Another impulse: Taylor Hobson

[Stephanie Brim]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...id=p2759.l1259

This one is probably better than the last.

I'm really curious if the elements will fit in a shutter or if I'm stuck with a barrel lens. If you know anything about the lens let me know.

And this is my thousandth post. Seems fitting somehow.

[Dan Fromm]

You're stuck with a barrel lens. If I thought you'd take advice I'd offer some.

[bdial]

Many things are possible, if you apply sufficient $'s. Not too likely it would be worth the cost with this lens, however. Since it's presumably a photocopy lens it's optimized for 1:1 reproduction ratios, and optimized to render a flat image of a flat subject. Using it pictorally won't exploit its best performance, but it could work well despite that, only one way to tell...

[John Koehrer]

Copier lens with a variable iris? Probably not.

[Stephanie Brim]

Considering simple lens boards aren't that hard to make I figure I don't really have that much to lose by using this lens. I have a lot to gain. I don't need the best of everything to make a good photograph...I tend to use whatever I can afford.

Oh, and I AM saving some money for a certain type of lens. I'm waiting for one to come up.

[bdial]

Absolutely it's worth trying out, and you have a speed graphic, so you're all set shutter-wise anyway.

Indeed, a variable iris would not be much use on a copier, but it's marked Xerox, and they don't do much else image-making wise, at least so far as I know.

[Phillip P. Dimor]

I have a pretty good method of making lensboards if it will help you any..
I find a piece of flat opaque plastic scrap, usually from an old computer bezel, plastic case, etc. If you look hard enough you'll find something. I cut it to the size of the original lensboard using a large power grinder (think big dremel) but you could use a saw, or if your plastic is thin enough maybe scissors or an xacto knife. I then grind the top and bottom edge like /-----x-----\
with the 'x' being where the lens would be if you get my drift. The sliders on the front standard of your speed will grip onto the /- and -\ parts that are beveled or grinded to an angle. If you need to, you can loosen the screws on the sliders slightly with a flat head screwdriver to give you some slack.

Working with wood might be easier but this way works for me. I've mounted an aero ektar, 15" tele-optar, 6" petzval, 10" kodak anastigmat, etc.. all pretty big lenses. You can even spray-glue some black felt onto the back of the lens board or use black electrical tape/gaffers tape to reduce reflections and make the fit tighter.

[MattKing]

This photo.net thread seems reasnably informative:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00OwkG

Matt

[Dan Fromm]

Copier lens with a variable iris? Probably not.

Wrong, John. I just went looking for C & H Sales' site. C & H is the company that sold crappy 3"/4.5 Pacific Optical Biogons, among other wonders, in fair numbers. They also sold at least three makes of lenses taken from Xerox copiers, all 210 mm and all with adjustable diaphragms. I found the site, the on-line catalog isn't there so I can't direct you to it.

But the lens in question is just of of several that C & H offered.

This discussion is amazing. Here we are, talking seriously about a lens that's been sold as scrap in fair numbers and that isn't prized. That it has been available and isn't prized should tell us something about how wonderful it is. But no, we can't resist speculating that it might be a wonderful sleeper.

What's next? Ancient lenses from inexpensive lantern slide projectors?

[Dan Fromm]

The VM says "Xerographic This was seen as a f4.5 8.25in coated triplet from RTH-Xerox Corporation, and was probably a photocopier lens. It was also noted in 9.5in. It was in a barrel mount, with an iris for a rather limited range of stops"

Sound familiar?

Mind you, I've bought mystery lenses that had the marks of "something good." Sometimes for less than $25, sometimes for considerably more. But I've never expected much from a mystery lens that had the marks of "nothing special."