11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 1 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Antique & Classic Cameras

Petzval Portrait Lenses and Their History

Daguerre announced his process to the world on August 19, 1839. The original Daguerre & Giroux Camera utilized a lens designedand manufactured by Charles Chevalier, celebrated microscope maker and son of Vincent Chevalier who founded their opticalbusiness in France.

The Chevalier 16-inch telescope objective was comprised of a cemented doublet and was achromatic. The lens, which covered awhole plate, had a working aperture of f/17, and suffered from considerable spherical abberations. The slow, small aperture,combined with the extremely low sensitivity of the original materials, meant even in bright sunlight, exposures could run 10 minutesor more. This only allowed for fixed objects to be reproduced "faithfully" and prevented the ability to capture the human likenesswith any ease.

Home Blog Camera Appraisals Rolleiflex Rolleicords Rolleiflex Buying Tip Leica M Lenses 50 Summicron-M Lenses 35 Summicron-M Lenses

Leica 28mm M-Lenses Most Watched Leica Leica M Cameras Leica Screw Lenses Leica Screw Cameras Leica Lens Reviews Leica R Lenses Sonnar Lens

Petzval Lens Soft Focus Lenses Soft Focus Lenses 2 Soft Focus Lenses 3 Soft Focus Lens Sales Soft Focus Lens Test Heliar Lenses Canon RF Lens

Canon 50mm F/1.2 LTM Canon RF Cameras Fuji 6x7 & 6x9 Fuji 645 Cameras Hasselblad 6x6 Hasselblad C Lenses Pentax 6x7 Lenses Ricohflex

Nikon RF Lens Zeiss Contax RF Lens Contax G Lens Super Ikonta Minolta-35 RF Pentax M42 Lens Bokeh Fuji 617 Olympus Stylus Epic

1890 Lens Catalogue 1892 Steinheil Lens Ads 1892 Zeiss Lens Ads 1904 Busch Lens Ads 1904 Goerz Lens Ads Antique Wood Cameras

Photographers 1860-1900 1857 CC Harrison Lens Harrison Globe Lens 1871 Camera Catalog 1883 Blair Envelope 1895 Sunart Camera 1910 Premo Catalog

1848-1875 Advertisements Camera Books Most Watched Lens Vade Mecum Links Contact Us About Us Morgan Low Ball Dollars

1904 Dallmeyer Lens Ads

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 2 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

The significance of Daguerre's process and how important being able to apply it to capturing people's likenesses was immediatelyapparent to the scientific community. In fact, once the immediate novelty of the process had been fully explored by 1840, it was thecommercial aspect of taking "Sun Portraits" that started a race among opticians, telescope and microscope makers, and other scientiststo design a faster lens to allow for faster exposures and enable portrait work. Concurrently, chemists and scientists worked onimproving the sensitivity of the plate to also aid in reducing exposure times.

Within short order, in 1840, Charles Chevalier and Joseph Petzval each came up with their own, faster, lens designs.

Charles Chevalier's Design of 1840

Chevalier designed a lens he called the, "Photographe aVerres Combine."

He combined two cemented achromats that brought speeds downto about f/5.6 for portrait work, and, as a bonus, the lens couldbe converted for use as a landscape lens.

The issue with Chevalier's design was that it suffered from alack of overall sharpness. Over the years, Chevalier made slightimprovements to the lens and frequently advertised that FoxTalbot was a user and fan of the lens. Chevalier sold this lensfor sale for over twenty years ( as late as 1863 ), despite its lackof commercial popularity.

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 3 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Advertisement of Chevalier's "PVC" Lens from the catalogue, Instruments Pour La Photographieby Arthur Chevalier (Paris) 1863

It should be noted that in May of 1842, the Society ofEncouragement evaluated Chevalier's lens and Petzval's lens(discussed below). Accounts of the judges decision was thatChevalier's dual purpose lens was a more significant achievementthan Petzval's design. History would prove them very wrong.

An example fromWestlichtAuctions

Joseph Petzval's Design of 1840While Chevalier was presenting his design to the world, JosephPetzval, a Professor of Mathematics at Vienna University, came upwith a lens design that provided for speeds of f/3.6 and had superbsharpness in the center of the image. This design was some twentytimes faster than the original Chevalier lens, and about a stop and ahalf faster than Chevalier's f/5.6 Photographe a Verres Combine

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 4 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

lens. The speed and performance of Petzval's design was nearlyperfect for the purpose and literally gave birth to commercialphotography, which started with the taking of portraits.

