thomas_vaehrmann

Hi Mike,

the problem of the dialyte-type is that they have four separte lenses means eight glass-air-surfaces. If the lenses are uncoated the contrast will be a littel bit low. My experiences with uncoated lenses are: two elements (=for glass-air-surfaces) like Dagor, Collinear, Orthostigmat, Angulon are best, three elements like Tessar, Xenar, Heliar are good, four elements like Plasmat, Syntor, Celor, Unofokal, Dogmar, Eurynar are problematic. The missing coating only affects contrast and brilliance, not sharpness. Coating changes all and all these lenses perform good. Contrast and flare are also results of the lens design and the shape of the elements but that's a different story.

Hi Tom,

 

your Xenar was made about 1943. As for the Technika, it would be easier to compare the looking of it, eg parts like the rangefinder-house or knobs of the back with adverts of the time. Have a look in the Linhof-book. I've an old Technika III which is #65### and made about 1956 and an eralier one with four digit # which seemed to be build shortly after WW2. In those early post-war days the took older pre-war spare-parts and new designed and fabricated parts to build news cameras, not only at Linhof. Linhof started in 1887, Technika started 1934 and #2052 could be one of the earlier Technikas or made shortly after the war either.

Hi again,

 

the Culminar is a Tessar-type and has cemented elements. But some newer Leica-designs like 135mm Tele-Elmar are uncemented, check Erwin Puts' side.

Hi Andrew,

 

difficult question because nearly every better corrected lens bears cemented elements. So you have to look for collector items! The late 90mm Elmar as a triplet comes in mind as other triplets like Meyer Trioplan (rare), Kilfit 90mm Kilar (I'm not shure), 135mm Kilar for reflex-housing, long lenses (doubletts) like Astro Fernbildlinse, Tewe or Kilfitt Fern-Kilar, the Speedic-type like Astro-Tachar.

Linhof made thre grips, one for the left side (most commpon), one for the right side and one for other cameras that's screwed in a tripod-mount. The grips for left and right mounting on Technikas are pushed-on, the right one on the rail on the rangefinder, the left one in a special rail screwed onto the body where the strap is fited which will be replaced. So you have to look first for the mounting rail then for the grip.

The Geronar is a good triplet but still a triplet. The G-Claron is a six lenses four elements Plasmat-design optimized for repro 1:1 but still good at infinity. I would opt for the G-Claron, mine is one of the best I have and I wouldn't expect a triplet to come close to it.

No, it's a collector's item. I wouldn't buy if the finder gets yellow or fells apart. If you have a Mk I try the Kontur-Finder.

remove it, wash it with soap, avoid scratching

Hi,

old books tell that 1/6 of the total exposure time is without the fan and the big rest with the fan in the middle.

The little triangle with the S inside marks it as a (quality) piece for the Soviets. You can use it but it's more a colletors item.

Hi, older Schneider lenses are just single coated, but still good performers. The coating will last except scratching it. The cemented lenses might be a problem so look for separating elements. Some people mix this up. Even uncoated lenses can be great performers with good color rendering.

Leitmayr was Munich dealer who sold cameras under his own lable. Their "main lens" is called Syrtar and seems to be a Celor-type means four lenses in four elements. If your 90mm lens isn't marked as wide-angle it would probably just fit 6,5x9cm, not 4x5''. Ohterwise the two Syrtars I owne are not outstanding but OK.

once I had a 135mm Xenotar: very sharp wide open but very hot - means radioactive. Handle with care or aviod such glowing lenses.

Just one thought: the G-Claron covers a larger angle. I've used both G-Claron and Componon at aprx. 1:10 and near infinity and satisfied with the results. The G-Claron is slow, the Symmar offers one f-stop more and the Componon has less coverage.

A slip-in roll-film-holder should be the right for you. Mine is 6x7 from Calumet and works good. Maybe they call it now Cambo but it's available in 6x9 too http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?PAGE=Controller&ac.ui.pn=cat.CatTree&page=3

Well, it all depends on what you want: just keep a small outfit or upgrade to 4x5? If you want to use the cams then keep the lenses that will match. The 65 Grandagon is the best of the ww an when it works good with the cam and is not to large for you you should keep it. The Biogon isn't better but a collectors item and will bring cash, the older Angulon either. The 180 Symmar is a good lens that you should keep. The Tele-Xenar is the longest focal length for the camera and isn't coupled to the rangefinder. Keep it if you need it but I think that won't be often. You need a lens in the normal range as your main axe. The Xenotar is fast (coupled?) and might bear a radioactive element. A 100 Symmar will do the job better but the 120 Angulon or 90 Super-Angulon might be as good but will not work with teh rangefinder. The other lenses are still good but not essential for you.

Just to add a few infos to the jpg: the ruler is inch. The curve for 135 mm came with the camera which is the last model. The curve for 150 mm is similar according to it's serial number and fits good. The curve for 90 mm seems to be older and it's notch which stucks in the body is deeper, to deep for my 90mm's. According to the real focal length of the coupled lens you have to adjust the long curved side.

sorry it lasts a while in isn't perfect but I hope it helps.<div></div>

Staeble is a small but well reputed lens maker. They built the Ultragon-Lenses for the Agfa Repromaster which are in quality terms equal to say G-Clarons. So you won't have a junk of glass. There are very few 600mm lenses mounted into shutter (I wish my 600 Apo-Tessar would).

It's a nice focal length for 8x10'' so don't grumbel about but go out shooting!

if its name is Rodagon it's 6 lenses 4 element type and "much good". Due to its older finish it may be jaust single coated. But even a Tessar-type Rogonar-S will be a good starter lens.

First, it's hot means radioactive because some lenses are made of Thorium. Second, therefore the glass is damaged and shows a yellowish color. Other fast lenses from that time like Schneider Xenotar bear the same problem. Avoid these lenses and search the archive.

Hi Klaus,

serial-no says it's made around 1930, type of firm name letters, too. Steinheil was famous for their spectographs which could be fitted with quartz-lenses (at double price). Perhaps your first thought was right and it wil be good for uv-photography

Hi Robert,

look at LINOS http://www.linos.de/en/prod/obj_analoge_fotogr.html or http://www.butzi.net/rodenstock/rodenstock.htm or ask for specific detail because their web-site looks like they have dropped Apo-Ronar's.

as already said, the treads of shutters and enlarging lens- barrels are different, get a process-lens like Apo-Ronar or G-Claron. They are small and will fit. The barrel of the 210mm G-Claron has E39 thread and will fit but the rear lens might be to large. 300mm Apo-Ronar comes in shutter size 1 and can be screwed in barrel of an enlarging lens which will have E39 too. Perhaps it will fit in your Rodagon-barrel. Smaler ones like 150mm Apo-Ronar come in shutter-size 0 or barrel with app. 25mm and can be adapted since that is an enlarging-lnes thread. 300mm-process-lenses are still in shutter-size 1, everything longer needs 3, smaler ones are still size 0. Try and play around.

as the (mine)300mm covers 8x10 I think it will cover. The Dogmar is a modified 4 lenses/4 elements design developed from Syntor/Celor. It is a litte bit unsymmetrical to correct coma on infinity. As it has 8 glass-air-surfaces it's contrast will be a little low. Due to it's speed there will not be room for movements. Otherwise it's a fine classic lens, enjoy!