All Posts
Lens Genealogy Part 1
### In which I begin to answer the question “Why Do You Put the Lens Diagrams on Your Website?” ### Where do new lens designs come from? I knew that today’s lenses are all designed using computer programs, but I was surprised to find new lenses aren’t designed from scratch. Designers start with an…
The Apocalypse of Lens Dust
Apocalypse (from the Greek _apokálypsis_; “lifting of the veil” or “revelation”): 1. An event involving destruction or damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale. 2. A disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind. How appropriate the word apocalypse is for this little article. At…
Photo Lenses for Video: There is no Free Lunch.
SLR video cameras and the newer large sensor video camcorders, are often used with photography lenses — which provide outstanding optics at amazing cost savings compared to lenses specifically designed for film/video. A superb photography lens may cost $2,000; about 1/10 of what a good cinema lens…
Good Times with Bad Filters
OK. First and foremost this is a fun post. It is not episode 362 of “Should you put a UV filter on your lens”. Some people use them. Some don’t. There’s not enough bandwidth to ever end that argument. But here at Lensrentals, we have a ton of filters. We have some really good, very expensive…
1839 and the Frenzy that Followed
In our last article, we covered the invention of photography up until 1839 when Argo announced Daguerre’s invention and spoke of his accomplishment to the French Academy of Sciences. By the middle of January, news of Daguerre’s invention had spread around the world. The actual techniques used…
The Lensrentals Lens Cleaning Methods
There are some articles I try hard to avoid writing. Politics, religion, the so-called benefits of UV filters and other things that get Fanboys riled up I avoid like the plague. So for two years, while people have asked over-and-over for me to write an article on how we clean lenses, I’ve politely…
The Showman, the Sheriff, and the First Cameras
## Enter the Showman In my last article, we discussed the first image makers, up until the late 1820s when Niepce had actually been able to make images using a camera obscura and silver plates coated with Bitumen of Judea. On his way to England, Niepce had been introduced to a most interesting man,…
The Chemists, the Potter, and the Aristocrat: Imaging Before the Photograph
Since I started my articles on the early development of photographic lenses, I’ve been wanting to write an article on the development of the first cameras. The early days are so much more fun to write about, back when photographic advances were about people rather than corporations. Many of the…
Fun with Thumbtacks for Advanced Photogeeks
## Introduction There’s a scene in the old movie _Marathon Man_ where Dustin Hoffman wakes up strapped in a Dentist’s chair, mouth forced open, while the evil dentist drills into the nerves of his teeth, repeating the same question over-and-over: “Is it safe”? Tortured past endurance, he would…
Powering Up With Gold Mount Batteries
_This is intended as a guide for configuring a variety of devices so they can all be powered by professional gold mount batteries. All of the items mentioned in this guide are hyperlinked to their corresponding LensRentals product page. Once you’ve decided the configuration you want, I suggest…
The Development of Wide-Angle Lenses
# Introduction When I started my series about the history of lens development, I had planned three articles ending at the turn of the 20th Century. By that time many modern, excellent lenses had already been developed and it seemed a natural stopping point. After my series of 3 articles, I planned…
Who Invented the Telephoto Lens?
# Introduction When I wrote my series of articles on the history of lens development I largely covered the period around the turn of the century. By 1860, photographers had decent portrait lenses, and we discussed that most of the superb prime lenses in standard focal lengths we use today had…