  I LOVED those old cameras and lenses and sometimes miss the technique.  Alas, in the digital age my output has increased so dramatically that I can't go back.  So I'm very happy to have found a hybrid approach that helps me achieve the kinds of things I used to dream of doing in 4x5.

All it takes is a little vision and away you go!

Time to get into the groove...

Now the my wife and I are settling into our new home I have a little time to expand my vision and see if I can't plan to make a few nice images.

First, I need to work a few new techniques to see if I can't express the previously un-expressable.





I have to say, it's very exciting to be surrounded by so many incredible opportunities and such a wonderful sense of life and living.

The wine and foods here taste better than I remember them, and we were here only 7 months ago!

The shopping and walking is getting me into shape, I hope, for making the photographic connections into Paris' creative arts community.  I can't wait for our first serious shoot here.  It's possible that it'll be with the Steampunk folks.




Oh man! this is just too good to be true... the risks taken and the work it took to get here are, so far, very much worth the effort...

Here we go...

What a journey!

My wife and I arrived in Paris earlier this week. Like my wife said, we'd take a couple weeks to do nothing but sleep. I sure feel tired.

I had taken a two month hiatus from taking images. It has been rough, from an artistic perspective. It felt like I was loosing my "vision", or at least it was becoming stale.

Yet, it was well worth taking a break to keep our heads down and concentrated on making the move as smooth and efficient as it was. We moved a few things into storage (a 10x10foot unit) and packed our entire lives into five 29inch suitcases. When the Big Day arrived, we climbed onto a one way flight to Europe (with IcelandAir) and went through Iceland customs where we received our Entry Stamp valid for our one year Long Stay Visa.

In total, the entire process of being laid off after 30 years of working in high tech, receiving our first bill for COBRA (WAY too high at $1100 per month), deciding to live a new dream, preparing and putting our house on the market, having it sell in 7 days!!!, flying to San Fransisco to apply for our visa in person at the French Consulate, finding places for all our things in downsizing our household, packing and making the Big Jump all happened so very quickly. It took five months and 10 days to change our lives in such a massively complete manner.

Once we landed and started to settle into our new apartment I felt inspired by the view out our front window. I had to create a new image.





This is partly what the world presented and what I saw in my mind's eye. It'll be interesting to see where this leads.

... so... it was a short drive...

The last post I said it was driving me crazy. The "it" being that I have no new images nor the time to work on them.

Well, enter 30mins and a new set of ideas.

I took an earlier image of Sushila and worked it in the style of a Louis Vuitton advertisement. I did not like the results.

What to do? Keep going.

It tried a little of "this" and a little of "that".

Et voila! An image that nearly makes me happy. The parts that don't have to do with the texturing and the colors of the textures. These things can easily be resolved.





Now, to continue packing and making sure we can fit everything we will live on in 5 29inch suitcases. That is just how small our lives have become after deciding we want to live experiences and to stop collecting "stuff".

It's driving me crazy...

While we're in the process of moving out of the US, I've had to put my image making "on hold". It's driving me nuts





I love the creative process and haven't had a moment to spend working any of the images that interest me. Further, it'll likely be at least three months after landing in Paris before my portable studio lighting, backdrops, and stands arrive.

I'll have my wee-point and shoots (Sony NEX5) as well as my big DSLRs with me. So local "touristy" images are likely all I'll get to make for awhile.






The things that are really calling me are related to the themes of Steampunk, Oilpunk, and Retro-Future. I can "see" the kinds of images I want to make...

... patience... patience... patience...

Large Format Lens Resolution - tests from 1990's into 2004

Before my old Hevanet site goes away, I want to republish some of the early lens tests that Kerry Thalmann and I performed over 15 years of curiosity on the topic.

Copyright 1998, 1999,2000,2001,2002,2004 Christopher M. Perez/Kerry L. Thalmann- All Rights Reserved

last updated: 04/19/04

Test Results - Large Format photographic lenses

Kerry Thalmann and I tested the lenses found in the
table below. The emphasis is on compact portable lenses for use
in the field. Comments regarding these tests follow the
table. More information can be found at the links provided above
and below. This has been a long project and I hope people find
merit in being able to review this information on-line.
You can use the following to 'jump' to the desired
section of this test page.

Please note: Take care in comparing lenses.
Some were tested from f/11 to f/22, while others were tested from f/16
to f/32, and still others from f/18 to f/32.


65mm thru 90mm

Manufacturer	Model	Length	Fstop/cnt/mdl/edge	Weight	Shutter	Serial number	Age
Rodenstock	APO Grandigon	55mm	f/11 54 38 48 f/16 76 48 42 f/22 54 54 42	355g	Copal 0	115292xx	2000's
Schneider	Super Angulon f/8	65mm	f/11 26 23 21 f/16 42 30 26 f/22 37 37 30	.	Compur00	.	1950's
Schneider	Super Angulon f/5.6	65mm	f/11 67 60 38 f/16 67 60 42 f/22 48 48 42	325g	Copal 0	14,379,xxx	1990's
Horseman	Super ER f/5.6	75mm	f/11 64 54 34 f/16 60 54 34 f/22 54 60 38	150g	Seiko-SLV	12xxxx	1980's
Nikon	SW f/4.5	75mm	f/11 42 30 18 f/16 60 54 19 f/22 60 48 30	435g	Copal 0	661xxx	1980's
Rodenstock	Grandagon-N f/6.8	75mm	f/11 67 60 42 f/16 60 60 24 f/22 54 54 38	.	Copal 0	1133xxxx	1990's
Schneider	Super Angulon f/8	75mm	f/11 67 54 24 f/16 60 54 38 f/22 54 48 38	415g	Compur 0	985xxxx	1966
Ziess	Dagor f/9	7.5cm	f/11 60 34 17 f/16 54 42 19 f/22 48 42 21	65g (true!)	.	265xxxx	?
Schneider	Super Symmar XL f/4.5	80mm	f/11 76 42 34 f/16 76 42 42 f/22 60 48 42	270g	Copal 0	1477xxxx	2000
Schneider	Super Symmar XL f/4.5	80mm	f/11 48 54 38 f/16 67 54 48 f/22 60 54 54	270g	Copal 0	1479xxxx	2000
Schneider - too soft to focus - returned to factory	Super Symmar XL f/4.5	80mm	f/11 42 30 18 f/16 60 60 42 f/22 60 60 48	270g	Copal 0	147xxxxx	2000
Congo	WideField f/6.3	90mm	f/16 67 38 24 f/22 60 42 24 f/32 48 42 38 f/11 42 30 22 f/16 60 54 38 f/22 54 54 33	145g	Copal 0	301xx5	1990's
Congo	WideField f/6.3	90mm	f/11 60 32 18 f/16 60 42 19 f/22 60 54 21	145g	Copal 0	302xx4	1990's
Congo	WideField f/6.3	90mm	f/11 42 38 38 f/16 60 67 54 f/22 60 54 42	145g	Copal 0	301xx9	1990's
Komura - elements beginning to separate	f/6.3	90mm	f/11 26 26 24 f/16 33 30 26 f/22 54 42 26	???	Copal 0	???	???
Nikon	SW f/8	90mm	f/11 80 80 60 f/16 67 67 60 f/22 60 54 54	355g	Copal 0	693xxx	1980's
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	90mm	f/11 60 54 19 f/16 60 60 21 f/22 54 54 42	150g	Synchro-Compur #0	9733xxx	1966
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	90mm	f/11 48 54 48 f/16 60/54/48 f/22 42 48 48	.	Copal 0	768xxx7	1960's
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	90mm	f/16 67 60 21 f/22 60 54 38 f/32 42 42 27	120g	.	419xxxx	1950's
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	90mm	f/16 67 54 48 f/22 67 67 42 f/32 42 38 30	125g	.	246xxxx	1950's
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	90mm	f/11 54 42 32 f/16 60 54 32 f/22 60 60 42	125g	.	537xxxx	1950's
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	90mm	f/11 76 35 38 f/16 61 38 38 f/22 61 68 61	145g	.	891xxxx	1960's
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	90mm	f/16 13 15 12 f/22 11 13 12 f/32 30 30 21	120g	.	360xxxx	1950's
Schneider	Super Angulon f/8	90mm	f/11 67 67 17 f/16 60 54 21	370g	Copal 0	118xxxx0	1980's
Graphlex	WA Optar f/6.8	90mm	f/11 54 32 15 f/16 54 42 24 f/22 54 44 18	140g	Rapax	903xxxx	1960's
Wollensak	WA Raptar f/6.3	3 1/2"	f/16 60 42 24 f/22 60 54 24 f/32 42 42 30	135g	Rapax	907xxx	1960's

