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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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 Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:39 pm Post subject: Ross Xpress f3.5 4 inch |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Hi folks
I collect Ross lenses and just acquired another, it's mounted in a focussing barrel but I have no idea what camera it came from, I can't find any info, does anyone know anything about this lens?
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Sevo
Joined: 22 Aug 2008
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Location: Frankfurt, Germany
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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Sevo wrote:
Looks like it could be from a Vanneck, Korelle, Primarflex or some other pre fifties medium format SLR.
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GrahamNR17
Joined: 17 Jan 2009
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Location: Norfolk, UK
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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GrahamNR17 wrote:
Serial number guesses from "the bible"
200,000 1947 perhaps, also some outsiders for Selfixes. Thus the Stewartry Definexes are No212-
213,000 typically from 1946-7.
250,000 1960 approximately.
My money is either designed for Leica type cameras if it's L39 thread, or equally possible for turret mounting on a movie camera. |
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Sevo
Joined: 22 Aug 2008
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:20 pm Post subject: |
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Sevo wrote:
| GrahamNR17 wrote: |
My money is either designed for Leica type cameras if it's L39 thread, or equally possible for turret mounting on a movie camera. |
It seems much too big for either - there is a unusually big rim around the front element, and what's inside there is a 100mm f/3.5 Tessar type. My lenses of roughly similar type, length and speed are around 4cm across the front element, so the thing might be 8-10cm wide.
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Last edited by Sevo on Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 6602
Location: San Francisco, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
What is the mount thread, if thread it is ? (I can't tell from the pictures)
Dimensions ?
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I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:18 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
It hasn't arrived yet so I can' check if there is a thread and it's dimensions.
If it dates from 47 (cheers Graham) then it must be for a British camera as they didn't start importing German ones again until 1953/4.
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martinsmith99
Joined: 31 Aug 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:40 am Post subject: |
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martinsmith99 wrote:
Interesting. I am quite taken by Ross lenses but yet to acquire any.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:50 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I don't have a lot of them, but the ones I have are all well worth having, the Resolux f4 9cm enlarger lens is a beauty, the 8in Xpress is amazing, so sharp and no CA whatsoever, fantastic colours. The two wartime 5in Xpress I have are also good, but one seems to have some bloom resulting in low contrast, the other is fine though, uncoated but very sharp even wide open, needs contrast boosting in PP.
The f4 5in Wide Angle Xpress is very commonly seen on ebay, they were made by many companies during ww2 and you should be able to find one for very little.
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Sevo
Joined: 22 Aug 2008
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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Sevo wrote:
| iangreenhalgh1 wrote: |
It hasn't arrived yet so I can' check if there is a thread and it's dimensions.
If it dates from 47 (cheers Graham) then it must be for a British camera as they didn't start importing German ones again until 1953/4. |
Well, the Vanneck would be. And beyond that there were all the cameras brought (or smuggled) in by soldiers stationed in Germany. And they had been hacking lenses for pre-war cameras in that shortage period (the ones I mentioned were already made in the late thirties). The lens and barrel look quite inconsistent, i.e. that thing as a whole does not look Ross made, but will have been adapted by some third party, which is more likely if it was for some old or exotic camera rather than a local one actively marketed at the time the lens was made.
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calvin83
Joined: 12 Apr 2009
Posts: 7571
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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calvin83 wrote:
| iangreenhalgh1 wrote: |
I don't have a lot of them, but the ones I have are all well worth having, the Resolux f4 9cm enlarger lens is a beauty, the 8in Xpress is amazing, so sharp and no CA whatsoever, fantastic colours. The two wartime 5in Xpress I have are also good, but one seems to have some bloom resulting in low contrast, the other is fine though, uncoated but very sharp even wide open, needs contrast boosting in PP.
The f4 5in Wide Angle Xpress is very commonly seen on ebay, they were made by many companies during ww2 and you should be able to find one for very little. |
+1 for Resolux 9cm F4. Excellent build quality. With a proper hood, it can be a very good performer for close-ups.
Photo taken at full open with nex5N.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Nice shot Calvin, shows the wonderful bokeh of the Resolux.
I agree about the build quality, the overall finish is stunning, just a joy to hold and admire, very heavy for a small thing, solid plated metal and feels like a precision instrument.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:38 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Well, the lens arrived today and to my surprise (and delight) it's got M42 threads on the back.
So finger's crossed it has the M42 register and works with an adapter.
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Attila
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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Attila wrote:
I look forward your results!
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iangreenhalgh1
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Yes, me too, just have to wait for sunlight, dark and raining here today, sadly.
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calvin83
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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calvin83 wrote:
| iangreenhalgh1 wrote: |
Well, the lens arrived today and to my surprise (and delight) it's got M42 threads on the back.
So finger's crossed it has the M42 register and works with an adapter. |
This lens is on my watch list too and I think it has the M42 register.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Let's hope so, will try it out as soon as sun appears.
It does appear to be a proper M42 lens, the min focus distance is around 1m, this is at mfd, f8:
wide open:
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iangreenhalgh1
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| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Light was poor today but I did manage to take a handful of test shots.
This lens is coated with a purple colouring and contrast is not bad at all.
A bit soft wide open but sharpens up nicely stopped down a couple of stops, bokeh is rather pleasing and smooth.
Wide open:
100% crop:
f5.6:
100% crop:
100% crop:
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Attila
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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Attila wrote:
Pretty good ! I look forward shoots in better light.
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Items on sale on Ebay
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Yes, today was pretty useless, very gray, I think it did well in conditions though so might do really well in good light, fingers crossed!
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GrahamNR17
Joined: 17 Jan 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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GrahamNR17 wrote:
It shows great promise in your capable hands, Ian. Roll-on summer for it to have a good workout  |
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martinsmith99
Joined: 31 Aug 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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martinsmith99 wrote:
The UK is pretty much always grey. Waiting for better light is like waiting for the economy to pick up. Just use what's there effectively.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Today was particularly dull, I am really looking forward to trying this one out in sunshine. I'm just pleased to posess it as i collect Ross lenses, if it turns out to be a good performer, that's just a bonus!
I seem to have accumulated a few 100mm lenses recently, this Ross is 101mm, I have a Meyer Orestor 2.8/100, a Palinar (Tokina) 4/100 preset, a CZJ Cardinar 4/100 and just arrived today a Miranda 2.8/105.
I'll have to try them all out on a sunny day, I've only tried the Cardinar and the Tokina and both only once, the Cardinar is superb, the Tokina not bad, sharp enough, just lacks some contrast.
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:05 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Series shot today in special light just before sunset. This isn't a particularly sharp lens but the coatings are remarkably flare resistant and I like the overall character of the rendering.
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Attila
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
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Location: Hungary
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:08 am Post subject: |
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Attila wrote:
Very nice series! First one what I seen from this lens!
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Items on sale on Ebay
Sony NEX-7 Carl Zeiss Planar 85mm f1.4, Minolta MD 35mm f1.8, Konica 135mm f2.5, Minolta MD 50mm f1.2, Minolta MD 250mm f5.6, Carl Zeiss Sonnar 180mm f2.8
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iangreenhalgh1
Joined: 18 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:13 am Post subject: |
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iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
It is certainly a rare lens in this mounting. There are some 3.5 4in Xpress lenses on ebay for 1000USD so I am glad to have it.
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