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| Fashion Portrait of Model Jess Wilcock using the new Petzval Lens |
It was a pleasant surprise when my Petzval lens arrived in the post last week, as I had been expecting this to arrive a bit later, around February. I wouldn't normally write a review on a particular new piece of photographic kit, as they are not very interesting, but for this lens I have to make an exception: this lens may be one of the greatest pieces of equipment to grace the world of photography in recent years!
I was one of the backers of the Kickstart Lomography campaign in July 2013, when they announced their intention to re-introduce this amazing lens to a new audience. I had no second thoughts or hesitation, I immediately jumped at the chance to own one of these lenses.
Most of you will know that 1835 has been agreed by most as the date that modern photography started, with Fox Talbott inventing a paper negative to produce a positive print. The Petzval lens was invented 5 years later, in 1840, to get around the issues of very long exposure times, which was particularly making portrait photography very difficult. Prior to that, lenses of F15 were used with very slow acting emulsions, resulting in 20 minute-long exposures or even more. The subjects of photographs taken with these lenses were required to wear neck braces and other things to keep them still. The introduction of the Petzval lens speeded exposures up by having an aperture of F3.5, but it also did other things, like reduce the depth of field thereby putting the background out of focus and also adding a very distinctive swirl of bokeh to it. The focal point also became very precise and intermate with photographer focusing on the eyes of the sitter often referred to as the window to the soul. This may be why Native Americans may have been so resistant to be photographed, believing the process stole their very soul. It certainly made a massive change to photography and it is very hard to take a photo using a fixed F13 aperture today. The Petzval system also introduced changeable apertures making the lens even more flexible for many applications.
The new Petzval lens is constructed very similar to the original lens with changeable apertures slotted into the lens Lomography have also introduced some custom apertures as well as stand round holes they have created some different shapes and I will explain their effect later, apertures start at F2.2 and go up to F16. Then lens is wonderfully constructed in brass and is presently in the most loving way possible opening the box was an absolute treat included with the lens is a fantastic book, a leather pouch and even a custom camera strap and lens cloth. The lens is both Canon & Nikon AF fit and they are currently looking to produce a Sony mount for this amazing lens. It is manual focus as you expect of this type of lens and a focal length of 85 mm.
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| My lens unpacked |
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| and mounted on my camera. |
For more information and the history on Petzval and the new Lomogrpahy lens go to: Kickstart Project
What I really want to share with you in this blog are the possibilities of this lens, Lomography describe this as an "Art" lens and I cannot think of a better description for it it is far more than just a one of the best ever portrait lens! No doubt some reviewer will come along later and say that this lens isn't as sharp as some other piece of glass and quite frankly they will have totally missed the point.
I have only had chance t get this lens out a few times since receiving it even though it is now very part of my kit it would be pointless using it for pack shots in the studio etc.
I have done one portrait in the studio with the lens so far, and that has been a self portrait, but think it lends itself far better as a location lens creating interesting affects with the backgrounds this presents as with the examples below:
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| Studio Self Portrait F2.8 |
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| Also at F2.8 a location Portrait showing the amazing swirling affect on the background. Also a prettier subject matter ! |
This is where the creativity really comes in though, this lens has to be the King or Queen of Bokeh just introduce some lights and look what happens :
The bokeh on all these images is created by the F2.8 custom aperture hexagon shape which to me looks like the effects of a leaf shutter, there are star and other shapes but to me these are too contrived but I very much look forward to making my own shapes with blank apertures.
Here are some more examples:
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| Bokeh in the foreground of this scene. |
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| and in the background here by changing the focal point, |
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| Another example of changing focus here is the display in a pub window with the flowers in focus. |
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| and the same out of focus ..I am sure you can image how fantastic tis would be with a subject in front of it. |
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| The first with focus on the flowers |
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| The second with focus on the couple at the bar. |