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Thread: Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 7.5 inches - what's the color codes and 2nd lever for?

  1. #1

    Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 7.5 inches - what's the color codes and 2nd lever for?

    I just bought an Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 7.5 inches f/4.5, mounted on and Ilex #3 shutter. Big lens, big shutter. Information about it is rare (so is the lens, maybe) so I have three questions about this lens.

    1. What can you tell me about it? I sort of understand that it's a coated copy of the similar 1940 era Ektar lense, which was a Tessar design. Is that correct? Any other thoughts about it?

    2. What will it cover? I'm using it on a 4x5 caera right now, but some information I've found suggests that it will cover 5x7 and possible 8x10 - I wonder how much movment would be left at 8x10, however,

    3. Finally, there is a second, smaller, cocking lever on the side of the shutter. It's linked to a small roulette and an abreviated chart that reads: 23 Yellow, 20 Blue, 5 White and O Red. The only thing cocking this lever seems to change is that it induces a short delay (perhaps 1/2 s) between the time I release the shutter and the time it actually fires. What's that thing? Is it flash related?

  2. #2
    matthew blais's Avatar
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    Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 7.5 inches - what's the color codes and 2nd lever for?

    Check this site (S.K. Grimes). I just acquired a 4x5 yesterday that has an 163mm Ilex Paragon #3 with same thing..this link shold take you straight to the specs on the paragon.

    http://www.skgrimes.com/ilex/index.htm
    "I invent nothing, I rediscover"
    August Rodin

    My Now old Photo Site

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    Whatever David A. Goldfarb's Avatar
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    Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 7.5 inches - what's the color codes and 2nd lever for?

    The second lever is for flash sync. The numbers refer to milliseconds of delay, and the colors differentiate the settings. You want red or 0 delay for electronic strobes. The others are for flashbulbs.

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    Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 7.5 inches - what's the color codes and 2nd lever for?

    Your lens very likely is the same age as the Ektar's not a copy of. Both copied Zeiss tessar design. It is fairly common (ie. it would fetch about $80 on Ebay) but most are fine performers and a bargain for the price. I've made some fine negs with mine on 5X7. It covers 5X7 with slight moves but virtually all Tessars suffer from mtf fall-off a short percentage away from center. So with movements employed on 5X7 I know the edges may get a little mushy. You'll be surprised by the nice images you'll get on 4X5.

  5. #5

    Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 7.5 inches - what's the color codes and 2nd lever for?

    Thank you all for the quick answers on this lever and the color codes - it is meant for flash bulbs and I should have guessed that! Interesting to see nonetheless. I got the lens + shutter + board for the equivalent of about 110 US dollars. It's very clean. I saw a site asking 400 USD for the same combo.

    My only lens before this new one was a much older Laack 135/4.5 Anastigmat Popolyt (some kind of triplet) and I was already impressed with the results. I'm sure that the Paragon will blow me away, as long as I keep shooting B&W at least. Anyway, I mostly intend to contact print cyanotypes withthe negs.

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