Dagor

[Michael D. Johnson]

I have a 9.5 in f/6.9 Dagor. The shutter is a brass mount Optim O Pat. June 14, 1910 this lens stops down to f/256. Anyone know about this old classic view camera lens?

[John Kasaian]

Michael,

The scale is marked in the old US f-stop system. Does the shutter work? I could be wrong, but I think Optimos were built by Wollensak. As far as the lens itself, you're fortunate indeed. Look up Dagor in the archieves. If the glass is in good condition and has been properly mounted it is well worth your while---its been said that Dagor elements that aren't precisely spaced and centered will exhibit focus considerable shift when stopping down. Call SK Grimes' shop to see what the skinny is on that old Optimo. All you might need is a cla. If the shutter is kaput, use it like you would a barrel lens and have fun!

[Ernest Purdum]

Does it say Berlin or C.P. Goerz American Optical Co.? The Dagor was an extremely influential design with six elements. Each cell has three elements cemented together without any airspaces. It was designed in 1892 by Emil von Hoegh, but was not called "Dagor" until 1904. The Berlin Co. became part of the Zeiss conglomerate and became inactive shortly after WW I, but the American branch carried on by itself. Many, even some very old ones, are still in use.



The Optimo shutter was made in Rochester, N.Y. by Wollensak. It was a good shutter at the time, but is somewhat hard to keep in good order today.

[John Kasaian]

Michael,

I could be wrong about the f-stop scale. If the rest of the sequence isn't capatible with the "usual" f-stops it might well be the old U.S. scale though. Sorry for my haste! The Dagor is still a very fine lens however.