Investing in a new Cooke PS945?

[Darwinean_John]

I am considering buying a new ps945.
But before I part with my hard earned cash, I'd like to canvass other LF'ers opinions.
If you had a, more or less, complete set of lenses and then won the lottery, would you buy this lens?
Maybe there are some alternatives?

[John Hamlen]

Hi John. Judging by Thingy's signature, and active forum participation. My guess is that he/she(?!) could give you lots of useful pointers on this.
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=324&
All the best, John

[Thingy]

He/she is most apt.... genetically speaking Enough of my abnormal genes!

I bought my PS945 secondhand and have been using it for floral photographs to date, but intend to put it through its paces in Iceland/Norway in September, whilst on a cruise in those parts. Really you need to try before you buy.

For my floral images my main problem has been learning to get the exposure right using the Lee Big Stopper, as I usually want to make images with the PS945 between f4.5-5.6, and the copal 3 shutter only has a maximum shutter speed of 1/125s. Both LF images taken so far have neen underexposed, which suggests the Big Stopper is rather darker than the specified ideal 10x (ND 3.0). I shall do some landscape work in September without the filter & see what I get.

If you would like to try it out....

I see you hail from London/Suffolk. I have PM'd you.

PS: I'm MALE!!!

[Joanna Carter]

Enough of my abnormal genes!

Oh, you mean those Levis you buy from High & Mighty?

[Thingy]

Enough of my abnormal genes!

Oh, you mean those Levis you buy from High & Mighty?

I think I was missold triploid jeans: with an extra sexy leg! As they charged me no extra I'm not complaining!

[Darwinean_John]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for yesterday - enjoyed the natter and opportunity to try your PS945 and HM120.
I'll probably decide whether to buy this week. And I'll pop round to check out your Iceland images in Sept / Occt and bring mine re yesterday.
John

[Thingy]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for yesterday - enjoyed the natter and opportunity to try your PS945 and HM120.
I'll probably decide whether to buy this week. And I'll pop round to check out your Iceland images in Sept / Occt and bring mine re yesterday.
John

Hi John

It was nice seeing you both and a Hassie camera series I'd never even heard of. Look forward to seeing you later this year. This means I must remember to get the trannies processed the same year I take them!

Regards

Steve

[mark e mark]

If I had the money, yes this lens would be on my list. I have seen one second hand, but it went for ~£1500.

[Thingy]

If I had the money, yes this lens would be on my list. I have seen one second hand, but it went for ~£1500.

That was a bargain! I paid £1800 for mine, secondhand.

[Andrew Plume]

I am considering buying a new ps945.
But before I part with my hard earned cash, I'd like to canvass other LF'ers opinions.
If you had a, more or less, complete set of lenses and then won the lottery, would you buy this lens?
Maybe there are some alternatives?

Hi John

I've just caught up with this thread and am assuming that you haven't taken the plunge yet?

You'll find plenty of comment, I'm sure regarding this lens over on 'The Large Format Photography Forum'

Now with the risk of upsetting people on this forum, which isn't the intention so I'll apologise now but does one really have to spend such a vast amount on picking up such a lens? There are plenty of brass petzval lenses around on the used market that will do exactly the same job and with far more interesting image possibilities too. All you need is to be able to mount one to a board and remove a lens cap to make images - and you can pick up decent ones for way less than £200. To me (and many others worldwide), this is the 'way to go' - just pick one up and play with it (imho), for scarcely any comparable cost

regards

andrew

[Andrew Plume]

I am considering buying a new ps945.
But before I part with my hard earned cash, I'd like to canvass other LF'ers opinions.
If you had a, more or less, complete set of lenses and then won the lottery, would you buy this lens?
Maybe there are some alternatives?

Hi John

I've just caught up with this thread and am assuming that you haven't taken the plunge yet?

You'll find plenty of comment, I'm sure regarding this lens over on 'The Large Format Photography Forum'

Now with the risk of upsetting people on this forum, which isn't the intention so I'll apologise now but does one really have to spend such a vast amount on picking up such a lens? There are plenty of brass petzval lenses around on the used market that will do exactly the same job and with far more interesting image possibilities too. All you need is to be able to mount one to a board and remove a lens cap to make images - and you can pick up decent ones for way less than £200. To me (and many others worldwide), this is the 'way to go' - just pick one up and play with it (imho), for scarcely any comparable cost

regards

andrew

and now that I'm on a roll, ok the shuttered stuff wasn't around 70-100 years ago to the same extent that it is now but the images made by:

Paul Strand
Stiechen
Stieglitz
Edward and
Brett

just to name a handful, were all made with unshuttered uncoated barrel lenses, Strand for instance used two Dagor's for all of this work inc portraits

so...............

my suggestion is, save yourself a pile of cash - buy old, buy old, buy........

andrew

[Neil Barnes]

I have to admit I'm working on that to a large extent myself - though I prefer a shutter mounted lens if only because film stock is faster than it used to be.

My most recent large format lens is seventy years old... the one disadvantage, if you work colour, is perhaps the lack of coating on the lenses which can lead to a loss of contrast. That said, I was a little peeved to lose an auction for a Fujinon W-135 yesterday.

I have some big chunky brass lenses in the attic - one of them I'm sure has a slot for the stops...

Neil

[Andrew Plume]

I have to admit I'm working on that to a large extent myself - though I prefer a shutter mounted lens if only because film stock is faster than it used to be.

My most recent large format lens is seventy years old... the one disadvantage, if you work colour, is perhaps the lack of coating on the lenses which can lead to a loss of contrast. That said, I was a little peeved to lose an auction for a Fujinon W-135 yesterday.

I have some big chunky brass lenses in the attic - one of them I'm sure has a slot for the stops...

Neil

Hi Neill

film speed etc - well is it? Adox are producing iso 25, 50 and 100 for their b&w stuff and Ilford make the PanF50, which you can use with a rf back and I've had no difficulty in getting spot on exposures with PanF with a barrel lens on a bright day, so there's potential here as far as I'm concerned

being something of a b&w purist, coating issues don't really bother me but I can't help but feel that Steve Simmons for one (with his manic love of modern coated optics) somewhat more than swayed most people's opinions on this subject - Steve I hope that you're not on here, even under a different title.......................?

anyhow Neill I'd be more than interested in purchasing said 'big chunky brass lenses' or trades - send me a pm please if interested

regards

andrew