[LargeFormat] Arsat Fisheye Lens, LF camera

[Clive Warren]

At 9:37 pm -0700 1/8/02, Frank Filippone wrote:
>Has anyone tried to mount the Arsat Fisheye lens on a LF camera?  What
>shutter technique?  What were the results like?

Frank,

I have one of these Arsat 30mm lenses and posted my findings to the 
Infrared list in November 2000. Here is the post:

>The lens is brand new and is multicoated - have already tried it out on an old
>Speed Graphic :-)
>
>Well I didn't bother to waste a sheet on it - the image was circular
>and just under 4" in diameter. That is the circle of illumination,
>however what is acceptable as an image circle is another story.  I
>guess it depends on how critical you are but the edges of the circle
>are definitely not as sharp as the centre :-)  I have read of people
>chopping the lens shade stubs off the front of the lens to avoid
>vignetting problems with large format - this is not something I will
>be trying.
>
>The main problem with use for large format is the focusing distance
>for infinity. The Speed Graphic was a last resort as two other
>cameras here wouldn't compress their bellows enough to focus. You
>would definitely need a deep recessed lens board for this baby.....
>
>It could be an interesting effect using large format for a few shots
>but you would probably tire of it fairly quickly.  OTH it is a cheap
>way to enter the world of extreme wide angle in medium format and the
>coating on the lens looks superb.  Thanks to a private posting from a
>list member I now have the contact details to source an adapter for a
>rather unusual medium format SLR camera sitting here, which has been
>adapted to a Pentacon/Kiev60 mount.  More of this when I have had a
>chance to use the Arsat 30mm and Konica IR750 in the field.  It may
>be the case that Maco 120 will be the best choice for this combo as I
>have Wratten 87 rated filter material which can be adapted a little
>more easily.
>
>The lens comes with four filters and one of these will probably be
>modified to 89B or 87 when the mount arrives.  The filters screw in
>to the back lens element.
>
>Apparently coatings on various Russian lenses have been variable -
>the Arsat 30mm supplied to me was in a sealed Russian box with
>instructions in Russian! The lens is multicoated and the build
>quality is very high.  A lot of glass for the money......


Cheers, Clive

PS I owe you a letter - you are the most patient person I have met on 
the internet!!!