[Your Site Name]

Nicola Perscheid

A lens I never expected to own! The Nicola Perscheid was made by Busch Rathenow to Mr. Perscheid's specifications for portraiture. It is the same formula, modified Rapid Rectilinear, as The Pinkham Smith Series IV and the Hermagis Eidoscop. Prices have been notoriously high because Europe recognizes them as a notable classic over our American lenses.

Last week a 42cm became available and the seller was anxious to work with me because he was worried about a tiny couple of spots of fungus on one of the inner surfaces. He offered an attractive price and a 2 day money back guarantee. When I got it I knew immediately it would be a keeper. The fungus had not attacked the glass and it soaked right off. 42cm is a nice size. It's at home both on the 11X14 and the 8X10! These first 2 contact prints I'll share are from the 11X14 camera. The lamp shot was at f5.6 and the shoes at f4.5

the lamp

tired shoes

Comments always welcome. These are just a surface scratch as most of these test shots are. The lens has so many more possibilities. I'm anxious to get a human in front of this and the Pinkham Series 1 lenses both.

Posted on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 08:44PM by

Jim Galli |

3 Comments

America and Alfred Steiglitz

America & Alfred Steiglitz

Pretty wild for some tastes but I love the semi out of control light in this still life. Direct AM sun through an open window for this. 12" Semi Achromatic Pinkham & Smith at f11

Japan Basin

This is more sedate. Gertrude Kasebier would be proud.

japan basin f11

Tighter and at f11

tea things

These of course are all the multi personalities of a single lens, the 12" Pinkham & Smith Semi Achromatic f6. I think I'm done for the night. Good night all.

Posted on Sunday, November 9, 2008 at 12:35AM by

Jim Galli |

5 Comments

Pinkham Smith 1928 Catalog

Contributed courtesy of Jim Galli, Tonopah, Nevada

Posted on Friday, November 7, 2008 at 01:15AM by

Jim Galli |

8 Comments

Getting close but not quite there......

I usually don't post my also-rans but figured I'm amongst friends here. Having a hard time getting clear of the gate with a new 2 me 5X12 camera. These are close enough that you can at least see where I'm trying to go. This series is about dreams. The image is there but it's in the mist of dreams. If you ever played with one of these as a 4 and 5 year old you might ask yourself later in the day, did I see that image or was it a dream I'm trying to remember.

Finding the combination with a new camera, new size, new film et al. sometimes doesn't happen as quick as we like. I've had more than my share of good luck with this so figure this time I'm dues paying.

The lens is a 12" Darlot Landscape Meniscus. Used with no stops it is not so different from any of the later portait menisci that followed. It has a wonderful diffused glow. The film is what bit me this time. And the developer. I love the Pyrochatecol because it helps me out in the high end of the curve when I can't chop exposures close enough. The problem I'm having here is that this film had perforations for a tractor drive and the stain tends to run into the film extra where the perfs are. So I got the lines you see. I like the pictures enough to do them over exactly as you see but with different film and perhaps even switching to Rodinal. I'll get the combination and then, look out.

Posted on Monday, July 14, 2008 at 11:04AM by