Hello,

Every now and then this same lens turns up on EBay. I don't know if any are there right now. It is always advertised as an aerial recon lens for English planes. If I remember right, it has a fixed F8 diaphragm. This probably has a field of view similar to a 300mm on a 35, and I was thinking of trying it out if I can get one for a decent price. Several times I have found myself wanting a longer telephoto lens for a particular shot. If it doesn't work or I don't like it, I can always unload it again on EBay. Anyone know what lens I'm talking about? Any experience with this lens?

Thanks.

Keith

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ASpeedGraphic on 2006-05-22 22:57 ]</font>

Quote:

On 2006-05-22 22:57, ASpeedGraphic wrote: Hello, Every now and then this same lens turns up on EBay. I don't know if any are there right now. It is always advertised as an aerial recon lens for English planes. If I remember right, it has a fixed F8 diaphragm. This probably has a field of view similar to a 300mm on a 35, and I was thinking of trying it out if I can get one for a decent price. Several times I have found myself wanting a longer telephoto lens for a particular shot. If it doesn't work or I don't like it, I can always unload it again on EBay. Anyone know what lens I'm talking about? Any experience with this lens? Thanks. Keith <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ASpeedGraphic on 2006-05-22 22:57 ]</font>

Be more specific. There's more than one model of 36" lens. All big and heavy, not all telephotos so some have quite long back focus.

In my limited experience with them, most aerial camera lenses are better for fantasy than for photography. Usable exceptions include the 38/4.5 Biogon, 44/2.8 Elcan, 4"/2 Taylor Hobson, and 12"/4 Taylor Hobson telephoto. Only the last covers 4x5. I suspect that the 6"/2.8 Pacific Optical lens supplied for the KE-87 might be usable on 4x5 too; I believe there's an Elcan version. The little 6"/2.8 Elcan and what seem to be copies made under contract for the KE-28 don't cover more than 6x7.

There was, indeed, a whole lot of military surplus floating around in the 1950s and '60s, and a good deal of it seems to be washing up on eBay.

I haven't seen a fixed-aperture lens of that focal length, but I have seen a 36-in. f:6.8 true telephoto, with a manual diaphragm, made (if I recall aright) by Dallmeyer.

Adapting such a thing for use with a "Speed Graphic" (or just about anything else) would involve a fair amount of construction; you'd need a big, quite rigid tube or box, tapering down to a suitable lensboard at the far end, with some kind of slide affixed to the bottom to carry the camera body when you focused. The ensemble would want pretty robust mounting, too.

It seems feasible and it might be fun, but it would take a man, a boy and an old mule to transport the thing. Such projects usually are undertaken in furtherance of astrophotographic pursuits, which can be conducted from a fixed position!

Fairchild 36" f/8 I've seen occasionally.

I have a 27" f/11-13.5 monochromatic lens that was nearly 40# shipped. I was warned it is terribly No-NO-APO, but you know me, I got it anyway to use for something inappropriate.

Another buyer made a telescope with his using PVC well casing...I think the tripod hold the lens body.

He swears it has no color fringing and whoever told me it was monochromatic was wrong...(I talked to the lens QC inspector and he referred me to the company contracted to build it and they both told me uh-uh.

I'm building a long lens with meniscus lenses in a 6" well casing about 61" long...originally to put a 2x3 back on, but it's bigger than 6", and 4x5 back might have coverage.

There's no point (oxmoronic or maybe peroxymoronic, right?) using the bellows & body...too big a tube & the elements are small enough to just slide in the well casing.

Hello,

That is the one...pretty sure. I will be able to figure out how to physically rig up the lens with some sort of back, so that won't be a problem. I just wonder if it will actually cover a 4X5 sheet. Who knows what type of film it was designed for. Maybe 70mm? Not much way to tell without trying it out. Wish I could find one locally.

Keith

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ASpeedGraphic on 2006-05-23 21:59 ]</font>

Quote:

On 2006-05-23 21:54, ASpeedGraphic wrote: Hello, That is the one...pretty sure. I will be able to figure out how to physically rig up the lens with some sort of back, so that won't be a problem. I just wonder if it will actually cover a 4X5 sheet. Who knows what type of film it was designed for. Maybe 70mm? Not much way to tell without trying it out. Wish I could find one locally. Keith <font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ASpeedGraphic on 2006-05-23 21:59 ]</font>

9x18. That's inches, not cm.