Kalee Bloomed 5 inch projector lens

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Hi folks

This is an old (1950s I think) all chrome projector lens, I think for 35mm as it's pretty big for a 16mm projector lens.

It's been well used, some brassing, probably given sterling service in a small cinema somewhere for decades, no fungus, lots of dust but I cleaned it.

dof is tiny but if you can get something in focus is seems quite sharp, everything else is lost in a sea of soft smooth bokeh. I think this is a Petzval type lens, it certainly renders very similarly to my Rathenower projector lens and I reckon that's a Petzval too.

Not worked out a proper mounting yet but did manage these test shots:

I like the way those few grains of pollen are the only thing in focus in that last shot. This lens looks to have some potential for artistic work, definitely needs a hood attaching although it does have some coating (bloomed = coated) and it might need an aperture disk fitting to increase that dof to more manageable depths.

martyn_bannister · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 1151

Depth of field - not! Got a picture of the lens?

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Here she is, I snapped some just for you!

She's a heavy thing, the chrome plating and engraving is to a very high standard, this obviously wasn't a cheap item when it was new.

Some bubbles in the front element and what looks like the beginnings of a balsam separation but I don't care, this isn't a lens for hi-def shots, it's strictly for artistic fun and creativity and for that I have high hopes, have to modify a set of bellows to mount it though.

Himself · Expire: 2013-05-30

Difficult to see something sharp in that "sea of soft".
I see nothing.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Can't you see a few white specks of pollen in the last pic?

martyn_bannister · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 1151

A handsome beast!

You do have to know it's there I feel Smile

Looks like it has to be stopped down somehow. I guess with such a sharp dof, if it wasn't a projector lens, this must have been a photocopier/repro lens? Either that, or aerial photography?

How about an artistic shot of a ruler, just to prove that something's in focus

Smile

Himself · Expire: 2013-05-30

Yep, those I can see them.

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Perhaps you could take some more meaningful shots or is it limited to macro?

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Just finished nightshift and about to hit the sack.

Tomorrow I will get this lens out and take some more pics, that ruler idea is a good one.

I will also try fitting a cardboard aperture disk to increase the dof to something more practical.

I don't honestly know if it will hit infinity on my EOS, I need to remove that aluminium collar that is fitted to the lens and try it.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

As suggested, here are some ruler shots.

Looks like the DOF is about 3mm....

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

The usual problem with projection lenses is very short back focus.

I have a couple of projection lenses for 16mm, and these must have something like 20mm back focus.

I have gotten a usable lens, albeit with longer focal length, by removing the rear group.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Once I remove that collar (need to find my allen keys!) it will move more than 5cm cloer to the sensor and I could trim the tube I mounted it in by another 3-4cm so I still have hopes of finding infinity with this thing.

Not sure it will be of any use at infinity though, I think this is a lens for artistic macro and closeups only.

I would love to try this lens for some portraits, have to see if any attractive ladies I know would like their picture taken!

Some more shots I took with this lens, I like the way it renders but it's really hard to use!

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Well I guess I proved something was in focus but the shots weren't meaningful enough...

Maybe I'll fit a cardboard aperture ring and try again...

martyn_bannister · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 1151

Good effort though Smile

Time for a ninja star and some sparkling water.......

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Hmm, let's see what I can do...

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Well, there's good news and bad news...

I removed that aluminium collar, makes the lens handle and look much nicer. I can now get the rear element within about 5mm of the EOS mount with the tube I'm using. I am going to trim the tube by 5-8mm to get it even closer.

The bad news is, it won't focus any further than about four feet.

I managed to snap these shots, I particularly like the first one of the flowers, I think it has some 3D pop.

This could make an interesting portrait lens methinks, the bowl of fruit pics make me think that.

I will make a cardboard aperture disk to fit this lens tonight and try that tomorrow.

martyn_bannister · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 1151

They are all very nice, shame about the lack of infinity

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Thanks Martin, I like the rendering, this is never going to be a all-purpose lens but I think it could find it's niche in my collection. I would keep it just for it's beauty as a collectable but to be able to use it for artictic pics delights me, better than having it as a chrome paperweight!

Similar Kalee Bloomed lenses (all made by Kershaw in Leeds, like mine) pop up on ebay all the time and are really cheap, they all seem to have high quality brass barrels, later ones chromed, earlier ones bright brass.

Any suggestions for other subjects to point this lens at? I think more flower/fauna shots might be in order...

martyn_bannister · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 1151

As I say, ninja star cardboard aperture and early morning (or late evening) light reflecting off a lake, you must have one of those around somewhere Smile

I'll keep an eye out for Kalee on the bay .......

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Yes, lots of those around here, I like in the Lake District after all and my house is half a mile from the sea!

Not doing much walking last few days, me knees are playing up a lot.

Shot some candid portraits, came out quite nice I think. The first one of my dad is front focussed, his nose is in focus but the rest isn't. Colours are very vivid and I think they look better in BW.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Sadly it started raining here so it cut my shooting short but I did fit a cardboard disk and snapped these:

martyn_bannister · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 1151

Thats a lot better! Not bad for a bit of old brass Smile

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Aye, it's not a bad lens at all imho, definitely sharp when you get something in focus, bokeh is super smooth, I really like it.

That last pic of my dad in sepia is one of my fave shots I've ever taken, reminds me of that Johnny Cash video, I forget which one exactly, 'One' I think.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

I like that, it's good to see someone having a go at something different. Very Happy

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

I spend a lot of time messing around with unusual old lenses and trying to mount them for my EOS, the huge and incredibly heavy Rathenower 168mm projection lens is one of my faves, was a challenge to adapt that one.

I have quite a few more oddities I'll be able to show you soon, just got to finish off a few of the mounts I'm working on.

Thing I like best about unusual and odd lenses is they sometimes give you rendering styles you just can't achieve with 'normal' camera lenses.

Just finished this beauty, a proper focussing mount for one of my Ross WA Xpress f4 5inch lenses. It's made out of a body cap, a vulcathene waste pipe fitting, a 55mm lens hood and some black electrical tape.

Works a treat. Shot this with it today: