Greenpoint Nurses' Residence: Inside Brooklyn's Abandoned Quarters

Image
1940s Greenpoint Hospital Campus Tax Photo There is a certain kind of quiet that only abandoned buildings have. Not peaceful, quiet. More like held-breath quiet. The kind that makes you hyper-aware of every footstep, every creak, every shadow shifting at the edge of your vision. I found that quiet on a cloudy afternoon in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, standing outside a chain-link fence and looking up at the old Nurse Quarters of Greenpoint Hospital. I had stumbled onto the building almost by accident. I was deep into researching other vacant structures across the borough when the Nurses' Residence turned up on the blogs. The fact that it sat close to home made the decision easy. One overcast day, I drove slowly down the block on a hunch, scanning the fence line. That is when I spotted it: a gap, barely noticeable unless you were looking for it. No rope. No gear. Just an opening and a window of time between passing cars and foot traffic. I slipped inside. The entrance foyer stopped me cold...
Post a Comment

eBay Vintage Lens Buy: Rare Taisei Kogaku (Tamron) 135mm f2.8


Rare Taisei Kogaku 135mm Twin Tele
A remarkable lens from Japan, very sharp wide open, of the famous zeiss inspired design with preset aperture. It's well made, all glass and steel, with excellent color and contrast. The optics in this lens are amazing, it is simple and it works. It's bokeh and colour rendering are brilliant and it's as sharp as a razor. This is one of the mythical lenses of the days of lore, and hard to find even on ebay. There is about 340 degrees of rotation on the focus ring. The lens came with a 2X adapter as well. This series of lenses (model 680) were made between 1962 & 1969. The included tele converter is shown in the picture. This gave the kit the twin tele name. 
Sharp Kogaku 135


Also known as the Taisei Kogaku [Tamron] Tamron 680 Twin-Tele 135mm f/2.8. A rare lens with the hard to adapt praktina mount. Mounting this lens onto to a EOS Rebel won't be easy. I have been trying to source an adapter for my Canon 600D Rebel but so far all information has pointed me to praticka B mount adapters. The praktina mount is often confused with the praktica B mount (PB). A few sellers on eBay (fleaBay) sell PB->EOS adapters but no praktina mounts. The praktina mount has a bayonet type screw mount. In addition, I am missing the 2x adapter that came with it that gave it the twin tele name.

No praktina mounts available anywhere in the world. The only inkling on the Internet is some guy who may be able to source work in manufacturing some praktina-EOS adapters for a steep Euro. I think it would be worth it since it is a rare lens and a hard to find adapter conversion. If only it came in the ubiquitous universal M42 mount. I would be outside on this glorious midday afternoon snapping away at all the pretty flowered trees.

Currently my copy has some haze on the front element and some oil on the blades. So far the oil has not affected the buttery smooth blades when toggling the aperture ring. The lens feels very hefty, solid and genuine feel of a well made lens. I am impressed. Hopefully sourcing some type of praktina to M42 mount would reap great benefits.

Front Element Haze

The only sources of hand made adapters are for m4/3, Sony NEX, and Samsung NX cameras.
View here.


Technical Info 
Serial #- 373268
F/range-2.8 - 22 
Focal range 135mm or 225mm (2x teleconverter)
12 aperture blades (bokeh goodness)
12 Blades of Aperture Bokeh Glory/Sony HX9V lens needs a good cleaning.

 Source: Four Thirds Forum Samples, Asian Manual Focus Club Forum, Praktina M4/3/Sony/Samsung
Praktinafan Flickr, MFLenses Forum Praktina to EOS Conversion Discussion, Tamron Twin Tele,
🔭 Do You Shoot with Vintage Taisei Glass?

Have you used this rare lens on a modern digital camera? Share your sample photos, adapter tips, or experiences with Taisei optics. Your knowledge helps other vintage lens enthusiasts find and adapt these hidden gems.

Drop a comment below or contact me directly. Full credit given to all contributors.

📸 More Vintage Lens Reviews & Photography
From rare eBay finds to classic manual glass, explore real-world sample photos, adapter guides, and hands-on reviews.
📸 Vintage lens reviews consistently show the highest click-through rates on Digital Ink'd. More sample photos coming soon.

Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 16, 2017 at 3:26 AM

    I know this is an old post, but I have acquired one of these lenses in what seems to be Pristine condition. Was wanting to sell, but not sure what its real worth is. Any help?

