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Rodagon 150/5.6 enlarging lens
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:51 pm    Post subject: Rodagon 150/5.6 enlarging lens Reply with quote
Continuing my adventures with enlarging lenses. This is a larger lens mounted reversed on a bellows.

1: As a "normal" lens


2: Closer


3. Closer still



patrickh


PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great shots Patrick! That Rodagon (the older zebra version? Or the later all black one?) is that not fully symmetric? You could save reversion then (not fully sure though).

A good lens esp. stopped down to f11, no questions, I have several of them...



PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
great series! a macro of 150mm for cheap
you didn't share how do you rate those enlarger lenses vs your normal macro lenses


PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Klaus

I was hoping you might look. It's the black one - but the mount is too large in diameter to accommodate, hence a reversal ring. Seems to work just fine. Nearly all these enlarging lenses by Rodenstock, Nikon and Schneider are phenomenal glass IMHO
I am having trouble finding thread sizes on the Schneiders - do you have a source? Adapters then become an issue - I recently acquired a 25 to 39 adapter for the Componon 80/5.6.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Superb! I love macro shoots!


PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
poilu
I have several great macro lenses (see my sig). I would place each of these enlarger lenses at least on a par. I have been completely enthralled by the sheer quality of these lenses, especially since they are so cheap the word ridiculous comes to mind. Smile Smile


patrickh


PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The quality of these samples is exceptional.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
patrickh wrote:
Klaus

I was hoping you might look. It's the black one - but the mount is too large in diameter to accommodate, hence a reversal ring. Seems to work just fine. Nearly all these enlarging lenses by Rodenstock, Nikon and Schneider are phenomenal glass IMHO
I am having trouble finding thread sizes on the Schneiders - do you have a source? Adapters then become an issue - I recently acquired a 25 to 39 adapter for the Componon 80/5.6.


Sure, and a good reason to learn german Wink Wink
http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/componon_comparon.pdf
.
Many of these lenses of these times (the 60ies btw.) had M25 thread mount to fit a "00" size shutter, in case someone wondered why not made in M39 enlarger mount - yes, these chaps already knew that these lenses work well also as taking lenses... Wink
.
You need that adaptor, if it is that older 80mm lens you mean - check the thread:
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=181&IID=2014

Last edited by kds315* on Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:40 am; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you Klaus, you are a mine of information


patrickh


PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
WOW. I am stunned at the clarity, sharpness & detail. incredile work mate.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I enjoy this lens too.
My copy has some dirt and spots on it.



PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Good for portrait too, I guess



PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yadisl wrote:
Good for portrait too, I guess


Nice portrait, but not quite the same lens (topic 150mm, yours 105mm).
Is the dragonfly taken with the same 105mm 5.6?


PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great samples. I should use my enlarger lenses more.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow to all the shots here, but that dragonfly looks amazing Shocked


PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
martinsmith99 wrote:
Great samples. I should use my enlarger lenses more.

Yes they are. Yes you should. I was a sucker for ELs and odd glass on bellows many decades ago, and I haven't mellowed with age. With my various M42 and PK bellows, lenses longer than 85mm can reach infinity focus. And just yesterday I received an M42 17-35mm focusing helicoid -- a few months ago those were US$80, now they're down to under US$60 -- which makes using 60-85mm ELs much easier for general photography.

I've used 75mm ELs on tubes (fixed focus) for portraits for awhile. Now, if only I could find longer Rodenstock or Schneider ELs cheap... not that my Ilex Solar 140/4.5, or Wollensak Raptar 162/4.5 and 182/4.5, or Eastman 190/4.5, are really *bad*... Wink

Cheap adapters: Many USA-made enlarger-projector-copy-process lenses have mounts in inches or odd metric threads, or no threads at all. Finding screw-on adapters for these and other non-standard mounts to M39 or M42 or a bayonet mount can be difficult or impossible. I have a cheap solution. Cut a hole in a plastic body cap. PK caps are about US$1 each, M42 caps about US$2 each when I bought a bunch a few months ago.

Last edited by RioRico on Fri Dec 23, 2011 5:01 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not to be a complete idiot or anything, but why reverse the lens when shooting at magnifications lower than 1:1? The general rule for using lenses optimized for magnifications lower than 1:1 -- this includes enlarging lenses -- is to shoot them facing normally -- large subject in front, small sensor behind -- up to 1:1 and reversed above 1:1.

