Origional designed use for Nikkor 260f10

I recently purchased a nikon 260f10. looking back through old postings, It is said to be either a Metrogon or Topogon design. Anybody know intent of these designs? The nikon 260f10 has a barrel design like their apo lens, but the glass is shaped like large hemispheres on both sides. Looks odd, Just curious on any background.

Beau: Those lenses were used on the huge flatbed cameras used by

newspapers and print shops to make lithographs for offset printing. I

used one on an 8x10 without shutter and found quite sharp at greater

distances also.

 

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Regards,

Doug is right about their original use in newspaper/graphic arts

apps. I use a 240mm f/10 Process Nikkor for both 4x5 and 8x10. I

have found it to be very sharp at all distances- at least as sharp as

my Schneider 90mm XL. I had it mounted into shutter by S.K. Grimes

and it has served me well. The color rendition this lens provides is

a bit different from my 90mm, but I'm still not exactly sure how. Be

forewarned that if you're looking into having yours mounted into

shutter, it'll take a sizable bite out of your wallet. FWIW, I'm

currently planning to switch over to a Schneider 240mm Apo-Symmar, so

if anyone is interested in one of these lenses and doesn't want to go

through the hassle of getting it mounted into shutter, I can help.

I'm pretty sure it would cover 11x14 at infinity.

These lenses carry the name "Process-Nikkor", which indicates that

they were intended for process cameras, which are cameras that were

used in the printing industry. Mostly these cameras and lenses have

been replaced by digital techniques.

 

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One ebay seller provided the following information: symmetrical

construction with four elements in four groups, coverage of 68 degrees

at f10 and 74 degrees at f22.

 

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These coverages are wide for process lenses and the lenses would have

been used in cameras designed to take up less space. As an example,

making a 1:1 reproduction places the object at four times the focal

length from the film, so reducing the focal length reduces the size of

the camera by a factor of four more.