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Pinkham & Smith Visual Quality 75mm f/3 mp lens
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 1:54 am    Post subject: Pinkham & Smith Visual Quality 75mm f/3 mp lens Reply with quote
I recently acquired a Pinkham & Smith Visual Quality 3 inch lens, made for the motion picture industry. The large-format P&S lenses are renowned for their pictorial soft-focus look.

The lens is stamped "Gillies Visual Quality"; I have found a reference stating that J. Wallace Gillies adapted the lens for the motion picture industry.

The lens is tiny, with ~34mm mounting threads. The seller claimed that this lens came from the collection of Joseph Walker, ASC, who was Frank Capra's cameraman. He filmed "It's a Wonderful Life", among many.

After several false starts, I finally managed to mount this lens in a gutted Nikon Series E 50mm lens body. Notice the "custom" lens shade and cap:



Here are some samples:




More in my soft-focus gallery.

Last edited by papah on Sun Oct 31, 2010 3:24 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 5:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
"Pictorial" and "vintage" are perfect descriptions for the lens. Love the results. How does it look in color? Lots and lots of CA?


PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
aoleg wrote:
"Pictorial" and "vintage" are perfect descriptions for the lens. Love the results. How does it look in color? Lots and lots of CA?


Thanks. CA?? See for yourself. I like the lens in color-- lots of smooth bokah:






The last one is a five-exposure HDR image, one stop bracketing.

I've added a Pinkham color gallery in the soft-focus section on my website.

I'm looking forward to some soft-focus "street" photography this summer.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 7:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice Bruce! I haven't even known that these short focal lengths for a PS were made once!!

Last edited by kds315* on Sat Nov 27, 2010 12:37 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks very nice.
I moved the thread to the Cine Lenses forum.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
kds315* wrote:
Very nice Bruce! I haven't even know that these short focal lengths for a PS were made once!!

Thanks, Klaus.

I'm now on the hunt for a Struss Pictorial in cine focal length. Very rare.

I did find a Graf Variable in a 5-1/2" focal length; they were made in 3-1/2"fl, but very few. Here is one from the Graf:


I thought of you recently when someone seriously outbid me for a Kalostat a few weeks ago on the big site? It sold for almost $1300, item #380235844756.

-Bruce


PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I saw the Graf at your site, nice results that one delivers!

Yep, that Kalosat went through the roof, I gave up half way...but I I'm working at making my own one...

http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,1046872.html#1046872

Last edited by kds315* on Sun Jul 04, 2010 1:04 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for showing this very interesting lens!


PostPosted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Many thanks for sharing, I think it will be a very good 'extreme' portrait lens. Especially nice for wedding photographers I think.
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