100mm thru 163mm

Goerz Zeiss Dagor	f/9	100mm	f/11 54 42 19 f/16 54 54 21 f/22 48 54 30	.	.	.	.
Kodak	WF Ektar f/6.3	100mm	f/16 67 60 30 f/22 60 60 30 f/32 48 42 30	175g	Supermatic	RYxxx	1950's
Kodak	Ektar f/3.7 - this is really a 6x9 format lens, but is included here because I tested it using a 4x5 camera	105mm	f/5.6 68 54 19 f/8 68 42 42 f/11 85 68 48 f/16 76 68 60 f/22 60 60 54	.	Supermatic	ES5xx	1940's
Wollensak	WA Raptar f/6.3	108mm	f/6.3 26 16 11 f/22 60 42 30	190g	Rapax	815xxx	1960's
Schneider	Super Symmar XL f/5.6	110mm	f/11 80 67 60 f/16 67 67 67 f/22 60 60 60	430g	Copal 1	1416xxxx	1990's
Schneider	Super Symmar XL f/5.6	110mm	f/11 24 38 42 f/16 42 48 42 f/22 54 48 42	430g	Copal 1	1485xxxx	1990's
Schneider	Super Symmar XL f/5.6	110mm	f/11 76 76 54 f/16 54 68 48 f/22 60 60 54	430g	Copal 1	14713xxx	1990's
Goerz	WA Dagor f/8	4 3/8"	f/11 60 60 24 f/16 60 60 18 f/22 54 54 18	.	.	803xxx	1960's
Bosch&Lomb	Series 5 Protar f/18	113mm	f/18 54 54 23 f/22 54 60 30 f/32 42 48 38	125g	Copal 0	TS24xx	19x0's
Caltar	II-N	115mm	f/11 68 60 42 f/16 54 48 42 f/22 54 48 42	715g	Copal 1	10682xxx	1980's?
Congo	WideAngle f/6.3	120mm	f/11 42 42 30 f/16 42 42 32 f/22 44 44 32	145g	Copal 0	302xxx	1990's
Congo	WideAngle f/6.3	120mm	f/11 32 30 18 f/16 38 30 19 f/22 60 42 24	145g	Copal 0	301xxx	1990's
Schneider	SuperSymmar HM f/5.6	120mm	f/11 42 42 24 f/16 80 80 60 f/22 67 60 42	390g	Copal 0	142xxxxx	1980's
Schneider	APO Symmar f/5.6	120mm	f/11 54 54 48 f/16 76 54 54 f/22 60 54 48	190g	Copal 0	1462xxxx	1990's
Schneider	APO Symmar f/5.6	120mm	f/11 67 67 38 f/16 64 64 54 f/22 60 60 42	190g	Copal 0	143xxxxx	1980's
Fuji	CM-W f/5.6	125mm	f/11 42 33 38 f/16 60 54 54 f/22 60 60 54	.	Copal 0	75xxx3	1990's
Goerz	Carl Ziess Jena f/9	12.5cm	f/16 60 67 38 f/22 54 54 48 f/32 48 48 42	155g	Copal 0	124xxxx	19x0's
Fuji	Fujinon-W/EBC f/5.6	135mm	f/11 76 76 48 f/16 68 68 48 f/22 54 60 54	230g	Copal #0	542xxx	1980's
Fuji	Fujinon-W f/5.6	135mm	f/11 21 30 60 f/16 33 42 54 f/22 48 54 54	230g	Copal #0	542xxx	1980's
Graphlex	Optar f/4.7	135mm	f/11 42 42 33 f/16 54 48 38 f/22 42 42 42	195g	Rapax	G2xxx1	1950's
Kodak	WF Ektar f/6.3	135mm	f/11 76 53 35 f/16 76 67 44 f/22 63 63 54	290g	Supermatic	RExxx	1950's
Kodak	WF Ektar f/6.3	135mm	f/11 42 42 24 f/16 48 38 24 f/22 67 54 42	290g	Supermatic	EEIxxxx	1960's???
Nikon	W f/5.6	135mm	f/11 48 38 15 f/16 67 42 21 f/22 60 54 38	210g	Copal 0	722xxx	1980's
Nikon	W f/5.6	135mm	f/11 27 21 19 f/16 60 42 15 f/22 54 54 30	210g	Copal 0	710xxx	1980's
Rodenstock	Sironar N f/5.6	135mm	f/11 48 48 24 f/16 54 54 54 f/22 60 54 54	185g	Copal 0	109xxxx2	1980's
Rodenstock	APO Sironar N f/5.6	135mm	f/11 38 42 30 f/16 54 60 54 f/22 48 48 48	170g	Copal 0	11369xxx	1990's
Rodenstock	APO Sironar S f/5.6	135mm	f/11 38 42 42 f/16 58 58 38 f/22 64 64 59	215g	Copal 0	112xxxxx	1990's
Schneider	Linhof Xenotar f/3.5	135mm	f/11 42 38 42 f/16 60 60 54 f/22 54 54 54	375g	Synchro-Compur #1	10,959,xxx	1968
Fuji	NSW f/5.6	150mm	f/11 68 76 68 f/16 68 76 68 f/22 60 60 60	.	Copal 0	.	1980's
Fuji	W f/6.3	150mm	f/11 60 60 48 f/16 48 60 54 f/22 54 60 54	140g	Seiko #0	130xxx	1970's
Fuji	W f/6.3	150mm	f/11 60 60 48 f/16 48 60 54 f/22 54 60 54	140g	Copal 0	130xx8	1970's
Fuji	WS f/6.3	150mm	f/11 60 67 48 f/16 60 67 48 f/22 60 60 54	140g	Copal 0	121xx9	1970's
Goerz	WA Gold Ring f/8	6 1/2"	f/11 21 24 21 f/16 38 54 48 f/22 48 48 48	.	Ilex	786xx8	1960's
Kowa	Graphic f/9	150mm	f/11 76 76 48 f/16 67 67 67 f/22 42 60 60	260g	Copal 0	12xx2	1980's
Rodenstock	Geronar	150mm	f/11 60 38 24 f/16 76 48 34 f/22 48 54 48	145g	Copal 0	10424xxx	1980's?
Rodenstock	APO Sironar(W) f/5.6	150mm	f/16 68 68 42 f/22 54 60 54	???	Copal 1	10886xxx	1990's
Rodenstock	APO Sironar S f/5.6	150mm	f/11 54 54 42 f/16 54 54 54 f/22 54 54 48	230g	Copal 0	116xxxxx	1990's
Rodenstock	APO Sironar S f/5.6	150mm	f/11 76 85 43 f/16 76 76 43 f/22 60 60 48	230g	Copal 0	113xxxxx	1990's
Rodenstock	Sironar N f/5.6	150mm	f/11 76 57 27 f/16 76 76 30 f/22 60 60 43	200g	Copal 0	103xxxxx	1980's
Schneider	APO Symmar f/5.6	150mm	f/11 54 60 54 f/16 60 60 54 f/22 42 42 38	235g	Copal 0	145xxxx8	1990's
Schneider	Symmar-S f/5.6	150mm	f/11 76 85 38 f/16 57 60 38 f/22 67 67 48	215g	Copal 0	141xxxxx	1980's
Schneider	G-Claron f/9	150mm	f/11 67 43 30 f/16 76 67 38 f/22 60 60 48	130g	Copal 0	142xxxxx	1980's
Schneider	Super Symmar HM f/5.6	150mm	f/11 38 42 38 f/16 76 76 42 f/22 54 54 42	740g	Copal 0	1449xxxx	1990's
Schneider - coating imperfections	Super Symmar HM f/5.6	150mm	f/11 20 30 42 f/16 30 48 48 f/22 42 48 48	740g	Copal 0	143xxxxx	1990's
Schneider	Symmar Convertable f/5.6	150mm	f/11 42 48 38 f/16 42 48 42 f/22 48 64 42	.	Linhof	449xxxx	1950's
Schneider	Symmar Convertable f/5.6	150mm single element at 265mm	f/16 48 48 23 f/22 48 48 33 f/32 42 42 38	.	Linhof	449xxxx	1950's
Schneider	Symmar Convertable f/5.6	150mm single element at 265mm with #15 yellow filter	f/16 48 48 21 f/22 48 48 32 f/32 30 38 33	.	Linhof	449xxxx	1950's
Schneider	Xenar f/5.6	150mm	f/11 42 54 26 f/16 54 67 24 f/22 67 60 48	170g	Copal 0	14xxxxxx	1990's
Voightlander	APO Lanthar lite element separation	15cm	f/11 67 67 42 f/16 54 67 54 f/22 54 42 42	290g	Linhof Select blackface	6745xxx	1960's
Ilex	Paragon-S f/4.5	163mm	f/11 64 48 21 f/16 34 42 30 f/22 58 54 48	.	Ilex	52xx9	1960's
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	165mm	f/11 54 54 15 f/16 54 54 24 f/22 48 48 34	500g	Copal 3	13339xxx	1970's
Schneider	Angulon f/6.8	165mm	f/11 xx xx xx f/16 54 38 17 f/22 48 42 21	300g	Linhof Select blackface	9031xxx	1960's

