Ilex Paragon on bellows

[luisalegria]

One of my favorite toys is my bellows. Its a very useful tool to access some alternative lenses, not just for macro work, but for general photography.

With an M42 bellows we can mount and focus to infinity a wide range of enlarger lenses, large format lenses, antique camera lenses, lenses recovered from trashed cameras, projection lenses, special-application lenses and home-made lenses. Old lenses in these categories tend to be very cheap, even for illustrious names. Sometimes they come free with broken cameras !

Bellows for different SLR systems differ in their specs, particularly the minimum distance from film plane to the flange, and lenses will also vary according to their optical formulas (telephoto effect) so what will work is a matter of trial and error. On my old Spiratone M42 bellows I can usefully mount, with infinity focus, lenses from about 90mm-300mm. The upper range is of course limited by how close you need your lens to focus.

I usually mount these lenses on drilled body caps or M42 T-mounts. This limits the size of the lens I can use, and most of the ones available have relatively small apertures, f/4.5 is typical. This is not a good way to mount an Aero-Ektar.

This is a typical old lens in my collection, an Ilex Paragon 5"(127mm)/4.5
Ilex was one of the lens and shutter manufacturers in the Rochester complex (Kodak, Wollensak, etc.). The Paragon was a Tessar-derivative, and the principal lens design Ilex made. This lens came from an old Camerz long-roll camera, a 70mm magazine camera used for industrial applications or high volume work like ID photos.



This is the Ilex and a Wollensak 105/4.5 enlarger lens (a little jewel) on their mounts, body cap and T-mount. The lens hoods are old Series VI components. Hoods are very important on these old lenses, they are uncoated or poorly coated, and they tend to flare.



I won't say this is a very exceptional lens, its just fun to use and very versatile.

[fotomachi]

Your first and second picture don't look bad at all.

[Attila]

To me this is a high class lens.

[poilu]

Nice subject Luis. Look like you have many gems in your bag.

[Richard_D]

Very nice - particularly the closer shots