Many, not all, enlarging lenses are useful for shooting closeup (up to 1:1) and for photomacrography (above 1:1). I shoot 2x3, use flash illumination closeup, so really need lenses in shutter, e.g., Schneider Comparons, or that can be hung in front of a shutter, e.g., 4"/5.6 Enlarging Pro Raptar or 105/5.6 El Nikkor. Lenses whose cells fit a #0 shutter have a considerable advantage over ones whose cells fit a #1 because the #0 is symmetrical -- front and rear female threads are the same --, which makes reversing the lens very easy. #1s aren't symmetrical so reversing a lens in #1 is quite difficult.

I haven't pursued Rodenstock enlarging lenses so don't know what Rodenstock claims for them. I have some Schneiders so have paid attention to Schneider's recommendations. Interestingly, they recommend their tessar type (Comparon) over their plasmat types (Componon, plain and the later -S) for 2x - 6x enlargements (1:2 - 1:6 when taking).


PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Now, you give me desire for testing a longer length of enlarging lenses... Evil or Very Mad
(Great samples !) Wink


PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great photos. Especially the portrait.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
danfromm wrote:
Not to be a complete idiot or anything, but why reverse the lens when shooting at magnifications lower than 1:1? ...


I think the OP said it was because the large rear thread of the Rodogon wouldn't fit the mount, but the reversed lens, ie front thread, would fit.

JJ


PostPosted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 3:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice examples Smile
How does this cheap lens perform compared to the Componon S 100mm or 150mm?

I'm looking for a lens for 2:1 to 20:1 macro work.


PostPosted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great samples.

I'd be very happy if everyone using enlargement lenses (or microscope lenses) could take an image of how they have adapted it to their digital camera.

I need to solve this missing bit of information before shopping away on the bay Smile


PostPosted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ForenSeil wrote:
Nice examples Smile
How does this cheap lens perform compared to the Componon S 100mm or 150mm?

I'm looking for a lens for 2:1 to 20:1 macro work.


Rodagons are very competitive with Componons of the same generation.

Visit Klaus' site to see many of the lenses you might want to consider. www.macrolenses.de.

Read my account of my lenses http://www.galerie-photo.com/telechargement/dan-fromm-6x9-lenses-v2-2011-03-29.pdf for another perspective on them.

And buy two books. Lester Lefkowitz' The Manual of Closeup Photography and Brian Bracegirdle's Scientific Photomacrography.

You'll need several lenses to cover the range. I don't believe there's a lens that shoots well at 2:1 and at 20:1; macro lenses are usually optimized for fairly narrow ranges of magnifications. And there's a sort of rule to the effect of "the higher the magnification, the shorter the focal length." This to keep extension manageable, not because of optical considerations.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
danfromm wrote:
ForenSeil wrote:
I'm looking for a lens for 2:1 to 20:1 macro work.

You'll need several lenses to cover the range. I don't believe there's a lens that shoots well at 2:1 and at 20:1; macro lenses are usually optimized for fairly narrow ranges of magnifications. And there's a sort of rule to the effect of "the higher the magnification, the shorter the focal length." This to keep extension manageable, not because of optical considerations.

For 20x magnification, use a microscope, not a macro lens.

I divide my ELs and copy lenses etc at 65mm and 85mm into shorter, medium, and longer cohorts. Longer than 85mm can reach infinity focus on my various bellows; shorter than 85mm can't. I use those around 65-85mm on tubes or helicoid for portraits and some close work; those longer than 85mm go on bellows and maybe tubes also for close and general shooting; those shorter than 65mm go on whatever extension is comfortable for very close macro work.

The greatest magnification I get from an EL is with a Spiratone 35/3.5 on about 190mm extension for about 4.5x. That's pushing the edge of practicality. For greater magnification, I'll reverse-stack a Sigma 24/2.8 onto a Komine 200/3.5 for about 8.3x -- and that's going over the edge! Beyond 3x is microscope territory IMHO.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
In the database of Klaus (kds315*) http://www.macrolenses.de/objektive.php?lang you can find some possibilities.
But I think prices of lenses that can do what you want will direct you to the choice between microscope or bankrupty Laughing
Coupling tele and wide angle, as stated by RioRico, is a good experimental start I think.
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