Trioplan 2.9/50

[alex ph]

Here is a small Trioplan 2.9/50 unmounted from a broken old Beltica. I did not search (till this moment) to get a bubble bokeh. It's more about its general rendering as a possible all-purpose lens. In fact, with a triplet like that, as opposed to later multi-coated double Gauss lenses, I find back the practice of the pre-war era. It is rather soft and someway inexpressive at f2.9 but shines quite well once closed to f5.6-8, with a very natural feeling of the picture, even full of CAs, especially when the colours are auto-corrected.

#1


#2 Sometimes the picture arrives unexpectedly soft and rather seems to be tilted, like this one or #4 which is clearly not-just-soft.


#3 In other cases the picture has a good 3D effect, like this one or #5


#4


#5


#6 The lens stands quite difficultly direct sunlight, predictable for non-coated glass, but still gives some interesting texture, and good pop-up in the shadows


#7 And here, looking attentively at the corners, I have a kind of confirmation that my adapter is tilting the lens' plane, giving better rendering to the left bottom than to the right top, even though it seems uncongruent to #4 and seems unpredictable

[Oldhand]

I really like getting to know a lens' foibles and using them where they can shine.
I don't think that I would like your lens as it seems to be - as you have said - "unpredictable"
If you can find what is causing those issues maybe then it will be a good general purpose lens.
If not, then find the one area where it can shine and use it for that.
Thanks for sharing your experience
Tom

[kypfer]

Nice results ... rather more "old timey" than modern lenses and none the worse for it!

"Back in the day" it was "normal practice" to "keep the sun over the shoulder" with a more basic camera, so the failings of flare etc. didn't raise their ugly heads. Were you using a lens hood? I use a lot of old lenses and the majority of them benefit immensely from having a lens-hood fitted.

I've got a 45mm Trioplan, salvaged from an old Paxette and remounted for use on my NX5. As yet I've not been impressed, but maybe I should spend more time with it. I also have a 10.5cm Trioplan salvaged from a "no-name" folder that I use on bellows to good effect, but that's a bit more clumsy to use.

Enjoy

[alex ph]

Thank you Tom and Kypfer, for your input.

I haven't tried a hood yet, as the lens does not have a filter thread, so need to make a DIY one. Otherwise it's a good idea, thank you.

In the next weeks I will experiment with the lens' inconsistencies. One of my hypotheses is that the "tilt" effect depends on focusing position. That will be cool to catch the logic and thus to have a "tilt" capability with a normal tiny lens! If I manage to catch it, I'll share the result later.

[kypfer]

[IAZA]

[Sciolist]

[alex ph]

IAZA, that's right, I took the "from the air" shots by a plastic window. I'll check the consistency further. If the "tilt" effect is just a result of the airplane window "filter", I would be glad to get a piece of one to reproduce the effect in street shooting.

Sciolist, could you please post an example of an image before and after dehaze? I often use a simple auto-balance function that might (or not) have the same result.

[Sciolist]

I think this is a 'before and after' dehaze. I tend not to keep 'before's'. I have others that may provide better examples as I can't help thinking I must have adjusted the colour balance too. I'm not sure. I'll have a look for others.

E.Ludwig Meritar 2.9/50.



With a light dehaze -



It's all subjective of course Alex. It just lights my candle. The new 'presence' and 'solidity' of the objects in the frame appeals to me.

[alex ph]

It does make difference! Very good result. And it does not look like a simple auto balance. Thank you for sharing.

[alex ph]

I've experimented a bit more with this tiny Trioplan. As before, it interested me as a casual shooting lens. At f5.6 it renders very well. So I focused more in its performace WO, put on Sony Nex. With autocontrast applied and some auto-sharpness when resized, the result is pretty convincing. And I acknowledge the lack of "tilt" effect which was caused previpsly by a plastic window.

#1 I didn't search for bubbles, just some backround OOF


#2 It renders natural sun reflexions pretty well


#3 At infinity, the sky colours are estonishingly well preserved for an uncoated lens


#4 Architecture with "character", always WO. I pushed contrast some more


#5 A bw or sepia conversion works really well with this lens

[alex ph]

Found a portion of unintended bubbles in the series of shots.

#1 Wide open, autocontrast applied


#2 At f5.6, processed with Nik

[papasito]

The Beirette camera had the Trioplan 3,5/45 mm lens, if I'm not wrong.

Is This lens similar to the 2,9/50 mm lens in rendering ?

[kypfer]

[papasito]

kypfer:
Thank you, very much.
I have in mind what you said about FF
and APCS rendering of lenses.
One Beirette is near 5/10 bucks. So I will try that lens with my Sony, and play .

[alex ph]

As I stated in the first post, the lens I use was taken from an even older, helas broken Beltica folder. The lack of a modern coating adds some vintage charm and ambient yellow to the image. I imagine that a Trioplan taken from Beirette could work as well and even better in some light situations.