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMarch 16, 2017 at 3:26 AM

    I know this is an old post, but I have acquired one of these lenses in what seems to be Pristine condition. Was wanting to sell, but not sure what its real worth is. Any help?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kareem KingMarch 19, 2017 at 11:32 PM

      I apologize for the late reply. I cannot remember how much I bought it for but to my understanding it is rare because of the mounting system. I would price it about USD 80 -120.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Inside the Abandoned St. Michael and St. Edward Church in Brooklyn

Image
For weeks, I had been orbiting the perimeter of the impending demolition of the Church of St. Michael and St. Edward, a once revered church in the heart of Fort Greene, like a moth drawn to a flame. The neighborhood, a patchwork of tight project housing, seemed indifferent to the fate of this historic edifice. The intel I had received suggested that entry was as simple as scaling a wooden fence, yet the timing had never felt right. Until one day, it did. With a mission in New Jersey looming, I knew it was now or never. The demolition was advancing at a startling pace, the church's twin steeples already reduced to rubble. The skeletal remains of timber beams and rusted steel frames peeked out from the ruins, a testament to the relentless march of progress. Summoning a surge of courage, I seized a moment of quiet in the bustling housing project and vaulted over the fence. My heart pounded in my chest as I slipped unnoticed into the church grounds. The once grand entrance now stood as...
Read more

Hurwood Manufacturing Company (United Pattern Co)

Image
United Pattern Company was an enigma along Railroad Avenue in Bridgeport, Connecticut. From the outside, it appeared robust, standing tall with its mortar interlocking brickwork, a seemingly steadfast presence on the aptly named avenue. However, beneath this tough facade, the building was but a hollow shell, held together by struts and wooden boards, completely devoid of floors. For years, as I traversed different parts of Bridgeport, the sight of this building became a familiar landmark. I passed it multiple times, and from the rooftop of the nearby Casco Manufacturing building, I could see it from above—a stark reminder of a bygone era. It was an empty husk, a relic of industrial history that I encountered time and again during my travels through various Connecticut cities and towns. My friend J had once advised me that attempting to explore the interior was futile, as it was merely an empty shell. The only interior photographs of the place were taken by Stephen Berner . Aside from B...
Read more

Exploring the Abandoned Aerosol Techniques Factory in Milford, CT (Photos)

Image
When I arrived at the former Aerosol Techniques factory, I was filled with a mix of anticipation and curiosity. Meeting a group of new friends for a day of urban exploration in Connecticut, we had a lineup of intriguing abandoned sites on our agenda. Our itinerary included the hauntingly beautiful Seaside Sanatorium, a former hospital, along with a few other potential spots that we were less certain about. We chose the factory as our starting point, mainly because it offered easy access and was conveniently situated next to a Lowe's hardware store. Walking along a well-trodden path, our group made a seamless transition onto the property. The sense of camaraderie was palpable as we embarked on our adventure with eager enthusiasm. The factory grounds, long deserted, were a canvas for countless graffiti artists. Every inch of the building was adorned with vibrant and eclectic street art, each piece telling its own story. This rich color and creativity set the perfect stage for our imp...
Read more

Potter Hill Mill: Inside Westerly, RI's Abandoned Textile History (Photo Tour)

Image
  In my extensive ventures across various businesses, churches, factories, and plants, I've encountered a plethora of remnants from bygone industrial eras. Yet, none have left as profound an impression as the sight of the leftover machinery at the former Potter Hill Mill. Nestled amidst its surroundings, these aging relics stand as silent witnesses to a vibrant industrial past, their once-potent functionality now subdued by the relentless march of time. The manufacturing equipment, once the lifeblood of cotton goods production, remains steadfast, firmly bolted to the floor, slowly succumbing to the relentless embrace of rust and decay. It's a scene frozen in time—a rare glimpse into the mechanical marvels of the 1800s, preserved in their original state, untouched and unscathed by modern interventions. As I gaze upon the weather-worn structures and rusted machinery, I'm struck by the poignant juxtaposition of past and present. The former textile mill, once a bustling hub of...
Read more

Pop Smoke Mural No. 2

Image
This is the second mural installation of deceased Brooklyn drill rapper Pop Smoke. This was done by Haitian artist Kenny Altidor who has done quite a few murals around the area which also include the late great Chadwick Boseman.  #popsmoke #pop #kennyaltidor #woobaby #woos #woo #canarsie #brooklyn #canarsiebrooklyn  🎤 Did You Photograph This Pop Smoke Mural? Did you visit this mural when it was freshly painted? Do you have photos from different angles, or shots of the artist at work? Have you left a tribute at any of Pop Smoke's Brooklyn murals? Share your Woo memories below. Drop a comment below or contact me directly . Full credit given to all contributors. 🎤 More Brooklyn Hip-Hop Murals & Street Art 🎨 Pop Smoke Mural in Canarsie The redone tribute to Brooklyn's drill icon—mural No. 1. 👑 Pop Smoke Mural No. 3: Kings of Brooklyn Featuring Biggie Smalls & Sean Price alongsid...
Read more