Jump to content

Thambar


jbl

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Thorsten’s last article on 90mm lenses got me to finally get a Thamber. It’s a very interesting lens. I shot with it for a weekend before mailing it off to DAG to have 80 years of grease cleaned out of it, but I gotta say, I like the look. Metering is something else since backlighting bounces around in the lens and actually front lights your subject.

 

The larger resolution file is at Sarah - jbl.

 

The thing is remarkably sharp at the point of focus, this was taken without the spot filter.

 

-jbl

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 10
Link to post
Share on other sites

...

The thing is remarkably sharp at the point of focus, this was taken without the spot filter

 

Where on your amazing photo with the Thambar is this point of focus?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ehm... You can get this look by putting a veil of vaseline on any existing lens... :D

 

I see the smile.

 

True soft-focus lenses are more than just fuzzy. They exploit certain aberrations and an intentionally curved field of focus to offer unusual bi-focus effects. I have my doubts about the Thambar in both regards.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice shot JBL. Who cares what lens you used. I think you have inspired me to dig out my

old Thambar and play with it. In film days I couldn't really shoot enough to get comfortable with this lens.... too expensive for film. With digital you can really shoot enough to get a read on a difficult lens.

 

Ciao, Sully

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The current Zenit Petzval gives a very similar effect .... plus interesting swirly bokeh if the background is right...... and again the central area is very sharp ...... although low contrast wide open...... but because of the huge field curvature you have to be careful to get the bits you want in focus in the middle of the image ..... which takes a bit of thought with full length portraits and some cropping. Great fun and produces some different photos....... :)

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Ehm... You can get this look by putting a veil of vaseline on any existing lens... :D

 

This is an old question to which the answer is - no.

 

The whole point of the Thambar is that there is a core of sharp focus as well as the diffuse image.

 

With grease on a filter the sharp core is missing.

 

The nearest to a Thambar is a Zeiss Softar filter which achieves a similar effect by having what are effectively a number of small positive lenses scattered over the surface of the filter.

 

I believe some of the effects filter manufacturers, e.g. Cokin, Hoya, offer a similar approach in plastic.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi TS - is that on a Leica body? How is it mounted?

Cheers

 

Novoflex M to Nikon adapter ...... the lens comes in Nikon or Canon mounts ...... and rather disturbingly has what looks like a very primitive rack and pinion focussing system .... but in fact it works perfectly and accurately on the M when used with the EVF and focus peaking ...... .... and has an amusing 'good god.... what the hell is that you've got on the camera ? ! ' reaction from most photographers...... as it is bit like having a large brass telescope bolted on the front ....... :D

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Novoflex M to Nikon adapter ...... the lens comes in Nikon or Canon mounts ...... and rather disturbingly has what looks like a very primitive rack and pinion focussing system .... but in fact it works perfectly and accurately on the M when used with the EVF and focus peaking ...... .... and has an amusing 'good god.... what the hell is that you've got on the camera ? ! ' reaction from most photographers...... as it is bit like having a large brass telescope bolted on the front ....... :D

 

Good god. Wow.

 

-jbl

Link to post
Share on other sites

There is nothing you can put in front of or behind a lens to turn it into a soft focus lens, diffused yes, soft focus no.

 

I have a 120 mm Imagon that is versatile. Was written up in Leica Photography late 80`s . R series T mount was replaced by Nikon T Mount now.

 

Various photoshop techniques are decent.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ehm... You can get this look by putting a veil of vaseline on any existing lens... :D

So who here has actually tried smearing vaseline on the front element of a lens (not the filter)? Just curious because it must be a nightmare to remove and I've often wondered if anyone has been courageous enough to 'trash' a lens by doing so.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I ment to say I don't like this kind of soft focus effect at all. I'm for the freedom of people using any kind of lens they want, but this is just not my cup of tea :)

 

...It's all about the pleasure to use a Thambar.... ;) I have one by >20 years...and (apart odd experiments) used it 4 or 5 times....:o

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

An inexpensive alternative would be the Hoya Duto filter which uses fine concentric lines etched on the filter to give soft focus with a clear centre. They appear to be available in 39mm and 46mm filter sizes.

 

From the Hoya web site:

"The center of the picture is usually sharp with DUTO, but DIFFUSER gives an overall soft-focus effect"

 

http://www.hoyafilter.com/hoya/products/specialeffectsfilters/duto/

 

I am thinking of getting one to experiment with my Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4 lens on the Monochrom body.

 

Nick

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a few Soft Pro B+W filters and they are generally nice. I actually really like the effect. Though the impact on out of focus light circles in the background (Bokeh-ish) is a bit weird since you see the honeycomb pattern. The Thambar avoids this as long as you're not using the center spot filter.

 

But to Jaap's point, it's more about the fun :). Both the Thambar and the soft focus filters are fun. I've done more with the filters than the Thambar and I have to say I like the filters a lot. It adds a nice bit of softness and a glow and you don't actually lose focus at the focus point of the photo.

 

The Thambar gets back from DAG today, so I'm looking forward to getting to finally get aquatinted with it.

 

-jbl

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...