The design was an instant success and due to a lack of patentprotection, was quickly copied the world over. The firm ofVoigtlander & Sons, who worked closely with Petzval at the time,was the first manufacturer of the Petzval designed lens and wasinstantly rewarded with international success and a reputation forproducing the finest lenses.

From A Dictionary of Photography By Thomas Sutton, John Worden 1858 (London):

"PETZVAL'S PORTRAIT COMBINATION. The object of this instrument is to obtain an image well defined in its principal parts, when a large volume of light is admitted. Intaking a portrait it is evident that the time of exposure should be reduced as much as possible, because after remaining in a constrained position for a long time the features ofthe sitter betray an expression of the discomfort felt. A lens of large aperture must therefore be employed in portraiture, so long as photographic processes remain in theirpresent state of insensitiveness. As soon however as the chemist shall discover the means of rendering these processes more sensitive, the optician will be released in acorresponding degree from the necessity of constructing lenses of large aperture, and the defects to which such lenses are liable, and which admit of no remedy, will be avoidedby using smaller apertures.

The portrait combination of Professor Petzval is that which has been generally adopted by opticians, and the arrangement of the lenses is...... The front lens A is a compoundlens, exactly like the common view-lens, but placed with its convex side to the objects. It is achromatic, but not entirely aplanatic; this defect being remedied by the posteriorlens. The posterior lens is composed of two lenses B & C separated by a small space; that next the front lens is of flint glass, convexo-concave, and divergent, being thinner inthe middle than at the edges ; the other is biconvex, and of crown glass, being placed with its most convex side next to the concavity of the flint, as shown in the figure."

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 5 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Illustration from Optics : Light and Sight. By Edward Nugent (London)1870.

Optical Signature of a Petzval Lens

The optical signature of the Petzval Portrait lens is crisp central sharpness over a very narrow field (about 15 degrees) withsignificant curvature of field and vignetting. These design "defects" provided added benefit to the portrait images they produced asthe progressive vignetting tended to help focus the viewers attention on the crisp, central image of the plate.

Today, Petzval lenses have come into vogue by users who have come to appreciate the optical effects of the design. Modern userstend to emphasize the design's defects, especially by shooting close up and with lenses of too little coverage, creating images thatare unique and display ample amounts of Bokeh. There is a certain mystery to how any older lens will shoot and it appears thePetzval design is currently being explored by many. Here are few distinctive Petzval images found on the web. Example one andtwo. Here is a very useful series of images taken with Petzval lenses at varying apertures. A new site that is featuring Petzvalimages is here.

Petzval's design was referred to and advertised under many different names. Some of these include:

Petzval Portrait

Petzval's Portrait Combination

Petzval's Portrait Objective

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 6 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Double Lens

Double Combination

Double Objective

Compound Lenses

Compound Achromatic Lenses

Double Combination of Achromatic Lenses

German Lens

Cut Away of a Petzval Lens made by Suter c. 1866

Early Makers & Dealers of Petzval type Portrait Lenses

1840's Voigtlander (Austria/Germany); Ross (UK); Lerebours & Secretan (France); Horne & Thornthwaite (UK); Grubb (Ireland); CCHarrison (US)

1850's Jamin (France); Holmes, Booth & Haydens (US); Derogy (France); Hermagis (France); Gasc & Charconnet (France); Busch(Germany); Suter (Switzerland); Dietzler (Austria); Wray (UK)

1860's Darlot (France); Dallmeyer (UK); Steinheil (Germany)

The very first Voigtlander Petzval lens produced was mounted tothe famous all-metal Voigtlander Daguerreotype Camera.

Image of a very early Voigtlander Petzval, Serial # 439 which datesto 1841 or 1842.

In the 1840's and most of the 1850's, Voigtlander dominated portrait lens sales both in Europe and, via import, the United States. TheVoigtlander lens was generally considered the best available although each country had its own premier maker. Lerebours of Franceand Ross of England were also very well respected lens makers early on. In the United States in the 1840's, most lenses were made bytelescope and microscope makers like John Roach and Henry Fitz, but it was Charles C. Harrison who rose to prominence by 1850.Harrison is considered the first American maker focused entirely on producing photographic objectives. In fact, within a few years,Harrison lenses gained national recognition and were considered excellent performers at a much more modest price than the imports.

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 7 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Advertisement from "A Treatise on Daguerreotype..." by Levi Hill,NY, 1850; which shows the price differential between Americanmade lenses ( with American glass ), American made lenses withGerman glass, and Voigtlander's lenses.

By the late 1850's the worldwide portrait lens market greatly expanded with newer makers and even more numerous dealers. Manydealers purchased unmarked lenses from makers and relabeled them or sold them as their own.

Portrait Lens Categories and Period Advertisements

1880's Mammoth-Sized Albumen Print of a Photographer

Sellers typically categorized their product lines by lens speed.Each seller had their own marketing terms, but the lenses werecommonly offered in three varying speeds.

The basic portrait lens was usually advertised as, "Quick" or"Rapid." These lenses tended to be about f/4 in speed from mostmanufacturers. These lenses had more modest specificationsand, correspondingly, more moderate prices.

The premier portrait lens was typically called "Extra-quick" or a"Superior" lens. These were faster lenses, typically about f/3 inspeed, and correspondingly, were much more expensive andwere physically much larger lenses.

The last type were called, "Group" Portrait Lenses, whichtended to be about f/6 in speed. The smaller aperture providedgreater depth of field and more uniform sharpness across thefield in order to photograph "groups" of people.

Some Period Petzval Lens advertisements...

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 8 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

A Guide to Photography by Horne Thornthwaite and Wood 1845 (UK)

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 9 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

EHT Anthony 1854 Catalogue

1854 J.J. Griffin's Catalogue of Photographic Apparatus (UK)

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 10 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Practical photography, on glass and paper By Charles Long 1856 (UK)

Instruments Pour La Photographie by Arthur Chevalier (Paris) 1863

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 11 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Dry Plate Photography.... By John Towler London/NY 1865

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 12 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Practical photography, on glass and paper. By Charles Long 1864 (UK)

The Photographic Times 1881

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 13 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

1890 Benjamin French & Co. Catalogue (US)

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 14 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

1890 Benjamin French & Co. Catalogue (US)

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 15 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

1904 Kodak London Catalogue (UK)

1904 Kodak London Catalogue (UK)

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 16 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Photographic Optics: A Text Book for the Professional and Amateur By WK Burton1891 (US)

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 17 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

How to Make Photographs..... By Scovill & Adams Co., New York 1892

1891 Anthony Catalogue

Size MattersThe fact that Petzval lenses have large apertures and typically provide coverage of many inches, requires them, by the laws of opticsand physics, to be physically large objects. And, since glass objectives were mounted in brass barrels, Petzval Lenses also tend to bequite heavy.

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 18 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

As soon as competition between lens makers began to heat up in the late 1840's, six inch diameter lenses were often touted inphotographic journals. By the mid 1850's, makers such as Voigtlander and Harrison were manufacturing nine, and shortly thereafter,twelve inch diameter lenses. All of this, of course, was done for bragging rights, since the physical dimensions and weight of atwelve inch diameter lens would be so massive, just mounting it to a camera would have been hugely problematic, never mind otherlogistical issues with such a lens. A typical whole plate lens might physically be 20 inches in total length, 5.5 inches in overalldiameter and weigh 15 or more pounds.

Below are two examples of some larger Petzvals.

Image Courtesy of Randy Cole

The lens above is an 1863 Voigtlander Petzval Portrait Lens of 16 inch focus and an aperture of f/3.7. This would have covered an11x14 inch plate. Next to it is a lens and shutter of more modest specifications, circa 1920.

Also notice the retaining ring (flange) is clipped at one edge. There is usually one of two reasons for this - either the lens is part of astereo pair and the flange needs to be clipped where it intersects with the other lens' flange. The other reason - and most likely in thecase above, the lens ring was so large in diameter, it would commonly block some feature on the front of the camera, or overhang,so it was frequently clipped.

This massive lens sold for $ 1,027 USD February 2008 on ebay.com.

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 19 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Image & text Courtesy of Mr. Sol Hadef of 'The Rangefinder Montreal'

The Holmes, Booth & Haydens lens above, is also marked "Patented June 7th, 1859." Serial No. 6022.

