A CAD rendering of the upcoming Eckhardt New Dallmeyer 3B
Eckhardt Optics of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, is taking orders in advance for its upcoming replica of the Dallmeyer 3B. The 3B was a variant of the Petzval intended for cabinet portraits, with a focal length of 292mm (11.5in). (For large format cameras, if that doesn't sound familiar.)
A sample made with the prototype of the new lens on whole plate
Eckhardt says its replica will have "the exact functionality of the original," which means brass and aluminum construction and Waterhouse stops, and "glass which closely replicates that found in the originals." I presume this means the lens will be uncoated (a good thing, to aficionados).
The originals, which Eckhardt rightly calls "rare and costly," were made in London at about the time of the American Civil War. They are especially valued today by wet collodion enthusiasts. Pre-orders end on March 21st at 5 pm CST. There are more samples at collodionbastards.org.
Here's a page with more information on Dallmeyers.
Mike
(Thanks to Jim Becia via Oren Grad)
Original contents copyright 2017 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.
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Maybe we can get Kodak to also bring back 620 spooled film and put all of those old cameras back into use.
Posted by: Mathew Hargreaves | Friday, 10 March 2017 at 05:40 PM
I wonder what future past-obsessionists will be trying to reproduce.
Posted by: Kenneth Tanaka | Friday, 10 March 2017 at 05:44 PM
I dropped my ancient $25 Russian "Jupiter 8" f2 (or thereabouts) stated to be 85mm on the carpet. The diaphragm came loose, and a large chunk of it is hanging in the middle of the fluctuating schlepmount. With the famous pre scratched, uncoated, front element and Rudolf Dimm effect, it's rarer and far better than the silly mass manufactured Dallmayer. It's the RussMeyer and it's one of a kind, throws better moodlight on your subject
Available @ $1,209.00 plus shipping.
Gabe
Posted by: Gabe | Friday, 10 March 2017 at 06:43 PM
Curious that there is a halo around the subject. Is that from post-processing or the lens?
[I don't see it in the larger image. Most likely some artifact of translating pixels somewhere. --Mike]
Posted by: Stephen Scharf | Friday, 10 March 2017 at 08:38 PM
They could at least publish a well focussed promo shot...
Posted by: Johan Verhulst | Saturday, 11 March 2017 at 04:47 AM
The originals were made with aluminum? Pretty pricy stuff for the 1860s. To quote the aluminum ass. "Napoleon III, the first President of the French Republic, served his state dinners on aluminum plates. Rank-and-file guests were served on dishes made with gold or silver. "
http://www.aluminum.org/aluminum-advantage/history-aluminum#sthash.Eoa12DNs.dpuf
Posted by: hugh crawford | Monday, 13 March 2017 at 12:19 PM