Zeiss Biogon 38/4.5 for Large Format???

Hi,

A while ago I posted a question about a modern T* Zeiss Planar lens for sale on E-Bay. The seller, Kerry Thalmann was very nice and gave a complete history for that lens. That lens by the way went for $3K!!!

Well I have spotted another one! This is the Biogon 38/4.5 in a Copal shutter fo r sale. Actually I have found two places for selling this one at around $1000-$1 500. I wonder if this is the same one as in the Hasselblad SWC.

I did not know that Zeiss sold this lens in a Copal shutter for the view camera market. How does one get one?

I am curious! Can Kerry or anyone else enligten me?

Thanks!

I don't know about the 38 Biogon, but the 75mm version isn't supposed to have the biggest image circle -- I've heard it's just sufficient for 4x5. Therefore the 38 might be marginal for 6x9 at infinity.

If I had to guess, 38mm would be a good wideangle length for a 2x3 Technika and I would assume these are lenses originally produced for that camera. Nowadays a 35mm Grandagon might be a better choice.

John,

Thanks but I am not after the lens for myself. I am a big Zeiss fan but I just wanted to know more about it for the sake of knowledge!

So if anyone know about it please let me know!

Thanks!

The 38 Biogon has fairly recently become available in helicoid mounts for the Al pa 12 6x9 camera; I gather it just barely covers sufficiently.

While the Biogon is a fine lens, a 6x9 view camera user would probably be bett er served by the Rodenstock 35 lens.

Sol unless you are really determined on the Biogon 38. I would seriously conside r the 35 Apo-Grandagon. I use it on the 69 format and its a first class lens all owing some movement to boot. Regards,

Trevor,

Thanks for the info. But as mentioned before I am just after the knowledge. I am curious. Of course I know of the Apo Grandagon 35/4.5.

But for you information, while the Apo Grandagon 35/4.5 may be one fine lens the Biogon puts it to shame, albeit with a smaller image circle. The 38 Biogon is one of the finest lenses ever made by Zeiss and if you compare the MTF curves of it aginst the Rodenstock, you will see the differnce - night and day and know what I mean.

Thanks again!

Sol: I am big Zeiss fan too, but the comparisons between the MTFs for Apo Grandagon 35mm and the Biogon 38mm need corrections. First, the Apo Grandagon made for the Hasselblad is not the same lens than the one made for LF. -Reflex lenses must pay a heavy retro-focus tax, and the A-G pays a heavy one in the Hasselblad version. Yes, it is mindless or at least unimaginative for Hasselblad and Rodenstock to call the Hass. version an A-G, when it bears no ressemblance to the real A-G for LF. Comparing the Hasselblad versions, yes, the Biogon has the better MTFs albeit a reduced IC. If the comparison is between the LF A-G and the Biogon, that is another story: Here, the A- G is by far the superior lens. I am sure even Zeiss would agree. In this case, though the comparisons need to be made at optimum apertures for each lens, being mindful of the respective ICs and using the same L/mm as the base point. (20L/mm is given for both) The A-G just covers the 9X12 European format, the Biogon barely covers 6X6. The answer to the question with regards to LF is that the Apo-Grandagon is without doubt the superior lens. I have to wonder why anybody other than a museum curator would pay such an exorbitant sum for a lens for which in LF at least, there are far superior alternatives. This is one case where reading the MTFs correctly can save lots of money.

Julio:

Where do you come by this info on the A-G for Hasselblad. As far as I knew, the only Hasselblad version is for the ArcBody, which due to the lack of any mirror box, does not require retrofocus designs, but rather uses Rodenstock LF lenses to handle shifts and tilts.

Julio,

Sorry but you are very, very wrong. The Apo Grandagon for the Hassy is identical to one for view cameras. It is NOT for the SLRs but the Arc Body (which has no mirror). If it was different then it would not be called the Apo Grandagon, but something else. It would also be a tottaly different beast, since it would have to be non rectilinear.

Moreover, the MTF curves published by Hasselblad and Rodenstock are the same, since it is the same lens. Of course Hasselblad does publish a 40 lines per mm curve which Rodenstock does not.

How did you come to the conclusion that the Hassy AG was completely different?

Thanks.

Sol:

Agree about the 35 Apo-Grandagon being the same in LF and Hassy... where did you get MTF curves for the 38mm Biogon?