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Thread: 300mm Imagon lens info needed

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Collinsville, CT USA
    Posts
    2,330

    300mm Imagon lens info needed

    I just acquired a 300mm Rodenstock Imagon in a Copal No. 3 shutter. Initially I acquired the Imagon to only reuse its Copal No. 3 shutter, but now am second guessing myself after receiving the lens. There is only a rear set of lens elements. Front ring on the shutter is marked "H=6,8". I assume this is the lens with the iris wide open having an aperture of f/6.8. Lens came with one soft focus disc. This soft focus disc is inserted in front of the lens. Turning the disk to have all of its openings open seems to indicate "H=9.5", I assume this indicates an aperture of f/9.5. Turning the disk to have only the center large opening open seems to indicate "H=11.5", I assume this indicates an aperture of f/11.5 with less of a soft focus effect. After a little research on Imagons, it seems like the lens initially came with three different soft focus discs. Not sure which of the three different discs I have. The lens seems to cover 8x10 without a problem. Since there are no aperture settings marked on the shutter, I assume the lens was used with the aperture wide open in conjunction with a soft focus disc. Each soft focus disc has two settings. I assume each disc has two settings for different soft focus effects and working apertures.

    FYI: my first 8x10 lens was a f/4.5 12" Wollensak Velostigmat with a front revolving "soft focus effect" lens ring. Used it from the mid 1970s to probably around 1985, but my photographic style never included a want of soft focus... I was pretty much 100% of the f/64 school.

    I am looking for some info on the lens before going out and shooting a few test negatives.

    thanks in advance...

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Loganville , GA
    Posts
    14,409

    Re: 300mm Imagon lens info needed

    A 300 Imagon in Copal came with 2 disks. You have the smaller of the 2. The missing one is 7.7 to 9.5. Those are H numbers, not F stops. Although you can use them as F stops.
    Softest results would be no disk. Sharpest would be your disk with all holes covered (periphery holes).
    Most often used for portraits would be 7.7.
    Because of the opening size of a Copal 3 the largest disk, 6.8 to 7.7, that came with shorter Imagons will not function on the 300 in Copal. So it was not made for it.
    Missing from your lens is also the ND filter and the push on hood.

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