180mm thru 270mm

Computar	Symmetrigon f/6.3	180mm	f/11 42 33 26 f/16 60 60 33 f/22 54 54 30	386g	Copal 1	74xxx2	1980's
Fuji	A f/9	180mm	f/11 67 76 34 f/16 67 67 42 f/22 60 60 38	190g	Copal 0	28xxxx	1970's
Schneider	Symmar-S/MC f/5.6	180mm	f/11 54 54 48 f/16 60 48 42 f/22 54 54 42	450g	Compur 1	1410xxxx	1980's
Schneider	Symmar-S f/5.6 (single coated)	180mm	f/11 54 54 60 f/16 85 67 60 f/22 60 54 54	455g	Copal 1	1216xxxx	1970's
Bausch and Lomb	Protar series-V f/18	183mm	f/18 42 38 30 f/22 54 48 42 f/32 42 42 38	.	.	LF3xx5	.
Kodak	Ektar f/7.7	203mm	f/11 60 67 48 f/16 60 60 54 f/22 60 60 54	180g	Supermatic	RExxx	1950's
Kodak	Anastigmat /7.7 uncoated	203mm	f/11 48 67 54 f/16 67 73 42 f/22 54 60 48	180g	Supermatic	no-ser	1930's
Nikkor	M-series f/8	200mm	f/11 68 76 38 f/16 68 68 34 f/22 60 54 48	180g	Copal 0	200xxx	1980's?
Nikkor	M-series f/8	200mm	f/11 60 60 30 f/16 67 60 30 f/22 60 67 54	180g	Copal 0	201xxx	1980's
Computar (Kowa)	f/9 process lens	210mm	f/9 48 30 26 f/11 48 38 38 f/16 60 54 48 f/22 48 48 48	<220g	Copal 1	???	1970's
Fuji	L-series f/5.6	210mm	f/11 54 54 34 f/16 68 60 48 f/22 48 48 42	340g	Copal 1	255xxx	1970's
Fuji	L-series f/5.6	210mm	f/11 34 38 34 f/16 54 48 42 f/22 42 48 42	340g	Copal 1	253xxx	1970's
Fuji	W-series f/5.6	210mm	f/11 xx xx xx f/16 54 48 42 f/22 60 48 48	475g	Copal 1	253xxx	1980's
Nikkor	W-series f/5.6	210mm	f/11 60 42 24 f/16 60 60 38 f/22 48 54 54	475g	Copal 1	757xxx	1980's
Rodenstock	APO Sironar-S f/5.6	210mm	f/11 68 60 38 f/16 76 54 54 f/22 60 54 54	465g	Copal 1	11589xx1	1990's
Rodenstock	APO Sironar-S f/5.6	210mm	f/11 54 38 48 f/16 76 48 54 f/22 60 48 54	465g	Copal 1	11589xx0	1990's
Rodenstock	SironarN f/5.6	210mm	f/11 48 54 42 f/16 42 42 38 f/22 34 34 34	415g	Copal 1	103xxxx1	1980's
Schneider	Symmar APO f/5.6	210mm	f/11 76 76 60 f/16 67 67 54 f/22 60 60 54	475g	Copal 1	143xxxxx	1990's
Fuji	A-series f/9	240mm	f/11 54 38 34 f/16 68 60 54 f/22 60 60 60	245g	Copal 0	5xxxxx	1990's
Fuji	A-series f/9	240mm	f/11 60 54 48 f/16 76 60 48 f/22 60 67 60	245g	Copal 0	522xxx	1990's
Rodenstock	APO Ronar f/9	240mm	f/11 76 68 38 f/16 68 48 54 f/22 60 42 48	355g	Copal 0?	10526xxx	1970's
Goerz	Red Dot Artar f/9	9.5 inch	f/11 54 38 24 f/16 60 54 24 f/22 60 60 42	185g	Compur 1	838xxx	1960's
Schneider	Linhof TeleArton f/5.6	250mm	f/11 xx xx xx f/16 54 60 54 f/22 54 60 54	820g	Prontor-Pro #1	14,076,xxx	1984
Ilex	Paragon f/6.3	254mm	f/11 26 42 30 f/16 48 48 42 f/22 54 54 54	.	Ilex #2	1xx2	1950's
Rodenstock	TeleOptar f/6.5	270mm	f/11 48 48 30 f/16 48 38 34 f/22 42 33 30	900g	Copal 0	469xxx6	1970's
Rodenstock	TeleRotelar f/6.5	270mm	f/11 21 21 21 f/16 38 42 19 f/22 42 33 33	940g	Copal 0	491xxx2	1970's

300mm and longer

Doktor	Tessar f/5.6	300mm	f/11 38 34 27 f/16 54 48 48 f/22 60 42 54	745g	Copal 3	10xx	.
Nikon	M f/9	300mm	f/11 67 67 47 f/16 48 42 42 f/22 42 42 42	270g	Copal 1	75xxx6	1980's
Nikon	M f/9	300mm	f/11 48 48 48 f/16 48 48 48 f/22 54 54 54	270g	Copal 1	75xxx2	1980's
Fuji	Fujinon-T f/8	300mm	f/11 54 38 38 f/16 54 42 38 f/22 54 48 38	415g	Copal 0	70xxxx	1990's
Fuji	Fujinon-W f/5.6	300mm	f/11 38 48 42 f/16 48 54 48 f/22 48 54 48	1100g	Copal #3	272xxx	1980's
Schneider	G-Claron f/9	305mm	f/16 67 67 54 f/22 54 60 54	.	Copal 1	.	1989
Goerz	L.D.Artar f/9	14inch	f/11 19 15 10 f/16 38 38 21 f/22 48 48 30 f/11 42 34 26 f/16 54 42 33 f/22 xx xx xx	315g	Compur #2	837xxx	.
Goerz	L.D.Artar f/9	14inch	f/11 48 48 24 f/16 48 60 42 f/22 48 54 48	565g	Copal #3S front mounted	837xxx	.
Fuji	A-series f/10	360mm	f/11 48 48 42 f/16 54 48 42 f/22 48 48 48	475g	Copal 1	521xxx	1980's
Nikon	T-ED f/8	360mm	f/11 42 42 42 f/16 54 60 54 f/22 54 54 54	.	Copal 1	52xxx6	1980's
Schneider	Tele Xenar Compact	400mm	f/11 50 50 42 f/16 50 42 50 f/22 50 42 50	870g	Copal 3	xxx	200x
Fuji	C-series f/12.5	450mm	f/16 54 54 54 f/22 54 54 54 f/32 38 33 38	285g	Copal 1	640xx0	1990's
Fuji	C-series f/12.5	450mm	f/12.5 48 48 24 f/16 48 48 34 f/22 48 48 34 f/32 42 48 34	285g	Copal 1	640xxx	1990's
Nikon	T-ED f/11	500mm	f/16 19 19 19 f/22 42 38 33 f/32 42 42 42	185g rear element weight	Copal 1	18xxx0	1980's
Nikon	T-ED f/16	720mm	f/22 38 42 38 f/32 34 34 34 f/45 30 26 30	150g rear element weight	Copal 1	200xxx	1980's

Please NOTE:

• This is at best a relative (not absolute)
  comparison between these lenses. Kerry and I are simply looking for the Pick
  of the Litter.



• All lenses tested at 1:20 magnification (a
  typical working distance).


• Test setup was TMax100, D76 processed to my
  system's calibrated exposure/time/temp


• Canham DCLH(?) metal field 4x5, Linhof Tech III,
  Linhof Master Technika, Linhof Master Karden, and Tachihara wood field
  4x5


• Edmond Scientific Lens Resolution Chart


• The negatives were exposed for Zone 7-8 for
  detailed white and Zone 3 for detailed shadow.

It's also important to remember that things that
influence system testing include:

• Camera alignment


• lens quality


• ground glass plane accuracy (which influences
  holder accuracy)


• film's granularity


• light source (narrow band blue will test better
  than narrow band red)


• film sag/bulge/droop at focal plane



• test pattern

---

As a comparison, I include Larry Whatley's test
results.

From: linda_aw@ix.netcom.com(Linda A Whatley )
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Resolution Data - Ektar 203 7.7
Date: 3 Mar 1997 01:43:37 GMT
X-NETCOM-Date: Sun Mar 02  5:43:37 PM PST 1997

Here is resolution data of a Kodak 203mm f/7.7 Ektar,
measured in the film plane with an eyepiece. (Thanks, Bill F., for
lending it!) This is a very good lens, usually at a modest used price.
Corners for this lens are at 21 degrees for 4x5 and 27 degrees for 5x7.
Angles here are half-field angles-- angle from the optical axis. Notice
that you need to be a little careful in using this one for 5x7 if you
want the corners sharp.

- Larry Whatley

---

          0     5    10    15    20    25    27    29    30   deg. from axis
f/stop  ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

7.7     100    75    60    50    50    30     5     0     0   lines/mm
11      120   105    85    70    50    35    15     0     0
16       90    90    75    60    50    35    25     0     0
22       60    60    60    55    50    40    35     5     0
32       50    50    45    45    40    40    40    10     0
45       30    30    30    30    30    30    30    20     0