Author Topic: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?  (Read 33384 times)

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #30 on: July 09, 2019, 15:44:34 »
Usings diopters is an old and very useful method, also often used with printing (printer) lenses, where I see dedicated diopters attached to them to adjust focal length.
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Akira

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #31 on: July 13, 2019, 03:50:17 »
My humble reminder of the original CRT (shot at f2.8 on APS-C).
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Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #32 on: July 13, 2019, 11:29:59 »
Beautiful Akira!!
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Akira

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #33 on: July 13, 2019, 13:28:22 »
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

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dickb

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #34 on: July 14, 2019, 00:23:01 »
Klaus, yes, I do know and have seen other CRT lenses of similar specification like the one made by Kowa.  I know about the JML but cannot identify the one on the left of the image you shared.

Are you sure about the Kowa lens? Most of those seem to be intended for tandem use like the TV/XR Heligons. The one on the left is an FJW industries 54mm f/1.2. I just got my hands on one, to see if it is indeed designed to the same specs as my beloved Nikkor-O 55/1.2. At first glance it is at least very similar, taken with a Sony A7 and at f/1.4 I think, first the FJW:

dickb

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #35 on: July 14, 2019, 00:25:35 »
And the Nikkor-O:

Akira

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #36 on: July 14, 2019, 00:45:35 »
Are you sure about the Kowa lens? Most of those seem to be intended for tandem use like the TV/XR Heligons. The one on the left is an FJW industries 54mm f/1.2. I just got my hands on one, to see if it is indeed designed to the same specs as my beloved Nikkor-O 55/1.2. At first glance it is at least very similar, taken with a Sony A7 and at f/1.4 I think, first the FJW:

I couldn't identify the one on the left.  Thank you for the identification and the sample image.

I don't think the CRT lenses are designed to be used in combination with another optics because they are designed to shoot the oscilloscope screen directly.
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dickb

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #37 on: July 14, 2019, 11:50:17 »
Indeed, CRT lenses aren't designed to be used in tandem. I am just unaware of any Kowa 55 1.2 CRT lens. Could you point me to one? Thanks.

Akira

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #38 on: July 14, 2019, 12:40:50 »
Indeed, CRT lenses aren't designed to be used in tandem. I am just unaware of any Kowa 55 1.2 CRT lens. Could you point me to one? Thanks.

I thought you identified the lens depicted on the left in the image Klaus posted.  Isn't that a Kowa one?
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dickb

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #39 on: July 14, 2019, 14:46:03 »
I identified it as an FJW Industries 54mm f/1.2.  I know of no Kowa connection to that lens. You were asserting you "have seen CRT lenses of similar specification like the one made by Kowa". So I was wondering if you could point me to info on that Kowa CRT lens.

On a related note, I came across some information on the use of the Nikkor-O 55/1.2 and JML ESDS 56/1.2, on a dpreview forum posted by someone under the name mynakedsoda:

The lens is the JML Optical 56mm f/1.2. First some history on this lens. During the 1960's and 70's the US Atomic Energy Commision contracted with EG&G Energy Measurements to build special purpose cameras to record the faint traces on that would appear on CRT screens during atomic tests. The first cameras used Nikkor 50mm 1.4 rangefinder lenses while later cameras used the more application appropriate Nikkor-O 55mm 1.2. The final cameras produced by EG&G used the JML Optical 56mm 1.2. It appears that JML was hired to produce this lens because the Nikkor-O was no longer available. I have personally never seen nor held the Nikkor-O but was informed by the previous owner of this lens that the similiarities between the two (he has owned mulitple copies of both) are striking and it is obvious that JML had the Nikkor in mind when producing this replacement. He even went on to inform me that while he could see little difference in the final sharpness both could achieve, he felt the JML reached peak sharpness sooner (f5.6) than the Nikkor (f8) and ehxibited slightly less CA at wide open to approximately f4. I have no way to confirm this myself but if it is even the equal of the Nikkor then I consider myself most fortunate considering the opinion that experts such as Bjorn Rorslett have of this lens, "The 55 f/1.2 CRT Nikkor is very very sharp at f/1.2 and amazing at f/1.4, at least my sample starts to delcine at f/8 and even more at f/11. It must be one of the all-time best performers ever made by Nikon." High praise indeed from the man that's used literally hundreds of Nikkors if not more!

My guess is that both JML and FJW designed a replacement for the Nikkor-O 55/1.2. The JML version (56/1.2 ESDS 109) appears to be the one actually used, I don't know if the FJW 54/1.2 ESD 109 was. Mine was new old stock, still wrapped in paper, and it doesn't have a serial number, the large box marked S/N is completely blank. 

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #40 on: July 14, 2019, 15:05:40 »
Great you found it Dick, indeed it is the FJW lens left in that picture!! Did not have the time to dig it out...
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Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #41 on: July 14, 2019, 15:10:50 »
Btw. the "father" of that lens most likely was this one (which was used for Los Alamos experiments then...). Note the very unusual thread mount...





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Michael Erlewine

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #42 on: July 14, 2019, 15:23:17 »
I have a different version of this type of lens. It is a JML OPTICAL 56MM F/1.2 lens with an electronic shutter that I have wide open. It has an extension that attaches with three Allen wrenches that is labelled "RAFCAMERA 065 - M42x1. I have not done much with it yet..
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Akira

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #43 on: July 14, 2019, 15:32:48 »
I identified it as an FJW Industries 54mm f/1.2.  I know of no Kowa connection to that lens. You were asserting you "have seen CRT lenses of similar specification like the one made by Kowa". So I was wondering if you could point me to info on that Kowa CRT lens.

I did see a Kowa 55/1.2 lens at a second-hand shop called Lemon-Sha in Ginza, Tokyo.  Unfortunately, it was a bit too expensive to grab it.  If my memory serves, it looked rather similar to the Nikkor-O than the one on the left in the image Klaus posted.
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Akira

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Re: Possible emulation of CRT Nikkor?
« Reply #44 on: July 14, 2019, 15:34:48 »
Btw. the "father" of that lens most likely was this one (which was used for Los Alamos experiments then...). Note the very unusual thread mount...

Thank you, Klaus.  That could be the same optics as the normal Nikkor-S 50/1.4 with the distance between the front and the rear groups adjusted for closer focusing range.
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira