Bold

I am sure I am in the minority, but I see Abrams' Trek reboot as reason to expect the opposite. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B22Uy7SBe4

Lens-cylopedia updated with details for Rathenower Rectimascop 48/2x - info courtesy of Julian Krause!

Cool! Post pics if you can.

This is probably the way to go, just use caution with the type & amount of lubricant — otherwise there's the risk of the lubricant getting onto the inner glass element when you push-pull. And Tito to your point, I think the subject warrants its own thread

It's obvious this guy's been reading this thread, his latest offering now incorporates a helicoid. I've considered selling one of my B&H's when I'm done and put on eBay for $100 less just to undercut him. Although that would still make me a profiteering a$$hole. However I would like to recoup some of my cost in materials and R&D. What do you think is a fair asking price for a modded B&H?

If you crank the dial to 11 and leave it there, it loses its meaning/impact. Nothing wrong with using color saturation judiciously, but its ever-presence in season 2 pulls me out of the story. Not so much that I won't stop watching, but enough that I'll complain about it

If someone has info & pictures they can send me, I'll be happy to add it to the db.

MOKIM, I recommend doing a step-by-step documentation of disassembling & reassembling the lens — as well as labeling of all parts and taking measurements (distance between the glass elements, e.g.) — before doing any modifications. "Measure twice, cut once" as the saying goes. Good luck with the mod, please post your progress!

MOKIM, I'm so glad this thread has been useful! I'm gratified to see all the great information people have contributed. My own progress has stalled as life/job stuff has been taking priority but I will get back to my anamorphics in the next few weeks and post more info/progress when I can. I have a couple B&H's I have to get back to first, and hopefully by the time I'm done tinkering with them, Jim will have some more B&L info too I am very eager to see his rehousing results!. Cheers, |. . | .|

Yay! More data for the database! Thanks Tito!

A set of three for $8? That is cheap even for beat up ones. B&L's are relatively easy to find in decent shape for under a hundred bucks (this is where I got one of mine). I haven't had any experience with Rectimasop but they are big, and seem to have decent flare. Although they tend to be more expensive.

I asked the same thing a while back and got a couple suggestions in this thread. There is also this thread, though the list doesn't specify whether or not the front elements rotate. They're not native, but you might consider an old French zoom like Angenieux or Berthiot. Not the sharpest, but sharp enough, and they're fast, parfocal, and the fronts don't rotate. They can also be expensive — but if you're diligent you can find one in good shape at a good price. I picked up an Angenieux 12-120mm f2.2 in immaculate condition for $150, if you can believe it. If you find a lens that fits your needs, please post back here. I'd be interested in what you find!

Added an ** to the min focus distance, with corresponding notation to the description for Kowa B&H.

Question for Rich, et al: J-oc's B&H is super cool but at $355 (plus shipping) the SK Grimes mod is more than I'm willing to spend. Yet the prospect of a 20-inch minimum focus is very appealing. If I were to integrate a helicoid with a longer throw — say 30mm instead of the 14mm one I have — would that give my mod enough travel to get a closer focus like J-oc's?

Also Jim for re-housing the glass, have you considered painting the sides of the elements flat black to reduce internal/barrel flare? (This may be moot if the housing you are planning is already black)

I put a MIR 1B 37mm on my GH4 and the B&L showed some artifacts in the corners towards one end of the focus throw, I think that's a little barrel reflection and not vignetting, probably caused by the non-black part of the inside barrel (see picture above). I'll try it with a longer lens when I get a chance to see if the artifacts persist. My second B&L arrived today, other than a little dust the glass seems in great shape. Cumbersome lenses, but a quality 2x for under 100 bucks it's not a bad in my book. Jim, what approach are you taking for rehousing? Are you re-purposing old lens parts? Custom-machining a new solution? What materials are you planning to work with? Sorry to pester you, I'm just really psyched to see what you come up with and - if I can - follow your lead. Cheers, |. . | .|

Gold.

My support setup is almost ready. But the cheap Canon lens collar is cheap, so it's a little wiggly. A simple shim should do it. B&L's have their manufacture date on the inside of the front housing. In my case, my lens was made on Dec 1 1954:

The blue flares feel inconsistent with the rustic/rural subject matter of those photos, but I could see them working very well in a contemporary urban or sci-fi context.

Thanks Gabriel, I've seen that eBay listing. Yeah the price is a ridiculous. The focus appears to be push-pull, and I'm dead set on a solution that can work with a follow focus unit. My last attempt was almost there. But the damned polyurethane is so viscous it found its way into the helicoid and locked it up. I'm going to try soaking the helicoid in a solvent to loosen the polyurethane so I clean it out. Failing that, I'll suck it up and order a new helicoid...

Great work TIm! I added a copy of the spreadsheet to the Lens-cylopedia!

Yeah, I was interested in the 'lens cooking' tutorial for how to extract the lens elements for re-housing. I definitely don't want to change the aspect ratio! Earlier in this thread, enny said he doesn't have to focus his B&L, just the taking lens. Do you find otherwise? Awesome, looking forward to it - thanks Jim!

Yep, they are heavy suckers. Looks like you've got a custom (PVC?) rear housing on that one? I'm definitely interested in re-housing the B&L (another reason I picked up a spare), though I'm not sure what the best approach is. And beyond my bandwidth for the short term but I imagine one could cut the weight by half if the right materials were used. If you have any thoughts/ideas on re-housing, please share!

Who says it's too wide? It boils down to personal taste largely. For me, the wider the better. BUT there is the issue of viewing device. If you're a youngin,' consuming all your vids on the intertubes through a mobile device, you are sacrificing a lot of screen real estate to those black bars. Reminds me of the time I was stuck on a long trip in the back of a minivan and popped the widescreen of Sparticus into the VHS (it was an old minivan) and it was both amusing and sad, how small the image was. I could barely make out the dimple in Kirk Douglas' chin...

Finderscope rings + lens collar + 15mm rail baseplate = a total of $71 with shipping...an affordable solution for big projection lenses. I just picked up a second B&L as a backup or possibly to do this mod, or maybe for two-camera coverage someday. The seller has four more at a very reasonable price. I am in no way affiliated with the seller, nor do I know their condition (seller claims they're good)...just floating it out there if anyone interested in dabbling with a B&L. Cheers, |. . | .|