Rodenstock Sironar N 5.6 120mm MC -IMAGE CIRCLE

[Mark_Se]

Does somebody know the image circle of the Rodenstock Sironar N 5.6 120mm MC ?
Basically I`m looking for a good and small 120mm lens which allows more than 20mm rise.

[Sal Santamaura]

Searching pays off:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showpost.php?p=14781&postcount=10

[Mark_Se]

thanks

[Leigh]

175mm... barely enough to move off center.

By contrast, the Nikkor 120/8 has an IC of 312mm. It's a marvelous lens.

- Leigh

[pdmoylan]

I agree that one obtains very commendable results from all Nikkor SW F8 lenses; however, for shooting in low light it is a real challenge to focus particularly when extreme movements are required. Consider APO-S Sironar, APO Symmar L, or Super Symmar 120 f5.6. There was a recent post here for the last of these recently. If I recall correctly, it is still for sale and reasonably priced.

[Leigh]

There is no APO-Sironar-S in 120mm.

The APO-Symmar-L 120/5.6 only has a 189mm IC.

The Super Symmar HM 120/5.6 IC is 211mm.
That's the largest IC of the 120/5.6 lenses in my database, which is not all-inclusive.

- Leigh

[rdenney]

The requirements were 1.) good, 2.) small, 3.)120mm, and 4.) more than 20mm rise. The first two requirements are not specific enough to be testable, so are subject to interpretation. The last two are not.

I didn't see "fast" on that list, except as implied by using the Sironar as an example.

I think I have to agree that an f/8 biogon derivative like the f/8 Nikkor SW (or f/8 Super Angulons, or f/8 Fujinon SWD, if they were made at this focal length, which I don't recall) will come closest to fulfilling all these requirements.

Plasmats are more compact, but at the expense of coverage. The newer versions (APO-this and Super-that) might have better coverage--I don't keep up with such unobtania--but at the expense of being compact.

I have a 121/8 Super Angulon, and it's a beast compared to a plasmat. But it provides abundant coverage. At the opposite pole, I have a 127mm f/4.5 press lens, which is a fast (for LF) tessar, and it's much more compact than any plasmat or biogon derivative, but it barely covers the corners (by undermining that "good" requirement) with no movements.

So, SW, SWD, or Super Angulon for coverage, f/8 for smallness (to the extent feasible given other requirements), and they're all good.

Rick "requirements are important" Denney

[Bob Salomon]

The 120mm Sironar-N had a very short production span. It covered 175mm at infinity at f22. It was discontinued in 1992.

[pdmoylan]

I thank Leigh for the corrections.

[Steve Hamley]

Fuji 125mm f/5.6 if you can stand another 5mm. It's what I did and it will cover 5x7 with just a few mm to spare. And it's small.

Search the forum for it and you'll have your answer.

Cheers, Steve

[EdSawyer]

The APO Symmar 120 is a great lens, and among the smallest in that length. The nikkor 120/8 is a fantastic lens, no doubt, but it's really more of an 8x10 camera lens, and hardly qualifies as "small" in any sense of the word when talking about 120mm lenses.

[rdenney]

The APO Symmar 120 is a great lens, and among the smallest in that length. The nikkor 120/8 is a fantastic lens, no doubt, but it's really more of an 8x10 camera lens, and hardly qualifies as "small" in any sense of the word when talking about 120mm lenses.

There was a 120mm Symmar-S that was the basis for my comments. The image circle is 173mm, allowing 14mm of shift according the Schneider (http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/vintage_lens_data/large_format_lenses/symmar-s/data/1,5,6-120mm.html).

The current APO-Symmar-L has an image circle of 189mm and will accommodate a 20mm shift (plus a bit). Not cheap, but I'm sure quite excellent. Here's a description. (https://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=164&IID=1829)

As I said in my response, I'm not up on these new lenses because I can't afford them. The 120/5.6 APO-Symmar-L seems to fulfill all the requirements.

Rick "noting that the Super Angulon 120/8 is twice as long, two-thirds bigger around, and 2-1/2 times as heavy" Denney

[Ig Nacio]

Hi,

Thank you : )!!!

I have found this thread very interesting!

Kind regards!

Ig : )!!!