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Bob Salomon
3-Oct-2008, 06:47
Here is the information for the new Rodenstock 23mm and 40mm lenses introduced at Photokina last week. These will be shown at PhotoPlus later this month in NYC.

Also announced at Photokina was the news that Rodenstock is finishing a new web site for their photographic lenses. We will let you know when this is up.

New Super WA Lens for Digital Professional Photography HR Digaron-S 23 mm f/5.6

The new Rodenstock HR Digaron-S 23 mm f/5.6 is the first super wide-angle lens providing a large image circle of 70 mm and a flange focal length and back focal length allowing its use with nearly all types of technical cameras. Its optical con-
struction has been optimized to meet the requirements of digital photography. An almost diffraction limited high resolution is achieved in the whole image area already for a full aperture.
So sensors with a pixel pitch down to 6 µm and a resolution up to approx. 60 megapixels can tap their full potential.
Especially photographers of (interior) architecture or landscapes, who had to use an analog film for taking extreme image angles until now, will be highly impressed by this lens. The focal length of 23 mm for a 37x49 mm sensor corresponds to a focal length of 16 mm for a 24x36 mm sensor.
• The back focal length of 16.5 mm is only 1 mm shorter compared to the HR Digaron-S 28 mm and leaves enough space between the rear mount and the sensor for swing-and-tilt movements without touching the sensor or rear standard.
• The flange focal length of approx. 45 mm allows focusing at infinity with almost all technical camera models. On many of these cameras a flat lens board can be used, which makes it much easier to set the aperture and the shutter speed and permits the use of the Rollei Electronic shutter.
• The retro-focus design causes a steeper light incidence at the margin. So the further fall-off in illumination, which is inevitable when using micro lens sensors, can be avoided.
• No vignetting occures already for the full aperture f/5.6.
• The optical effect of the sensor cover glass has been taken into account in the optic calculation for eliminating its spherical and chromatic aberration, as well as its astigmatism.
• The high tech multi-coating provides for ultimate transmission, excellent contrast and freedom of ghost and flare.
• The HR Digaron-S 23 mm f/5.6 in Copal shutter size 0 is available also with the “Focus-Mount” helical focusing tube.
• A specially designed center filter is in preparation
The lens series Apo-Sironar digital HR so far will be re-named the HR Digaron-S like the new HR Digaron-S 23 mm f/5,6.

New wide-angle lens for the largest sensor formats HR Digaron-W 40 mm f/4
The pixel size of digital sensors cannot be reduced at will without an increasing image noise and decreasing dynamic range. For this reason, larger sensors for professional digital backs providing for the ultimate resolution (currently up to approx. 60 megapixels) have been developed. The digital lenses, designed for smaller sensor formats, with an image circle around 70 mm, do not allow much camera movement when using these large sensors. That is why we developed the Rodenstock lens series HR Digaron-W with image circles from 90 mm up and an almost diffraction limited high resolution. At the moment this series includes the focal lengths 40 mm, 70 mm and 90 mm (the last-mentioned lenses Apo-Sironar digital 70 mm f/5.6 and 90 mm f/5.6 will be re-named HR Digaron-W).
The image angle of the new HR Digaron-W 40 mm f/4 corresponds to that of a 26.5 mm lens for 24x36 mm sensors. Further focal lengths are in preparation. The HR Digaron-W 40 mm f/4 is outstanding for the following:
• The back focal length of approx. 25 mm leaves free space for shift-and-tilt movement between the rear mount and the sensor, without touching the sensor or the rear standard.
• The flange focal length of approx. 70 mm allows focusing at infinity for all technical cameras with a flat lens board, which makes it much easier to set the aperture and the shutter speed and permits the use of the Rollei Electronic shutter.
• The retro-focus design causes a steeper light incidence at the margin. So the further fall-off in illumination, which is inevitable when using micro lens sensors, can be avoided.
• No vignetting occurs for an aperture of 5.6.
• The optical effect of the sensor cover glass has been taken into account in the optic calculation for eliminating its spherical and chromatic aberration, as well as its astigmatism.
• The high tech multi-coating provides for ultimate transmission, excellent contrast and freedom of ghost and flare.
The HR Digaron-W 40 mm f/4 in Copal shutter size 0 is available also with the “Focus-Mount” helical focusing tube.
A HR Digaron-W 50 mm f/4 is in preparation and is expected to be available in the first half of 2009.

Ernest Purdum
3-Oct-2008, 07:30
The new lenses are interesting and I'm particularly happy to hear about the new web site to come.

Walter Calahan
3-Oct-2008, 07:35
Cool, and as soon as Congress signs the bill for the common guy's debt relief, I can spend spend spend. Thanks for giving me something for my dreams. Grin.

Gordon Moat
3-Oct-2008, 12:19
"focal length of 23 mm for a 37x49 mm sensor"

Less than 6x4.5, though it would work with a Leaf Aptus II 33MP back. Flange to focal length of 26.1mm means few choices in bodies, though apparently they make a version with a 39mm Leica thread mount and no shutter. Data seems to suggest it might fit close to 6x4.5 (40x54mm with 2mm movement) sizes.

http://www.linos.com/pages/mediabase/original/HR_Dig_S_23_Neuh_2008_e_7507.pdf

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

archivue
14-Oct-2008, 14:16
Where can i find the price for the new HR Digaron-W 40 mm f/4 ?
it looks like a good alternative for Arca Swiss Fline 69 users !

Bruce Watson
14-Oct-2008, 14:41
I hate to ask, but this forum is getting hit with ever more non-LF posts. So... are these lenses applicable in some way to LF?

Bob Salomon
14-Oct-2008, 15:19
I hate to ask, but this forum is getting hit with ever more non-LF posts. So... are these lenses applicable in some way to LF?

Since they can be mounted on a view camera most would probably say yes. Do they cover 8x10 or 4x5? No.

Bob Salomon
14-Oct-2008, 15:20
Where can i find the price for the new HR Digaron-W 40 mm f/4 ?
it looks like a good alternative for Arca Swiss Fline 69 users !

It has not been released yet. As soon as the factory is ready to ship we will release the price since the price will depend on the value of the $ when the lenses are shipped from the factory.

Phil Hudson
15-Oct-2008, 03:49
In general are the Rodenstock HR series suitable for film at all, or does the special design make them only suitable for digital backs with the glass filter/cover?

Thanks!

Bob Salomon
15-Oct-2008, 05:04
In general are the Rodenstock HR series suitable for film at all, or does the special design make them only suitable for digital backs with the glass filter/cover?

Thanks!

When the HR lenses are to be used with film a glass corrector plate has to be added to the rear of the lens. These corrector plates are sold as accessories.

This is necessary as the glass cover on the digital sensor is part of the optical formula of the HR series and the plate has to be added when the lenses are used with film. Each HR lens has its' own corrector plate.

archivue
15-Oct-2008, 14:27
i'd like to see a real life comparison betwen the new 40 and the sironar digital 35...
i can clearly see the fact that the retro 40 can help a lot... but optically speaking only, does the retrofocus formula an improvement ?

Bob Salomon
15-Oct-2008, 15:45
i'd like to see a real life comparison betwen the new 40 and the sironar digital 35...
i can clearly see the fact that the retro 40 can help a lot... but optically speaking only, does the retrofocus formula an improvement ?

Little too soon to answer that from practical work. I can mail you the MTF and other performance curves on both and we will have prototypes of both the 23 and the 40 at the PhotoPlus Show in NYC later this month if you will be there and want to see them.

archivue
15-Oct-2008, 16:16
can you mail me a flight ticket as well, i'm living in france...

thanks anyway !

Steve Hamley
24-Oct-2008, 11:43
I'd have to say yes, it is LF-related. Technology has never stood still, even in the "olden" days. Film emulsions changed and improved, the enlarger changed demand for camera sizes (ever wonder why they stopped making most banquet and ULF cameras?), roll film opened new markets, and so on.

We'll probably have affordable 12x20 sensors for our Koronas or Folmer and Schwings (but maybe not in our photo-lifetime), and the kind of new technology Bob is telling us about is another step down the road.

Cheers,

Steve

Emmanuel BIGLER
25-Oct-2008, 02:23
Thanks to Bob Salomon for presenting here the new Rodenstock wide angle "digital" lenses.

And a comment about Bruce Watson's concern:
I hate to ask, but this forum is getting hit with ever more non-LF posts. So... are these lenses applicable in some way to LF?

What looks (IMHO) applicable to LF is that Rodenstock seems to have put most of its R&D effort to superb WA lenses for digital photography with all kinds of cameras including view cameras, at least the 6x9 versions. But to the best of my knowledge, Rodenstock did not introduce new "film" LF lenses since the Apo Sironar S in 100 mm focal length. And this was for 6x9, a "small" format which is just at the margin of what is acceptable to discuss here ;)
Whereas Schneider has introduced new LF lenses in the last years including (OK, for a niche-of-a-niche market, ULF) and a recent long focal length for 4x5" at the 2008 photokina, probably a cousin of the Apo Ronar....
Eh ! Bob S. ! Eh Rodenstock guys ! When you'll finished with a soon-to-be delivered 16mm "digital" lens covering 6x9 , do not let us with Schneider & Fuji only as a source for new apo-ronar-like lenses ;);)

Bob Salomon
25-Oct-2008, 04:31
"But to the best of my knowledge, Rodenstock did not introduce new "film" LF lenses since the Apo Sironar S in 100 mm focal length. And this was for 6x9, a "small" format which is just at the margin of what is acceptable to discuss here "

This isn't quite true. All of the Apo Sironar Digital lenses will work with any imaging device - including film - that they cover and some of these lenses will fully cover 4x5. These lenses will work with film with no added accessories needed (except where a CF might be desired with the wide ones).

The Apo Sironar Digital HR lenses are also used with roll films that they cover but these lenses do require the addition of a special accessory corrector plate to the rear element as film cameras do not have the cover glass that digital sensors have.

So yes, Rodenstock has continued to bring out lenses that will perform properly on film. They just have not been concentrating on lenses for 4x5 and larger formats.

archivue
7-Nov-2008, 16:06
prices ?

Bob Salomon
7-Nov-2008, 18:22
Prices will be available from dealers as soon as the lenses are shipped. Should be next month.

archivue
8-Nov-2008, 04:49
thanks !

i hope the 40 will be usable with the arca rotaslide sliding back, otherwise i will go for the 35 apo sironar digital.

archivue
27-Nov-2008, 03:18
i've found the prices...
http://www.linhofstudio.com/products/lenses/dlens.html
23 at £3250 net
40 et £1860 net
while the 35 cost £845...