Opinion wanted on Brass Darlot Lens

[Richard K.]

This is being auctioned on the Bay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brass-Darlot-3-Lever-Wide-Angle-Hemispherical-Lens-1885_W0QQitemZ160343033544QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item25553086c8

Is this a good landscape lens? Any idea of actual coverage? Is it exotic or common? What do the 3 levers do? :confused: :)

Thanks!

[jnantz]

hi richard
i have the same lens and like it alot
the levers are for the fstops ( i think they are the mm size of the iris )

i used to use it on a 4x5 camera but now i use it as my main lens for 8x10.
it has a very large image circle.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=51514


have fun
john

[CCHarrison]

This lens should sell for $ 150 to $ 200 or so...more than that is too much.

See my page here for the specs of Darlots Wide Angle Hemispherical Lenses
http://antiquecameras.net/1890lenscatalogue.html

Dan

[Capocheny]

Hi Richard,

Take a look at the July/August edition of The View Camera... there's an article that includes fine examples of images taken with both 6" and 9" Darlot lenses.

The article is entitled, "Photographing The Nude in Large Format" by Dave Aharonian.

Cheers

[goamules]

They are good wide angle rectilinears (WAR). The earliest ones were a different design, closer to a hemisperical like a globe. But I don't think this one is. It's overpriced by about 400% But they are nice, interesting lenses that are pretty common.

[jnantz]

from what i understand the earlier ones didn't have lever stops ( thanks toyon )