Beirax/Viktar 105/4.5 revisited

[PaulC]

I've rescanned a few negs from my pre-War Beirax, now that my scanning technique has improved a bit.

This lens on the 6x9 would certainly produce acceptable 8x12 inch (20xd30cm) prints. It sometimes shows some vignetting, but it isn't too bad, and the slightly low contrast can be adjusted easily enough, if desired.

Of course, there is a lot of luck involved in getting a Beirax that is well adjusted 70+ years after being made. These pictures give an idea of what the Viktar is capable of on a good body.







These all show the full frame. The vignetting and loss of focus at the edges of the first one show it was shot wider than the others. The last two were almost certainly shot at the recommended hyperfocal aperture of around f16 and focused using the hyperfocal marking on the lens.

[Nesster]

The images it creates are very sympathetic, the vignetting or blur at the edges isn't objectionable at all (to me) and serves to direct the eye towards the center. I really like these 70 year old cameras, a lot, and enjoy using them and seeing others get good results from theirs.