01maciel Posted September 8, 2021 Share #1 Posted September 8, 2021 Advertisement (gone after registration) My copy of the New Petzval Art Lens 85/f2.2 shimmers golden and looks as expensive as could be although the price was less than a tenth of my new M10. People are always amazed when they see the golden lens in front of the relatively tiny M10. It looks like a spare part out of the steampunk Western movie with Will Smith but people are impressed and reckon the lens costs a fortune, ha ha. Anyway, this is not the purpose of the lens. OK the lens is clunky, focussing quite cumbersome, the hassle with its waterhouse blades a pain and it produces more or less unpredictable results. "Man must suffer for nice shots". The photos have a beautiful soft focus, a distorted vintage feel and (sometimes;) a tiny sharp spot in the middle of the photo at f2.2. Wide open the results of the New Petzval Art Lens reminds me of the Thambar imho, isn't it? 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! 9 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/324342-poor-mans-thambar/?do=findComment&comment=4271815'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 8, 2021 Posted September 8, 2021 Hi 01maciel, Take a look here Poor man's Thambar. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
ianman Posted September 8, 2021 Share #2 Posted September 8, 2021 (edited) To me it looks more like a Summar on steroids. I don't often use my Thambar at 2/2.2 but I don't recall ever seeing a swirly bokeh such as this. I also don't have a lot of close ups but here is one I took a few weeks ago. As you can see, no twirls or swirls here... just dusty neg. 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! I would be interested to see more from your lens. Portraits, landscapes please. Edited September 8, 2021 by ianman 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! I would be interested to see more from your lens. Portraits, landscapes please. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/324342-poor-mans-thambar/?do=findComment&comment=4271926'>More sharing options...
01maciel Posted September 8, 2021 Author Share #3 Posted September 8, 2021 vor 54 Minuten schrieb ianman: To me it looks more like a Summar on steroids. Interesting, I do not know anything of the Summar so I cannot compare them. Your photo looks impressive and well-ballanced compared to the Petzval. Re the swirly bokeh: yes you are right. I looked almost through the entire Thambar thread and found no swirly bokeh. So lets re-define the New Petzval lens: its a poor man's Thambar with swirly bokeh. Even better! vor einer Stunde schrieb ianman: I would be interested to see more from your lens. Portraits, landscapes please. I am sorry, I do not post any family or friend portraits. But any time soon I'll take some nice landscape photos- I promise Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted September 8, 2021 Share #4 Posted September 8, 2021 (edited) Not sure if it has anything in common with a Thambar but this $200 lens is one of my favorites irrespective of price. Jupiter 85/2 at f/2 and f/4. https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Sony-A7r2-mod-Jupiter-852/i-DbswJ3N/1/3cebd21c/X4/DSC02314_si-X4.jpg https://photos.smugmug.com/Diverse/n-QFBj4/Sony-A7r2-mod-Jupiter-852/i-nVzKjZx/0/9750d681/X4/DSC02326_si-X4.jpg Edited September 8, 2021 by lct 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted September 8, 2021 Share #5 Posted September 8, 2021 46 minutes ago, 01maciel said: I am sorry, I do not post any family or friend portraits. No prob, doesn’t need to be family or friends. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted September 9, 2021 Share #6 Posted September 9, 2021 @01maciel Here are a couple of example showing the Summar swirl, both on M9. 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! 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/324342-poor-mans-thambar/?do=findComment&comment=4272346'>More sharing options...
01maciel Posted September 9, 2021 Author Share #7 Posted September 9, 2021 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Wonderful. I just had a look to the usual web sites for used lenses and other stuff. The Summar seems to be a collapsible 50mm/f2. Does this work with a M10 without damaging the sensor or other guts of the camera? Edited September 9, 2021 by 01maciel typo Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01maciel Posted September 9, 2021 Author Share #8 Posted September 9, 2021 vor 21 Stunden schrieb lct: Not sure if it has anything in common with a Thambar but this $200 lens is one of my favorites irrespective of price. Jupiter 85/2 at f/2 and f/4 I know the Jupiter lenses are a priceless insider tip. I own the Jupiter 3 1:1.5/50mm (LTM), exactly 60 years old and even rangefinder coupled. Compared to the Thambar, Summar or Petzval the Jupiter 85/2 seems to be quite sharp in the middle- almost clinical 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted September 9, 2021 Share #9 Posted September 9, 2021 20 minutes ago, 01maciel said: Wonderful. I just had a look to the usual web sites for used lenses and other stuff. The Summar seems to be a collapsible 50mm/f2. Does this work with a M10 without damaging the sensor or other guts of the camera? IIRC it can be collapsed on the M9, I’ll check & get back to you on that. Can’t say for the 10 but I guess the distance from the mount to the sensor hasn’t changed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted September 9, 2021 Share #10 Posted September 9, 2021 9 minutes ago, 01maciel said: I know the Jupiter lenses are a priceless insider tip. I own the Jupiter 3 1:1.5/50mm (LTM), exactly 60 years old and even rangefinder coupled. Compared to the Thambar, Summar or Petzval the Jupiter 85/2 seems to be quite sharp in the middle- almost clinical Both the Thambar and Summar are sharp when stepped down. Of course not to the level of modern lenses but sharp enough for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted September 9, 2021 Share #11 Posted September 9, 2021 (edited) I had an excellent version of the Hektor 7.3cm which could also be seen as a poor man's Thambar. I sold it eventually when I bought the current Thambar - too similar in what they would be used for. The Hektor was more restrained than the Thambar, but sometimes you just have to remove the safety catch and let the lens do what it wants. Edited September 9, 2021 by LocalHero1953 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianman Posted September 9, 2021 Share #12 Posted September 9, 2021 16 minutes ago, 01maciel said: I know the Jupiter lenses are a priceless insider tip. I own the Jupiter 3 1:1.5/50mm (LTM), exactly 60 years old and even rangefinder coupled. Compared to the Thambar, Summar or Petzval the Jupiter 85/2 seems to be quite sharp in the middle- almost clinical Btw you can see a bunch of photos I took with the Summar on film here: https://www.l-camera-forum.com/search/?&q=Summar&type=forums_topic&item=284086&author=ianman&search_and_or=or&sortby=relevancy 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
epand56 Posted September 11, 2021 Share #13 Posted September 11, 2021 I have an old Nokia phone that makes the same pictures almost for free Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01maciel Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share #14 Posted September 11, 2021 vor 5 Stunden schrieb epand56: I have an old Nokia phone that makes the same pictures almost for free don't you dare 😆 This called art 🎨 and the Nokia can't be mounted onto the M10, so no way! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted September 12, 2021 Share #15 Posted September 12, 2021 For a 'poor man's Thambar' , if that is one's desire I recommend the Minolta Varisoft Rokkor 85/2.8. It's not RF-coupled of course but it can be used with a Visoflex or else used on an L-mount camera with appropriate adaptor. The Varisoft is particularly unusual because, as its name implies, it allows the photographer to vary the degree of softness with an analogue ring on the barrel that has '3 click points' for quickly selecting the degree of softness if required. At its softest setting it is softer than the Thambar but also has considerable coma and spherical aberration (which is one of its methods of softening the image) although the Thambar's images are different but more pleasant to my eye. Since the Varisoft can be adjusted to taste you can choose to what degree you soften the image or scene. I include an example of the Varisoft deliberately at its softest taken with my SL. Pete. 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! 7 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/324342-poor-mans-thambar/?do=findComment&comment=4274170'>More sharing options...
01maciel Posted September 12, 2021 Author Share #16 Posted September 12, 2021 vor einer Stunde schrieb farnz: I recommend the Minolta Varisoft Rokkor 85/2.8 Thanks for the tip. Never heard about this lens. A quick search shows just one copy on the internet, it seems to be very rare. The copy I found comes with fungus spots, dust and haze inside for around US$410 😮 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Vonn Posted September 12, 2021 Share #17 Posted September 12, 2021 2 hours ago, farnz said: For a 'poor man's Thambar' , if that is one's desire I recommend the Minolta Varisoft Rokkor 85/2.8. It's not RF-coupled of course but it can be used with a Visoflex or else used on an L-mount camera with appropriate adaptor. The Varisoft is particularly unusual because, as its name implies, it allows the photographer to vary the degree of softness with an analogue ring on the barrel that has '3 click points' for quickly selecting the degree of softness if required. At its softest setting it is softer than the Thambar but also has considerable coma and spherical aberration (which is one of its methods of softening the image) although the Thambar's images are different but more pleasant to my eye. Since the Varisoft can be adjusted to taste you can choose to what degree you soften the image or scene. I include an example of the Varisoft deliberately at its softest taken with my SL. Pete. 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! Thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted September 12, 2021 Share #18 Posted September 12, 2021 On 9/8/2021 at 2:49 PM, ianman said: No prob, doesn’t need to be family or friends. Perhaps strangers and enemies, then... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted September 12, 2021 Share #19 Posted September 12, 2021 The lens is unusual and a bit of a curio and dates from the 1970's or 80s and I understand Minolta also produced a 35/2.8 Varisoft as well. It's a 'special' lens so, like a fisheye, photographers often find one and shoot everything with it until it becomes a gimmick and then it sits on a shelf gathering dust. I've had mine for a few years and it was, and is, in good shape but the arrival of the pandemic not long after I acquired it means that I haven't used it as much as I'd like. I think I paid around £200-300 for mine and there were one or two others on the online auction site at the same time. There are currently 4 on Ebay.co.uk at the moment - 3 from Japan for $400 to $550 and one from the USA for $700. Since it's a Japanese lens, Bellamy at Japan Camera Hunter might be able to find one for you. Pete. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted September 12, 2021 Share #20 Posted September 12, 2021 For comparison purposes here's the same scene shot with the Minolta Varisoft Rokkor 85/2.8 set to minimum softness. I've tried to faithfully replicate the (minimal) post-processing to eliminate that variable. Pete. 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! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/324342-poor-mans-thambar/?do=findComment&comment=4274297'>More sharing options...
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