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View Full Version : Rodenstock-Ysarex 150mm 4.5 ??



Bill Riggs
26-Aug-1999, 14:10
Does anyone know anything about a Rodenstock-Ysarex 150mm 4.5 lens. It came on a Graflex Centruy 4X5 that I reciently purchased but I have seen it advertised as a Graflex XL lens. Any info would be appreciated.

Jimi
8-Sep-1999, 08:48
Unfortunately I don't know that much either, except my lens was manufactured in the mid-sixties, and that it's pretty sharp, although a thirty-something years old lens isn't comparable to a new lens.

I don't have any idea what kind of lens design it is.

It was probably bought new, together with the Arca-Swiss I have. It has a Compur shutter.

Kendrick Pereira
9-Jul-2006, 03:17
Ysarex lenses are generally Tessar-type lenses. The makers claimed an anjular coverage of 55 degrees in the sixties - I don't know if this is out of date.

Is this what you wanted to know?

John Kasaian
9-Jul-2006, 08:58
I don't know about the Ysarex, but I had a Ysaron (are they related?) 127mm very sharp, just barely covering 4x5. If the "rex" is anything like the "ron" it should be an outstanding performer with more useful wiggle room than the "ron" I'm guessing.

Dan Fromm
9-Jul-2006, 11:44
Bill, look at your camera and lens.

The Century Graphic was made in only one size, 2x3. If you have a Century, it isn't 4x5. And the Graflex XL is a 2x3 camera that accepted 6x9, 6x7, and 6x6 backs. It isn't safe to expect an XL lens to cover more than nominal 6x9.

Your lens might be a 105/4.5. In which case its a macro lens made for shooting at magnfications > 1:1 on a Polaroid MP-3 camera and it is most likely in a Prontor Press shutter. If so, tessar type and performance at normal distances unknown, you'll have to ask it.

Arne Croell
9-Jul-2006, 12:29
Ysars (mostly pre-WWII), Ysarons, and Ysarex' are all Tessar types by Rodenstock. The Ysaron was an enlargement lens (i.e. corrected for macro distances), and the Ysarex the infinity-corrected taking lens. According to the Vademecum, the Ysarex was made in focal lengths from 50-210mm and was a new design employing Lanthanum glass. The glass does not contain Thorium, as they are not radioactive (at least the 150mm I checked wasn't).

Jimi
11-Jul-2006, 06:26
Hey, this is close to stone age archaeology, fellows! But it's at least nice to know what kind of lens it was that I had once... :D (The lens and camera I sold to a gentleman from Oslo - it was, ahhh, let me see... 5 years ago!)

dongadda
19-Apr-2011, 10:20
The 150 Ysarex is a great lense. I looked quite a while before I found any specs on it. Rodenstock Germany informed me that it has a image circle of 190 mm at f22 and 160 at f4.5. From my experience this is an understatement. I can see no vignetting at 4.5. I have used this lens mainly for landscapes and the results are beautiful. Shot wide open it has a great bokeh. As to sharpness it is equal to or better from many of the so called "modern" lenses. Don

Mick Howe
18-Oct-2011, 05:57
The 150 Ysarex is a great lense. I looked quite a while before I found any specs on it. Rodenstock Germany informed me that it has a image circle of 190 mm at f22 and 160 at f4.5. From my experience this is an understatement. I can see no vignetting at 4.5. I have used this lens mainly for landscapes and the results are beautiful. Shot wide open it has a great bokeh. As to sharpness it is equal to or better from many of the so called "modern" lenses. Don

Hi Don, I'm a complete novice when it comes to L/F, I've just bought an Cambo SC without lens just picked up today an old lens as above for £60, my intended use is also landscape.The Cambo came with three lens boards I think they two are "o" boards and the other one has an over enlarged hole and none of these fit the lens, could you please point me in the right direction, could I re drill one of the boards to fit the lens.

Many thanks Mick.:confused:

jwanerman
18-Oct-2011, 16:51
I use he 210mm Ysarex on my Wisner and SINAR Norma cameras on a regular basis. It is a Tessar design with a Lanthinum element. No complaints, it is a great lens.

Mark Sampson
18-Oct-2011, 17:11
Mick, you can drill out one of your boards to fit your lens, or find a machine shop to do it. Or find a Cambo board that's already the right size- the hole size is determined by the size & make of the shutter. KEH or MPEX might be good places to look for one, and of course Calumet (who own Cambo anyway) should have new lensboards.

rjmeyer314
19-Oct-2011, 11:53
I have a Ysarex 127mm lens that I took off an old Polaroid and now use on a Speed Graphic. My general impression is that it's probably sharper than the Graflex Optar that I use on my Super Graphic.

davidbiro92
8-Oct-2017, 10:21
I've recently bought a Linhof Technika IV kit with a Rodenstock-Ysarex 150mm f4.5 from a previous owner. Unfortunately I've just stepped into the world of LF and I am not really familiar with these lenses. Is it recommended to use or should I consider buying a newer lens? I found a great offer, a Rodenstock Sironar-N MC 150mm f5.6 and Iam thinking of buying it, but I really need some help first.

Should I stick to the Ysarex or is it worth to buy the Sironar? Is there any reasonable difference between them? I am a fine art photographer, so the quality is very important to me and I can buy this Sironar very cheap right now. Thanks for any reply.

Steve Goldstein
8-Oct-2017, 12:48
If you can afford it, buy the Sironar-N and keep the Ysarex. They're very different lenses, and you might find you prefer one or the other in certain situations. The Ysarex is a Tessar design, lots of people like Tessars. The Sironar-N is a Plasmat design and has more coverage, lots of people like Plasmats. You can always sell one of them on later after you've compared the results and made your decision.

Jac@stafford.net
8-Oct-2017, 13:02
First things first. Try the Ysarex now or you will never know how well, or not, it works.

r_a_feldman
8-Oct-2017, 18:35
I have a Ysar 135mm f4.5. It is a nice small lens, which I use on a Japanese half-plate field camera adapted to 4x5. It covers 4x5, but with not much extra coverage for movements.