"The Lens is almost 22" long including the shade. The diameter of the front element is 6". The diameter of the rear element is 7".The Lens weighs 23 lbs and has a focal length of 22.5". Please note that all measurements given are approximate. "

This massive lens sold for $ 3,300 USD January 2008 on ebay.

Aperture Control

The vast majority of lenses from the 1840-1855 period had no aperture controls. They were meant to be used wide open and didn'tprovide any means to stop the lens down. There were a few rare exceptions during that period. In those cases, the front lens groupwas unscrewed and a stop was inserted in the barrel and the front group was then screwed back into the barrel. In the mid-1850's,there were a few individuals* who apparently came up with the idea of inserting stops in the barrel of the lens. However, it is JohnWaterhouse of Halifax who is commonly credited with the invention, hence the name "Waterhouse stops."

In 1857, CC Harrison and Joseph Schnitzer applied for a patent for what has become the "iris diaphram." Their patent was grantedSeptember 9, 1858; patent number 21,470. To this day, the same basic concept is utilized in almost all photographic lenses asHarrison patented. Harrison's main competitor in America, Holmes, Booth and Haydens, would also patent a form of an adjustablediaphragm on June 7, 1859; patent number 24,356.

It would take some time for the iris diaphragm to become commonplace since Waterhouse stops were simple to manufacture,inexpensive and did their job quite effectively. While the iris diaphragm eliminated the need to carry stops of varying sizes around,the complexity of manufacture and related expense would delay its general popularity until the late 1870's. From that point forward,most makers in Europe and the US, would offer their lenses with either Waterhouse stops or with the more expensive irisdiaphragm.

Its important to note that since Waterhouse stops only needed a slit cut in the barrel to perform their function, so many early lensesof the 1840-1855 period may have had their barrels cut after they were originally manufactured.

In summary, portrait lenses with a slit for Waterhouse stops typically date no early than the late 1850's. Lenses with an irisdiaphragm typically date from the late 1870's on, however, there are exceptions that date back as early as 1857. Photographic lenseswith no aperture control would typically have been made from the 1840's to the mid 1850's.

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 20 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

* Lake Price, HR Smyth, and John Waterhouse all seem to have some claim towards the invention of lens barrel stops.

Focus Control

Petzval portrait lenses typically featured one of three styles ofconstruction. The first type featured a fixed length barrel with nofocusing adjustment. These were typically reserved for thelargest lenses where any type of focus adjustment would havebeen impractical and costly due the shear mass of the lens. Thenext type, which was the least common, featured an adjustable"slip-focus" barrel, where one half of the barrel slid inside theslightly larger other half of the barrel and was locked down byturning a screw. By far, the most common construction forPetzval lenses featured a rack-and-pinion mechanism, whichallowed very fine focusing adjustments.

There were two types rack-and-pinion which collectors havetermed "tangent" or "radial" drive. Tangent drive was utilized inEurope from the very first Petzval lens until it was phased outsometime in the early 1920's. Radial drive rack-and-pinionappears to have been mostly an American feature which wasutilized over a short period of time - from about 1850 to the mid1870's. By 1880, American lenses switched over to the morecommon tangent drive, likely to keep manufacturing costs down.

Petzval Design Variations

Cone Centralisateur Lens by Jamin

The first variation of Petzval's original design was by Jean Jamin (and his protege, Alphonse Darlot ) in 1855. The ConeCentralisateur Lens was a Petzval Portrait lens that had its reargroup mounted in a cone shaped cell. This design was to helpeliminate internal reflections of the lens, which in turn reduces flareand improves contrast. The front objective could also be removed,reversed, and would replace the rear group, to convert it to alandscape lens.

The next minor Petzval variation was by John H. Dallmeyer who tweaked Petzval's original design to create his "Quick-Acting PortraitLens," in 1860. The lens was advertised as having improved correction of spherical aberrations and an "intensity of f/3."

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 21 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

About 1861, Dallmeyer again tweaked the Petzval design to produce his "Extra Quick Acting Portrait Lens," which was a super fastf/2.2.

In 1866, Dallmeyer patented his most significant variation on Petzval's design, with his " "Diffusion of Focus Portrait Lens."

