Apo Nikkor 360 f/9, 610 f/9 and 760 f/11

I would to use the Apo Nikkor 360 f/9, 610 f/9 and 760 f/11 enlarger

lenses for a 7x17 camera.Are they good to make some shoots or are

they too bulky?

I own a #5 shutter and I got these 3 lenses for only 200 $ (all

together).Any useful information about the quality of these lense

will be well appreciate,thanks.

I use the 610 and 760. You can see yours and decide if they are too bulky for you. If

you aren't carrying them on your back the bulk isn't much of an issue. They cover

more than you'll need for your 7x17. They are crisp and beautiful lenses. I haven;t

had the need for a shutter with them.

I also have a 610 f/9 and a really huge 890mm f/11 APO Nikkor that I picked up for about $100. I'm trying to find the time/energy to test them. I plan to put them to work on an Eastman 2D 11x14, and the crazy idea to build a 20x24 based on the simplistic design of the Russian FKD field cameras. My concern is that these enlarging lenses will create a "flat" look, or that the image circle will not be adequate for the 20x24. Does anyone have specs on the image circle(s) of these lenses?

The Apo-Nikkors cover, conservatively, about 46 degrees or about 85% of the focal

length.

So the 610mm covers 518mm at f/22, at the 760mm covers an image circle of

646mm. Both will cover 7x17, neither will cover 20x24.

 

Although they are optimized for photographing flat objects there is nothing "flat"

about the sort of images these lenses produce. Like the other dialites, such as the

Apo-Ronars and Apo-Artars, these are fine lenses, and aside from their size and

slight coverage, I doubt you will find anything to complain about them.

Thanks guys,

The lens probably were used (generally speaking) at a reproduction ratio of 1:1.For landscape I really hope don't have any problems with the quality of this huge monsters....Here in Japan is possible to find them at 5000 yen each usually (360-450-610-760...).The problem is: t's really difficult to find their specs.I will use them only for B/W (it should be better to use them for colours since they are Apo....)

Cheers

These are process lenses; designed for about a 1:1 to 1:5 ratio. The prime goal of a process lens is zero distortion. When doing mapping; this allows adjacent panels to match; and lines to be straight. Many of these lenses are/were used a the F22 setting on the lens; to conrol the non falt field of these lenses. They are flat field when used at the working apertures; ie F16 to F44. On a process camera situation; there is alot of contrast. Many of these lenses are uncoated in the 1950's; and single coated later. When used outside; ie normal photography; they need a decent lens hood; to keep up the contrast. Most process lenses are moderate angle lenses; about 45 degrees max. In mapping; one may use alot less angle; to get better illumination. Mapping/process usage often uses lith films; that make off axis illumination drop really noticeable. With our working process camera; we have 360mm F9; 600mm F9; 890mm F14; Rodenstock Apo Ronars. Often there are two different lense that will do a specific job; but the longer one is chosen; if illumination quality is important. Alot of these old birds (lenses) are being dumped; because process cameras are now declared obsolete. Domt tell that to my last customers! :) Many times an enlarging lens; designed for 5x to 10x ratios; will work about better at infinity ratios; than a process lens. But there are alot of people who have done good work; with the old process lenses used at infinity. Our lenses were about 3 thousand dollars in the 1970's; and have their focal lengths measured by the factory; so the process camera is focused by a dial setting on the camera bed; to a thousand of an inch for the lens; and the projection frame. Originaly we used an HP97; then a 286 computer; now an old 486. Some of these process lenses in the longer focal lengths stop down to F 290. The f stop wand on each lens limits the minimum to about F64. We about always shoot at F22; to quash the non flat field of the process lenses.

I worked on a Brown Admiral process camera that had an 890mm Apo-Nikkor lens. At 1:1 it had an image circle of

more than 50 inches.

 

Nikor also made a huge process lens of 72 inch focal length or about 2835 mm for the world's largest process

cameras. Back in the 1970's it cost more than $8000.<div></div>