Pullin London 14C/5682 100mm f/2.8 Pulnar No. F7140

[iangreenhalgh1]

I acquired a brand new set of cells that are a complete mystery as I can find no info at all. Pullin were a maker of lenses and projectors but I can only find reference to their projection lenses.

The front cell carries the text: 'Pullin London 14C/5682 100mm f/2.8 Pulnar No. F7140' and the glass has blue coatings, both front and rear cells show four clear reflections, but in different layouts, the front cell has the reflections in two pairs, the rear one has a closely spaced set of three then one on it's own, so it's assymetrical but I have no idea what the optical schema might be.

Front cell has threads that look to be 40mm and the rear looks to be 36mm so it might fit a #1 shutter with a bit of luck.

Anyone ever seen a Pullin lens in shutter before? Can anyone decipher anything about it's layout from the reflections?

[iangreenhalgh1]

This is all the Vade Mecum has to say, it suggests the 2.8/100 Pulnar is a projector lens but I doubt what I have is a projector lens:

[Braddanman]

This might be of some help. Is it the same lens??

[danfromm]

Ian, 14C/5682 smells of MoD. Until proven otherwise, I'd vote for a projection lens.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Thanks for that advert, very interesting.

I thought the same dan, both of my wartime copies of the Ross 4/5" have a similar code.

Turns out the cells go straight into a #1 shutter and it covers all of the ground glass on my Century Graphic. Sadly I don't have a #1 with a diaphragm, just a Polaroid MP4 type Copal, so I'll need to find a normal #1 for it.



Looks pretty good on the Century methinks:



Just to confirm the cell spacing in a #1 is correct, I stuck it on a set of bellows with my NEX-3. It is quite sharp wide open, but of course I will never shoot it wide open on the Century. Contrast is a bit low but I expect both sharpness and contrast improve a good deal when it's stopped down. Bokeh is very smooth and the dof is tiny. I wonder what optical schema it has, Tessar types don't usually have such smooth bokeh so it might be something else. Judging by how sharp it is wide open, I expect it will be very sharp stopped down.

[iangreenhalgh1]

I made a cardboard aperture disk with a 12mm hole in it, which is approx f8 so I could try this lens in my apertureless Copal #1.

Wow is this thing sharp, a lot sharper than my Xenar 3.5/105.

#1

#2

#3

#4

[jimithing616]

Wow, Great pictures, Very very sharp. I have been wanting to get into large format... oh the joys. What are you using to scan those in?

[iangreenhalgh1]

Thnaks for the kind words. They are 6x9s scanned on an old Epson 3200. I need to get a better scanner asap, this one is on it's last legs. Either a v500 or v700 is what I need I think.

[Attila]

#2 is especially good! Congrats!

[iangreenhalgh1]

Cheers. It was a gray horrid day, which I think you can see in the pics, hopefully we will have some actual sunshine soon.

[iangreenhalgh1]

I found a mint fully working Synchro-Compur #1 for a really good price so finally I can put this lens to good use. I expect this will become my 'normal' lens, supplanting my Xenar 3.5/105.

[iangreenhalgh1]

It's been raining no-stop for days on end here, but there was a brief break in the rain yesterday and I managed to make a couple of test shots on Kodak Industrex MX125 x-ray film. First one is at f16, second one is f2.8. I think this is an excellent lens, really sharp and with excellent contrast. Bokeh is pleasantly smooth, I think this is going to be my new 'normal' lens for sure.

[Attila]

Last two pictures are excellent , not proof it this is normal lens or not, due projection lenses can be good as or even better than photographic lenses.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Yes, that is true, I have had some excellent results from projector lenses. Whatever this lens was intended to be used for, it was definitely designed to fit a standard #1 shutter, which does suggest camera use. Unless someone uncovers some Pullin documentation (company doesn't exist anymore, it was absorbed into the Rank corporation) or knows of a source of info on the Ministry contract numbers, it will remain a mystery.

It's just a nice feeling to have a British lens to use rather than the usual Schneider, Rodenstock etc.

The fact it's a mysterious one just adds to the nice feeling for me, so whether or not I ever find out what it was originally made for isn't that important.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Another one on the kodak Industrex, wide open at 2.8:

[iangreenhalgh1]

Another one on Industrex, at f16. Came out a bit wierd in tonality but has a nice dimensionality I think: