New Petzval lenses being made - kickstarter

[David Mitchell]

Hi all,

Just to let everyone know, there has been a kickstarter project to remake the Petzval lenses for modern mounts, apparently they are being made at a Zenit factory so the optics will be quite good.

An Incredible 19th Century Lens Has Been Reengineered by Lomography For Your DSLR | Gizmodo UK

The Lomography Petzval Portrait Lens by Lomography — Kickstarter

I would be tempted to get one as a portrait lens - its an 85mm lens so would be a portrait lens for my cameras

 

[Pete Askew]

Interesting. Thanks David.

 

[Hamish Gill]

another area of photographic creativity crapped on by lomo ...

(did i say that out loud)

 

[David Mitchell]

another area of photographic creativity crapped on by lomo ...

(did i say that out loud)

Well getting an original Petzval lens is expensive, mainly due to the lomo crowd, hopefully they will just buy a new lens and let us use the original ones

I very much doubt you could lomo an Aero Ektar or a Cooke lens so those are ok (hopefully) its a shame that the Aero Ektar can't really be used to its full potential anymore due to the Thorium discolouring the elements meaning they aren't as good as they once were

 

[Hamish Gill]

"Aren't as good" ??? that would be subjective

Petzval lenses aren't that expensive either ... Cheaper than the lomo copy sometimes (they were anyway)... It's the mount they have changed. But why make it brass? And why the rack and pinion focus? As if it makes it any more authentic??? It's the optical formula that has the effect. And to be honest, the effect they have achieved doesn't look as nice a that I have seen from real ones. Especially mounted on large format cameras. It just doesn't look to have the background separation. The effect of the optical vignetting on te out of focus highlights isn't a patch on the "real" thing on the "right" camera either...
I'm being a touch harsh maybe, but in my mind, they have just made another toy lens, wrapped it in brass, claimed provenance in doing so and stuck a £500 price tag on it!

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I'm not even sure why it irks me ...

 

[David Mitchell]

What I mean as 'aren't as good' is the Aero Ektar won't be as good as when it was first made due to the discolouration of the elements over time etc.

I think what is annoying you is the fact that lomo are taking all of the more specialised or rarer items and just making them cheaper and mass marketed to 'get the look' for the next fad. I guess its just the whole hipster thing which I hate, yes there are some interesting cameras such as the super large negative cameras but they are very overpriced for what they are.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Not technically as good I'll give you