[Leica] IMG: A Morning with the Old Ross Lens

[Jim Nichols]

The hardest part was shaping the wooden part, from a piece of scrap 
poplar.  The rest was fairly easy, except that, with an 8-inch lens, the 
bellows is too short.  I ended up with a couple of extension tubes 
between the front of the bellows and the lens, in order to get some 
focusing leeway.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 9/2/2016 6:12 PM, Peter Dzwig wrote:
> Ingenious - it clearly works!
>
> Peter
>
> On 02/09/2016 21:34, Jim Nichols wrote:
>> Hi Peter,
>>
>> I sent that info to Aram earlier today.  I am going to attempt to paste it here.
>>
>> My lens was designed to mount on a wooden lens board of the type used by
>> the old 5x7 and 8x10 view cameras.  The lens threads into a flanged
>> attachment mount that, in turn, fastens to a lens board with 3 screws.
>> So, I guess the answer is "yes", I had to fabricate a mount.
>>
>> Here is the lens screwed into the flanged mount, with one screw hole
>> showing.
>>
>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Ross+Lens+2.jpg.html
>>
>> I needed extra extension distance, so I fastened the flange to a thick
>> wooden "lens board".  On the back of the lens board, I glued a flange
>> removed from the rear of an old M42 lens that was no longer
>> serviceable.  I also used one tiny nail, in case the glue failed.  Here
>> it is seen screwed onto a Pentax M42 bellows, attached with an M42 to
>> Oly 4/3 adapter to my E-1.
>>
>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Final+Assembly.jpg.html
>>
>> Jim Nichols
>> Tullahoma, TN USA
>>
>> On 9/2/2016 3:25 PM, Peter Dzwig wrote:
>>> They are indeed very good. The quality of the images is astonishing considering
>>> the age of the glass. How did you mount it on the XE-1?
>>>
>>> I guess this is equivalent to about a 260mm lens (8" x 25.4mm) x 1.3 crop factor?
>>>
>>> Peter
>>>
>>>
>>> On 01/09/2016 18:14, Jim Nichols wrote:
>>>> I mounted the Ross London No. 6 Symmetrical Lens, circa 1890, on the Fuji X-E1
>>>> and a tripod, and went for a walk in the back yard. I came upon a very
>>>> cooperative (for a while) Gulf Fritillary that allowed me to grab a few shots.
>>>>
>>>> Resting on a branch:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Gulf+Fritillary+on+Branch.tif.html
>>>>
>>>> On a small bush:
>>>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Gulf+Fritillary+on+Bush.tif.html
>>>>
>>>> Then I moved on to the Sedum plants and found a lot of small insects.  A
>>>> Pennsylvania Leatherwing, or Soldier Beetle, was sharing space with the first
>>>> Gray Hairstreak butterfly that I have ever seen:
>>>> http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Sedum+with+Soldier+Beetle+and+Gray+Hairstreak.tif.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> To appreciate what this old lens can do, please view the last two images LARGE.
>>>>
>>>> Comments and critiques welcomed and appreciated.
>>>>
>>
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