This lens was also called Dallmeyer's "Patent Portrait" Lens. Dallmeyer basically took the rear element group in Petzval's originaldesign, flipped it and re-worked the lens a bit. He marketed the lens as having numerous benefits over Petzval's original design. Itclaimed better sharpness, reduced flare, and less distortion and vignetting. Additionally, Dallmeyer touted the feature of being ableto unscrew the rear element group to introduce spherical aberration to the lens, resulting in image having varying degrees of a soft,dreamy quality. These images would also appear to have more of depth of focus ("diffusing" the focus). This feature was to endearthe lens to photographers who were creating more soft focus and "artistic" work in the 1860's. In fact, this lens gave birth to intentionally made"soft focus" lenses that would become very popular in the 1880's and beyond.

Dallmeyer's "Diffusion of Focus" claim led to a firestorm within the optical and photographic communities, especially in England.The Photographic News and British Journal of Photography contained numerous accounts and bitter exchanges between Dallmeyerand challengers to, what they felt, was an erroneous claim that defied the laws of optics.

Here is one account from London's, The Photographic News from May 2, 1884:

"In the year 1866, the late Mr. J. H. Dallmeyer patented a variation of the Petzval lens. This variation consisted in reversing the

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 22 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

elements of the back combination with such a modification of the curves as this change involves. The particular advantage claimedat the time for this form of lens has since been abandoned. The putting of the negative lens at the back allowed its distance from thepositive element to be varied, and thus the perfection of its correction for spherical aberration to be modified. It was stated that byaltering the distance of the back lens, so as to re-introduce spherical aberration, and sacrifice definition at the focus, improveddefinition was obtained upon the planes not in focus. This claim—" diffusion of focus" it was called—was shown to be mistaken,and is no longer made. The lens, however, when employed with the element in the position of best definition, is a useful one, otherwell-known opticians have for some time past issued a series of lenses of this form. In this case, however, the back lenses areburnished together into their cell, and no shifting or alteration of their position is possible. While on the subject of "diffusion" or"depth "of focus it may be remarked that a delusion on this point is cherished by a vast number of photographers. For this themanufacturing opticians are somewhat to blame. They have been in the habit of advertising lenses as having great "depth of focus,"whereas that is a quality that, except as attained by the use of a small aperture or diaphragm involving slowness of action, does notexist at all. Still many photographers -careful, practical men, too, some of them—will tell you that they have, or have had, someparticular portrait lens that will give the various parts of a sitter's head, through the background behind him, and generally objectson different planes, with sharper definition than other lenses of similar aperture and focus, that have as fine, or finer definition onany one plane. This is a curious case of mistaken observation; but in photography, unfortunately, mistaken observations may passcurrent as scientific facts."

Dallmeyer 1866 Design

Original Petzval Design

In the book, Photographic Optics: A Text Book for the Professional and Amateur By William Kinninmond Burton 1891 (NY), alsodiscusses the issue:

"An arrangement whereby spherical aberration could be produced at will in a lens was, I believe, first suggested by my esteemedfriend, J. Traill Taylor, and the idea was first put into practice by the famous optician Dallmeyer. It is said of a which it is possibleto produce spherical aberration at will that it possesses a diffusion of focus arrangement. Such an arrangement is of lens in use onlyin the cases where it is not possible to get of focus by the introduction of a small stop, as in the case of portrait lenses, where thesmall stop would, in certain circumstances, depth prolong the exposure to too great an extent. The dispute diffusion of focus is as towhether it does or does not actually increase depth of focus. It does not actually make any part of an about image sharper; on thecontrary, it makes every part less therefore, say some, produces no increase in the depth of focus. The opponents of these, on theother hand, argue that as there is sharp; it no actual depth of focus, as the whole question is one of definition as judged by the eye,an arrangement which makes the definition of objects at different distances apparently more equal does actually increase the depthof focus. The question is in reality purely one of terms, and where the terms cannot be strictly defined it is idle to argue one way orthe other. I leave the reader free to take what view of the question he likes, a thing which he would probably do whether he wereleft free or not."

In the 1884 advertisement below, the final paragraph claims that by unscrewing the rear cell, the lens produces "...the impression ofa general distribution or depth of focus; and this is in proportion to the amount of unscrewing."

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 23 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Dallmeyer Patent Portrait A

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 24 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Dallmeyer Patent Portrait D

Dallmeyer Patent Portrait B

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 25 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

Voigtlander Petzval 7B. Image Courtesy of Eddie Gunks

The next Petzval variation was in 1878 by Voigtlander. This design basically eliminated the air space in the rear group of Petzval'soriginal design. Removing the air space was to help improve contrast and reduce flare, over Petzval's original design, but from actualaccounts, the improvements appeared minimal and the lens wasnt quite as sharp as other Petzval lenses.

