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Nye Optical 150mm f1.4 - advert (July 1968)
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:20 pm    Post subject: Nye Optical 150mm f1.4 - advert (July 1968) Reply with quote
One for Klaus and others, spotted in alookback.net scans of camera magazines (it appears advertised a few times).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/38552878@N02/42439506044/



$5,855.52 in today's money.
Often with superfast, large and obscure glass, it's very (understandably) easy to get an impression that it was never intended to be conveniently compatible with common photography devices, so it's important to correct the record where possible. Just in case one of these is found at a thrift store for $5... Wink


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PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It really exists even though the ad looks a bit like vapor ware: https://jmcscientificconsulting.com/testing/nye-optical-150mm-f1-4-mirror-lens-uv-to-ir-imaging/


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for the advert, I hadn't seen that before.

I've yet to try it on a mirrorless camera - when it was on the Nikon, I needed to add an extension tube to let it clear the pentaprism. At some point I'll get round to fitting it to a mirrorless camera and try it out.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks a lot! Appreciate that!

It is a very interesting lens indeed, as well as some other ones Mr Nye has designed and built - I was lucky to find a few of them (prototypes).


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Actually, I just remembered, I did try it with my Sony A7III before I had it converted for multispectral work. This is Rosie a little dog that we look after from time to time taken using it.

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 very interesting effect!


PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Any info on the "special light control device"?


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
visualopsins wrote:
Any info on the "special light control device"?

Nothing like that on mine - just the focus.

Also, unlike in the advert, on the front element of mine is a what seems to just be a back plastic tube, sealed at one end with a small metal disk on it. I took the front element out last night to give it a clean (and remove the spider and web that was in there - long story). The plastic section doesn't seem to do anything.

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Any ideas what this would be for?

I'm thinking about getting a fused silica disk made to the same dimensions and put in there instead. But is there any benefit to that? Obviously that plastic thing takes up a significant portion of the centre of the front element, but it is a similar size to the front mirror inside the lens, so most of the light it would be blocking, would be blocked by the front mirror anyway.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Probably to prevent unwanted internal reflections


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
D1N0 wrote:
Probably to prevent unwanted internal reflections

I hadn't thought about reflections, thanks. I suppose it would shade the front mirror and that does have some screws on it which could then cause reflections. Not sure why it sticks out so far though. No sign of that plastic thing on the advert either - perhaps it was added later as a way of reducing unwanted reflections?


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Maybe take it of and see what happens? You could always glue it back on. The reflective metal disk as also a bit puzzling.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
JMC wrote:
D1N0 wrote:
Probably to prevent unwanted internal reflections

I hadn't thought about reflections, thanks. I suppose it would shade the front mirror and that does have some screws on it which could then cause reflections. Not sure why it sticks out so far though. No sign of that plastic thing on the advert either - perhaps it was added later as a way of reducing unwanted reflections?


For reference, this is how it looks assembled-



Just because my first impression was, "why are they removing the secondary mirror??"
Anyway- not sure why there's a reflective part on the front (although it looks very dulled now).


Secondary mirrors (behind this part) usually have a small baffle on them, as seen on the left here (click to enlarge):



I assume this is just an extension of this forward. It would make sense that such a radically fast mirror lens might require something like this to prevent flare. It would look normal or be hidden by the hood (as it is in the advert?), which is missing on yours. I would keep it on.

Also- not sure if I would open it up given what the tolerances for something like this must be. You do mention screws undearneath this cap which means collimation is possible for better performance- don't know your knowledge, but this'll be wasted without a good tune up.

But if you have opened it up- any photos of the inside you could show? Anything helps!


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
eggplant wrote:
JMC wrote:
D1N0 wrote:
Probably to prevent unwanted internal reflections

I hadn't thought about reflections, thanks. I suppose it would shade the front mirror and that does have some screws on it which could then cause reflections. Not sure why it sticks out so far though. No sign of that plastic thing on the advert either - perhaps it was added later as a way of reducing unwanted reflections?


For reference, this is how it looks assembled-

Just because my first impression was, "why are they removing the secondary mirror??"
Anyway- not sure why there's a reflective part on the front (although it looks very dulled now).


Secondary mirrors (behind this part) usually have a small baffle on them, as seen on the left here (click to enlarge):

I assume this is just an extension of this forward. It would make sense that such a radically fast mirror lens might require something like this to prevent flare. It would look normal or be hidden by the hood (as it is in the advert?), which is missing on yours. I would keep it on.

Also- not sure if I would open it up given what the tolerances for something like this must be. You do mention screws undearneath this cap which means collimation is possible for better performance- don't know your knowledge, but this'll be wasted without a good tune up.

But if you have opened it up- any photos of the inside you could show? Anything helps!


OT, I spy a Benbo Trekker!


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Eggplant, I did open it up last night, but just removed the front element, cleaned it and replaced it. I didn't go deeper into it. I have a little skill, but not enough to attempt collimating a mirror lens.

I'll probably be removing the front element again at some point to measure the transmission spectra (I am assuming it is quartz or UV fused silica, but want to double check). When I do I'll get a picture of the inside.

Yeah, the metal disk on the front of that plastic part is equally confusing....


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
JMC wrote:
Eggplant, I did open it up last night, but just removed the front element, cleaned it and replaced it. I didn't go deeper into it. I have a little skill, but not enough to attempt collimating a mirror lens.

I'll probably be removing the front element again at some point to measure the transmission spectra (I am assuming it is quartz or UV fused silica, but want to double check). When I do I'll get a picture of the inside.

Yeah, the metal disk on the front of that plastic part is equally confusing....


That front mirror has been used to point a laser to it to be able to correctly position it, when used in an optical lab, from what I know. It is not needed for "normal" photography


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks Klaus. I did wonder if that had been used for the alignment.

Is the plastic part the mirror sits on part of hhat setup too? Could the plastic part be removed without compromising performance of the lens?


PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
JMC wrote:
Eggplant, I did open it up last night, but just removed the front element, cleaned it and replaced it. I didn't go deeper into it. I have a little skill, but not enough to attempt collimating a mirror lens.

I'll probably be removing the front element again at some point to measure the transmission spectra (I am assuming it is quartz or UV fused silica, but want to double check). When I do I'll get a picture of the inside.

Yeah, the metal disk on the front of that plastic part is equally confusing....


When I get around to doing mine I'll let you know what's easy to follow. There isn't neccessarily any specialist skill involved, just looking down the lens and seeing mirrors can make your head spin abit.

It's cost free to see if it needs it though, by pointing it at some stars on a clear night if possible and sending it out of focus

You can also just do this artificially with an "artificial star test".


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 7:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks Eggplant, I think (hope) even I can carry out a test like that Like 1 small


PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p4732_Artificial-star---White-light---Variable-brightness.html


PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
https://www.hubbleoptics.com/artificial-stars.html
https://sites.google.com/site/tanveerg/buildinganartificialstar%28pointsource%29


PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
How cool. Never knew gadgets like that existed. Thanks.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2021 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quick update. Checking the collimation (and potentially trying to recollimate this depending on how brave I am feeling) is definitely on the list for 2022 jobs.

In the mean time I had a new front window made from UV fused silica. The original had a plastic cap fitted to it with a mirror in the middle. Rather than risk damaging the original trying to remove it, I just had a piece of UV fused silica made to the right thickness and diameter by one of the suppliers I use for filters and silica. It now looks very different now and more like in the advert.

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2021 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well done!!


PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2021 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great job!


PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2021 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
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Last edited by Blazer0ne on Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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