I made a rare impulse buy in the lens department recently and grabbed the new Lomography Petzval Art Lens. This is a fully manual brass lens based on a 1840s design. The look of the images is completely unique, with the sharp center of the image and swirling out of focus backgrounds. Not for everyone I imagine, but as I like to shoot wide open, I thought it was worth exploring.
The lens itself seems incredibly well made. It’s a beautiful ‘thing’, solid brass. For around $500 it seems like a bargain.
The packaging is impressive, they should have moved some of those resources into better design of all the elements IMO. First off, the lens cap is too big and doesn’t stay on. The beautiful leather bag doesn’t really make sense as it isn’t easy to get the lens into, especially in the field. The waterhouse stops are not secure and fall out if you tilt the lens. But, the lens itself is beautiful.
Here are a couple of shots with the lens. Not for everyone perhaps, but it works for my style.
 |
| Petzval |
 |
| Petzval |
Ian Taylor Photography 