Hermann Wilhelm Vogel wrote in his book, The Progress ofPhotography Since the Year 1879;

"Voigtlander's new Portrait Lens.—This has a front combinationsimilar to the old Petzval. But the back combination consists oftwo single lenses cemented, by which the reflection of lightoccurring in the old form with separated lenses is avoided. Thefocus of these lenses is relatively shorter than that of the oldform with similar opening. For instance, Voigtlander's C lens,by substituting the new back combination, has its focusshortened from 10 inches to 7 1/2 inches, thus increasing theillumination in the proportion 9:16. The new back combinationsmay be bought separately, so as to be used with any lenses bythe same maker. We thus have the power to shorten or lengthenthe focus, and correspondingly increase or lessen the light atwill, by using the new form of back combination."

The Beginning of the EndBy the 1880's, there were many more choices for portrait work available, including Steinheil's Portrait Antiplanet lenses which featuredmuch better correction, as well as the Dallmeyer Rapid Rectilinear ( and Steinheil Aplanat ) design, which would come to dominate the1900-1920 period. While Petzval Portrait lenses would continue to be sold for decades more, the slow decline of its sales had begun by1900. However, Dallmeyer's Patent Portrait did continue to appear in catalogues even after WWII with the option of "Dallcoating."

The Petzval lens is a cornerstone of photographic optics and it is estimated over 90% of all images taken previous to 1880 were takenwith a Petzval designed lens.

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 26 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

BRASS LENSES AT EBAY

Picture Product Price Bids Time Left

Rodenstock Bistigmat 18x24cm BrassLens c.1905

$225.00 1d 09h 44m

6 inch f/3.5 Projection Petzval lens4x5, wet plate VG

$60.00 4 1d 10h 37m

BRASS LENS FLANGE 39MM THREAD,O.D. 53MM,/135481

$15.00 1d 10h 46m

Unusual James W. Queen & Co. BrassLens AVG

$31.00 2 1d 11h 43m

Antique Brass Lens Unicum Shutter1891 Near Mint

$89.00 1d 12h 41m

Aperture Plates for Brass Lens Set of6 w/case AIVAS

$15.00 1d 14h 11m

Rare Fuji Fujinar 300mm F4.5 BrassLens Large Format

$13.83 2 2d 08h 57m

Vallantin Petzval type antiquephotographic lens

$243.42 - 3d 00h 32m

Vintage brass Petzval lens

$105.00 8 3d 01h 27m

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 27 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

VINTAGE BRASS LENS HERMAGIS PARISOBJECTIF

$99.00 - 3d 06h 50m

VINTAGE BRASS LENS F 300 mmOBJECTIF

$49.00 - 3d 06h 52m

6 1/2 x 8 1/2 Rapid Rectilinear lg.format brass lens

$149.99 - 4d 05h 17m

Large brass lens with ROSS waterhouse stops

$79.52 5 4d 06h 44m

Brass lens with rack & pinion --focallength 6 inchs.

$14.77 2 4d 07h 05m

Old brass lens 7x5 ' Euryscope' HarryGrayson Blackburn

$62.64 - 4d 07h 14m

Century Studio Camera Brass LensVoightlander John LOOK

$1,299.00 - 4d 12h 34m

Rare Voigtländer Petzval brass lensfrom 1875

$2,700.00 5d 03h 41m

Vintage Brass Lens Flange 79.73 mm

$34.99 - 5d 09h 37m

Vintage Brass Lens Flange 79.13 mm

$34.99 - 5d 09h 37m

Very early and rare Carl Zeiss BrassLens

$51.00 6 5d 12h 14m

Vintage brass Petzval lens

$41.00 3 5d 23h 01m

Petzval Portrait Brass Lens 5in f/3.34x5 5x7 clean exc

$0.99 1 6d 07h 20m

Voigtlander & Sohn 7 inch 1stPETZVAL SWIRLING BOKEH,

$972.06 - 6d 12h 29m

DALLMEYER BRASS LENS No.8 STIGMATIC 380MM WIDE FIELD

$450.00 1 6d 16h 13m

BRASS LENS DAGOR 6,8/300 mm byGOERTZ .

$199.00 7d 05h 01m

BIG BRASS LENS PETZVAL TYP 210 mm.

$499.00 7d 05h 27m

Brass Lens 1:4.5 f=135mm Tessar CarlZeiss Nr.2869287

$130.00 9d 00h 32m

BRASS LENS FLANGE 35MM THREAD,O.D. 49MM/135479

$15.00 18d 06h 53m

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 28 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

BRASS LENS FLANGE 35MM THREAD,O.D. 49MM/135480

$15.00 18d 06h 53m

6 old BRASS lenses and barrelsDALLMEYER HELIOS ETC

$699.00 22d 08h 10m

Brass soft focus Cooke lens 18 inchPetzval Portrait

$2,200.00 24d 05h 41m

COLLINEAR III 18cm Voigtlander&SohnBrass lens Large F

$900.00 29d 19h 08m

View all 32 items on eBay disclaimer

Antique Lens Serial Numbers Year Voigtlander* CC Harrison

Founded 1849Holmes, Booth & Haydens** Founded 1853

Dallmeyer Founded 1860

Serial # Serial # Serial # Serial #1840 <400 1841 300 1842 800 1843 1200 1844 1600 1845 2000 1846 2400 1847 2800 1848 3200 1849 3600 500 1850 4000 1000 1851 4400 1500 1852 4800 2000 1853 5200 2500 100 1854 5600 3000 800 1855 6000 3700 1600 1856 6600 4300 2600 1857 7200 5000 3600 1858 7800 5650 4600 1859 8400 6250 5600 1860 9000 7100 6600 1861 9600 8000 7600 25001862 10200 8600 8600 50001863 10800 9700 9300 60001864 11400 10600 10000 80001865 12000 ? 10500 110001866 12800 ? 120001867 13600 130001868 14400 150001869 15200 170001870 16000 180001871 16600 190001872 17200 200001873 17800 210001874 18400 230001875 19000 245001876 20000 255001877 21000 265001878 22000 275001879 23000 285001880 24000 295001881 25000 315001882 26000 320001883 27000 335001884 28000 355001885 29000 360001886 30600 400001887 32200 410001888 33800 440001889 35400 460001890 37000 480001891 500001892 520001893 530001894 540001895 55000

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 29 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

1896 560001897 570001898 580001899 590001900 62000

* Voigtlander lenses are marked "Wein" up until 1849. From 1849 until 1866, they are marked "Wein & Braunschweig" and from 1866 on they are marked "Braunschweig" **Holmes, Booth & Haydens serial numbers are currently be charted here.

Hermagis Serial Number Data

FROM: Patrice-Herve Pont and Jean Loup Princelle

Picture Product Price Bids Time Left

Rodenstock Bistigmat 18x24cm BrassLens c.1905

$225.00 1d 09h 44m

BRASS LENS FLANGE 39MM THREAD,O.D. 53MM,/135481

$15.00 1d 10h 46m

Vtg Old Ernemann-Werke FoldingWood Camera w/ Case

$36.35 7 1d 11h 20m

Unusual James W. Queen & Co. BrassLens AVG

$31.00 2 1d 11h 43m

ANTIQUE NEAT OLD WOOD CAMERATRIPOD VINTAGE WOODEN NR

$79.99 - 1d 12h 20m

Antique Brass Lens Unicum Shutter1891 Near Mint

$89.00 1d 12h 41m

Aperture Plates for Brass Lens Set of6 w/case AIVAS

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 30 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

6 w/case AIVAS$15.00 1d 14h 11m

Wista Field Cherry Wood camera withFujinon 210mm

$356.27 2d 00h 31m

Rare Fuji Fujinar 300mm F4.5 BrassLens Large Format

$13.83 2 2d 08h 57m

VINTAGE BRASS LENS HERMAGIS PARISOBJECTIF

$99.00 - 3d 06h 50m

VINTAGE BRASS LENS F 300 mmOBJECTIF

$49.00 - 3d 06h 52m

INDUSTAR 51 4.5/210 KMZ WoodCamera FKD RUSSIAN Tessar

$49.99 3d 10h 46m

Old Wood Camera with WaterburyLens (Scovill Mfg)

$125.00 1 4d 02h 05m

6 1/2 x 8 1/2 Rapid Rectilinear lg.format brass lens

$149.99 - 4d 05h 17m

Large brass lens with ROSS waterhouse stops

$79.52 5 4d 06h 44m

Brass lens with rack & pinion --focallength 6 inchs.

