Taylor 7" Rapid Rectilinear lens on a DSLR

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Well, this is surely only for a fraction of the members here, who are into pictorial photographic work ("Seele" where are you... Wink

), but I thought I should show it anyway....

I have a (close to) perfect condition Rapid Rectilinear lens, made by Taylor of Leicester (later well known as Taylor, Taylor & Hobson TTH), f8 / 7" focal length (exactly 6.94" as engraved), iris stops 8-64, leather front cap, with cardbox. Rear 1.5" (ca 38mm) screw mount (Leica enlarger thread mount adaptor fits loosely, but works fine, so no exotic adaptor needed). Cover should be 6 1/2 x 4 3/4" ("half plate") since this is also engraved (ca 165 x 120mm for us "metrics"). The Lens Vademecum mentions it for "portrait and landscape" work.

The small size and easy mount makes it an ideal lens for DSLR work.

Here something about the history of that lens design, which was invented by Dr H A Steinheil:
http://www.engr.udayton.edu/faculty/jloomis/eop601/notes/history/rapid/rapid.html and this is the design:

Here now some shots I did using that lens, late at night (WB a bit off, though) using suitable tubes, all full format straight from the cam, unaltered...

and a night shot to the near castle ("Windeck" - windy corner) from the windows upstairs:

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

Klaus, that's a beautiful lens - and I suppose I qualify for that fraction, as with all the Zeiss this and Leitz that being shown, this is the lens I feel a pang of jealousy for. Laughing

Good results too - for the flowers I'd probably say to expose 1/2 stop less for this sort of lens & this sort of shot, but that's my eye.

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Yes, I was early in the morning and I was not really that concentrated anymore - just wanted to see some quich results, also teh WB is off a bit...they need a bit more contrast also.

Scheimpflug · Expire: 2011-11-18

Klaus- Do you still have this lens? I have discovered one which appears to be very similar, and have found very little information about them. Neutral

Does yours have any engravings on the front half of the brass section? Also, have you been able to determine the age of your lens?

I checked the Vade Mecum (07/05/2001 edition), and found this:

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Yes, I have of course. Mine is #1792 so it must be from that early stage 1886 onwards. Indeed, not much info may be found about it. A good source is http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=8 where I am also a member since years (very worth it). That topic has been discussed there (use search). very good info about these old lenses may be found here: http://www.cameraeccentric.com/info.html

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Incredible! What a beauty! Congrats!!!

Scheimpflug · Expire: 2011-11-18

I had actually looked at Camera Eccentric earlier, but it seems as though their Taylor-Hobson information only goes back to the 1920's, and is too new to include the RR or any other "non-Cooke" lenses?

I had also looked at the large format forum, but I only found your post where yours was for sale. Very Happy

Were there any other threads in particular that you found informative? I've searched quite a bit, for TTH, Rapid Rectilinear, etc, but haven't found much. Neutral

Does yours have the word "PATENT" engraved in it? Mine has this, but no reference to a patent number... seems strange...

Thanks for the help. Cool

By the way, did you ever end up taking any more photos with this lens beyond your sample/test set?