Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon 50mm F/2.8 Lens

fergus · Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 61 Location: Surrey, UK

Just got this lens

Anybody have any information on this lens. So far I have only found an indication that it was produced around 1980 from the serial number 10195880. Plenty of info for the latest "N" version, but not this one. Just wondered what the differences may be. A bit of an impulse purchase, as I have been looking for a quality lens for macro but have struggled to find anything within my price range.

Not had time to try it out properly yet, but here is the first shot using a short extension ring on Canon 40D with camera pop-up flash diffused with a sheet of tracing paper. F/4, roughly 1:2 on sensor. A Christmas flowering plant (very late flowering Laughing

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indianadinos · Expire: 2011-12-05

Hi,

Well, if you were looking for an affordable macro lens, you just got one apochromatic really fine ...

Do a search in this forum, there has been some member publishing nice pictures taken with this lens.

Did you bought it cheap ? I'm trying to get one, too Wink

...

Cheers

ZoneV · Expire: 2011-12-02

I bought my Apo Rodagn 50/2.8 without "N" cheap - because of fungus infection:
http://www.4photos.de/camera-diy/glaspilz-apo-rodagon-50.html
It was a very heavy infection, several lenses were infected - and some still need cleaning.

I read some years ago a very enthusiastic test of the N version in the German "Foto Hobby Labor" magazin.
I think the N version was described as even better than the excellent predecessor.

cambug · Joined: 06 Jun 2010 Posts: 91

The only difference between the N and non N version is the coating, the N version is multicoated and is of later production. With the use of a focusing bellow or a helicoid, it could be an interesting macro setup,

fergus · Joined: 21 Jan 2009 Posts: 61 Location: Surrey, UK

Thanks all for the comments Very Happy

Well the lens was not cheap to me, £75 including delivery (no caps or container), but certainly a lot cheaper than the apparent going rate for "N" or "D" apo-rodagon versions.

Spent a little time playing today with 3:1 macro set-up for photographing a tiny snake millipede. At first I was very disappointed with the results, very poor compared to my Meopta Aneret S 4.5/50. I thought the lens may have had a symmetrical optical layout, but reversing it improved the image greatly and suggests it doesn't.

Took the opportunity to try my first image focus stack.

Tiny snake millipede - Canon EOS 40D, Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon 50mm F/2.8 Lens reverse on bellows. Diffused lighting from halogen lamps. Settings: F/5.6 on lens, 1.3s, ISO 200, lens extension ~ 150mm to give 3:1 or 3X magnification on sensor. Formed from a 4 image stack using Zerene Stacker Dmap.

100% crop.