$14.77 2 4d 07h 05m

Old brass lens 7x5 ' Euryscope' HarryGrayson Blackburn

$62.64 - 4d 07h 14m

VINTAGE WOOD CAMERA TRIPODADJUSTABLE 2.5 TO 4.5 FEET

$9.99 1 4d 10h 28m

Century Studio Camera Brass LensVoightlander John LOOK

$1,299.00 - 4d 12h 34m

Custom Made Wood Camera TriPod-Dovetailed Cherry 3-in-1

$200.00 5d 01h 22m

Rare Voigtländer Petzval brass lensfrom 1875

$2,700.00 5d 03h 41m

Vintage Brass Lens Flange 79.73 mm

$34.99 - 5d 09h 37m

Vintage Brass Lens Flange 79.13 mm

$34.99 - 5d 09h 37m

Very early and rare Carl Zeiss BrassLens

$51.00 6 5d 12h 14m

Petzval Portrait Brass Lens 5in f/3.34x5 5x7 clean exc

$0.99 1 6d 07h 20m

DALLMEYER BRASS LENS No.8 STIGMATIC 380MM WIDE FIELD

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 31 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

The Latest Camera Collecting books to read............

IC 380MM WIDE FIELD$450.00 1 6d 16h 13m

BRASS LENS DAGOR 6,8/300 mm byGOERTZ .

$199.00 7d 05h 01m

BIG BRASS LENS PETZVAL TYP 210 mm.

$499.00 7d 05h 27m

Brass Lens 1:4.5 f=135mm Tessar CarlZeiss Nr.2869287

$130.00 9d 00h 32m

BRASS LENS FLANGE 35MM THREAD,O.D. 49MM/135479

$15.00 18d 06h 53m

BRASS LENS FLANGE 35MM THREAD,O.D. 49MM/135480

$15.00 18d 06h 53m

COLLINEAR III 18cm Voigtlander&SohnBrass lens Large F

$900.00 29d 19h 08m

View all 32 items on eBay disclaimer

Related Books

The History ofPhotography

S. F. Spira, Eaton...Best Price $21.07

or Buy New

Privacy Information

A History of thePhotographic LensRudolf Kingslake

Best Price $69.46 or Buy New $86.30

Privacy Information

The Origins of AmericanPhotography

Keith F. Davis, Ja...Best Price $32.94 or Buy New $45.50

Privacy Information

A Curious and IngeniousArt

Melissa Banta, Sid...Best Price $48.49 or Buy New $60.00

Privacy Information

The Daguerreotype inAmerica

Beaumont NewhallBest Price $9.99

or Buy New

Privacy Information

America and theDaguerreotype

John WoodBest Price $20.00

or Buy New

Privacy Information

Optics in PhotographyRudolf Kingslake

Best Price $52.00 or Buy New $52.00

Privacy Information

Images and EnterpriseReese V. JenkinsBest Price $8.84

or Buy New $32.58

Privacy Information

JOIN MY MAILING LIST TO GET SITEUPDATES

Enter your name and email address below:

Name: Email:

Subscribe Unsubscribe GO

Get your Free Mailing Listby Bravenet.com

11-06-11 14:43The history of Petzval Lenses

Pagina 32 van 32http://www.antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html

CameraTodd Gustavson, Ge...

Best Price $14.89 or Buy New $27.26

Privacy Information

The Nikon Camera inAmerica, 1946-19...

Michael Wescott Lo...Best Price $39.95 or Buy New $39.95

Privacy Information

Leica MGunter Osterloh

Best Price $21.15 or Buy New $21.34

Privacy Information

The Classic RolleiJohn Phillips

Best Price $25.07 or Buy New $26.13

Privacy Information

Classic CamerasColin Harding

Best Price $18.74 or Buy New $22.43

Privacy Information

LeicaAlessandro Pasi

Best Price $11.98 or Buy New $22.86

Privacy Information

Leica Collectors GuideDennis Laney

Best Price $56.69 or Buy New $63.00

Privacy Information

CLICK TO SEE EBAY'S MOST POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHICA AUCTIONS

© Copyright antiquecameras.net, 1996 - 2011. All rights reserved.