Dagor "series" Whats the diff?

**Ole Tjugen** · 1-May-2005, 04:56

David, if it's a pre-1930's f:3.5 Xenar, it has to be a "Typ D"! The Tessar types of that age were all f:4.5 AFAIK... There's a 1928 150/3.5 Typ D Xenar sitting in my display cabinet waiting for me to repair the shutter.

**John Kasaian** · 1-May-2005, 05:36

Thanks to everyone for your advice---especially Tracy Storer! I just won a 100 year old C.P. Goerz 19" f/11 series IV double anastigmat on eBay for 12x20 work. Hot dog!

**David A. Goldfarb** · 1-May-2005, 07:42

Ole, what's different about the "Typ D" design? I've dated it from Schneider's serial number list, and I've taken it apart, and it looks like a Tessar.

**Ole Tjugen** · 1-May-2005, 08:07

According to the Vademecum, the Type D is a 3-element lens made "for small cameras only". I think my 150mm is 4 element in 3 groups - like a "regular" Xenar, but reversed: Cemented front group, strongly positive, and an air-spaced rear group which is neutral or slightly negative. From the 1930's on there were other f:3.5 Xenars of Tessar type; mine is 1928 and definitely no Tessar.

**David A. Goldfarb** · 1-May-2005, 08:24

Interesting. My 210/3.5 is a normal 4-element 3-group Tessar with the normal orientation. It's a heavy lens, definitely not for small cameras. Maybe the "Typ D" was only in certain focal lengths, or they started making the Tessar-type Xenar earlier than 1930, or maybe I've got a serial number anomaly.

I use it on the 5x7" Press Graflex, and mounted in the normal way it's just a tiny bit short to focus to infinity, but if I countersink the lensboard, I might be able to do it without hitting the mirror. The stock lens on that camera is a B&L 5x8 Tessar, which is probably around 240mm. The 210/3.5 Xenar just fits on a Graflex 4x4" lensboard, so I suspect it was made for a camera like this. As it is, I use the Xenar indoors when I might want the extra speed, and the Tessar outdoors when I might need infinity focus (and then, miracle of miracles, my 12"/6.8 Gold Dot Dagor in-barrel fits the same flange as the Tessar, so I use that one sometimes too. I have a 19" Apo Artar that also fits the flange, but not enough bellows on that camera, alas).