Rodenstock Imagon

[Tin Can]

https://www.cameraeccentric.com/static/img/pdfs/rodenstock_1.pdf

I have 3, all complete with discs, hoods and filter

250 mm in Copal 3 in OE box

360 mm no shutter in OE box

420 mm no shutter no box

All VGC

I just got the 420 today, it is cleanest of all, KEH EX and way cheaper than the others on sale same moment

The literature I have read, said the 420 and 480 are pre WWII only, yet the 420 looks newest, all exact same style hoods and strainers, same expanding spring ring design. All coated? Hard to see.

I am not an expert with these but want to match my actual vision, meaning my fuzzy eyesight in fact, in lens, on GG and hopefully in print.

"Sandy King: Photography
Notes on Pictorialism"
Link below
https://sandykingphotography.com/resources/technical-writing/notes-on-pictorialism

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51281418953_80266f6cb4_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/N2Y5p3)IMAGON 3 (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/N2Y5p3) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[Mark Sawyer]

The literature I have read, said the 420 and 480 are pre WWII only, yet the 420 looks newest, all exact same style hoods and strainers, same expanding spring ring design. All coated? Hard to see.

My 420 and 480 are both coated and look to be quite post-WWII. Alas, the 480 suffers from snowflake separation, and I don't know anyone who fixes such things. Pity...

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51273126848_540baa21a0_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2m7Qbhq)Sinar Norma 420mm Rodenstock Imagon Homemade Board (https://flic.kr/p/2m7Qbhq) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Here's my 420mm Rodenstock Imagon. My Clockmaker friend made the homemade "forward mounting" with the appropriate spacing. This is a big lens; the flange is bigger than the board itself. The Norma Shutter diameter is about 84mm across. The rear cell on this Big Baby is about 94mm across. So the rear cell diameter is bigger than the Norma Shutter diameter.I've used this for 8x10 B&W headshots and it is outstanding. Wish I had more than just the H5.8-H7.7 disk. I'd like to have some custom 3D printed. That would be a real service.

[Daniel Unkefer]

My 420 and 480 are both coated and look to be quite post-WWII. Alas, the 480 suffers from snowflake separation, and I don't know anyone who fixes such things. Pity...

Hi Mark,

Ask Jason Lane (the dry plate Guy) about it. He might be able to fix your separation?

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52333380066_1156a03a42_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2nJwfCj)Alice 1995 200mm Imagon 4x5 Norma (https://flic.kr/p/2nJwfCj) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Alice 1995 4x5 Norma 200mm Imagon HP5 D76 1:1 Photogenic Mini Spotlight "Imagon Lighting". She liked this one and I did too

[xkaes]

Thanks for mentioning this. Of the 250mm, 360mm, 420mm, and 480mm, I was only aware of the Imagon 250mm -- but I should add that Rodenstock also made 200mm and 300mm Imagons.

That PDF doesn't mention the 420mm or 480mm at all.

[Daniel Unkefer]

I also used to own a 120mm and a 150mm Imagon. The cells both fit the same helical. Glenn Evans modified the Schmachtenburg Helical to fit the Exakta 66/Pentacon Six. He also designed and created a "prolongation tube" for the 150mm. Impeccible work.

https://live.staticflickr.com/1475/24905205950_d40c93ba62_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/DWMG3A)2016-02-22 16.49.40 (https://flic.kr/p/DWMG3A) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

[xkaes]

A 120mm and 150mm Imagon. I learn something new every day. From 120mm to 480mm. That covers all the bases.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Yep. Hey somebody here should make and sell 3D printed Imagon Disks. Some of us are hurtin' for certain ones. I'll bet you could sell here or Ebay. There was a Guy in Italy on Ebay for a while making these.

[xkaes]

That's the best idea I've heard all week! OK, so the week is still young, but they should be easy to make -- and make some for the THREE FUJINON SF lenses, too. Congo made a 200mm soft-focus lens as well -- which I assume used discs.

Are there others?

[Peter De Smidt]

Failing that, just make some circular apertures out of opaque stock. I generally prefer images made without the small peripheral holes, but obviously that's a matter of taste. Personally, I used a cnc machine at my library to make some apertures from dark slides from old and ruined film holders, but I'm sure lots of other things would work. Even non-completely-opaque ones could be fun.

[Daniel Unkefer]

The H/Stop Imagon Disks can be rare as hen's teeth in big sizes. Spenive too! Myself I close the "Imagon Petals", too much of a good thing! Seems a bit more contrasty with petals closed. Prefer it. There just do the math and in regular F/Stops Please :) F5.6 F8 F11 F16 These would get some use I can tell you. The lens cap for these has a leather circle that pops out, that's yer exterior diameter. Focal length divided by distance in millimeters. Pretty easy to configure. The Guy in Italy scanned actual units, and 3D printed them with different sized holes ready to go. So they just pop into the front of Imagons and they fit tightly

[Peter De Smidt]

Yes, the filter holder works well for holding DIY apertures.

[Maris Rusis]

https://live.staticflickr.com/885/41176369011_761a493abd_z.jpg
Here's my 42cm Imagon in a shutter with H5.8-7.7, H7.7-9.5, H9.5-11.5 "sink strainers".
The Zettor shutter requires a high force and long throw cable release.

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51168614019_4ce04c8307_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kXAwg6)DSC02697 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2kXAwg6) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

250mm Imagon matching pair (one barrel one in lower spot, and compound shutter top taking lens in top).

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52338884935_0c60a8e80c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2nK1t2R)SONY DSC (https://flic.kr/p/2nK1t2R) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

I had an excess pile of Imagon parts not matching. I cobbled this together with JBWeld. Could be a 200mm cell group not really sure. But it is sure sweet on the Makiflexes. Extension tubes China Ebay, a good well made extendable system. This is perfect to use on the Makis. Basically making something useful out of scraps. This would be great on a Graflex or Speed Graphic

[Mark Sawyer]

Yep. Hey somebody here should make and sell 3D printed Imagon Disks. Some of us are hurtin' for certain ones. I'll bet you could sell here or Ebay. There was a Guy in Italy on Ebay for a while making these.

Or get some properly-sized lens caps and drill out your own to the effect you desire. I always found the f/5.8 disk with the holes open is still too sharp for Pictorial work.

[Duolab123]

Beautiful stuff.

[Peter De Smidt]

I always found the f/5.8 disk with the holes open is still too sharp for Pictorial work.

I think so, too.

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/5513/30160624653_36f14ee418_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MXc5VT)Makiflex Std 250 Imagon Foma 200 2 (https://flic.kr/p/MXc5VT) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Makiflex Std, 250mm Rodenstock Imagon, H5.8 Imagon Disk with Imagon ND Filter, Foma 200 roll film, Legacy Pro Mic-X, Replenished.

https://live.staticflickr.com/5723/30717824571_cf9d978110_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NNqT42)250 Imagon Makiflex Foma (https://flic.kr/p/NNqT42) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/),
in Flickr

Makiflex Std, 250mm Rodenstock Imagon, H5.8 Imagon Disk with Imagon ND Filter, Foma 200 roll film, Legacy Pro Mic-X, Replenished.

[Mark Sawyer]

This is as soft as my 360mm Imagon gets with the h/5.8 disk (holes open).

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52341341776_93e5241c2f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2nKe4nb)

[Mark Sawyer]

For comparison, here's one from my 300mm Imagon wide open, no disk.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51159589017_da6b8f9751.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kWNgrB)

[Tin Can]

Like both Mark

but do worry about black eye

that little sparkle on the ring is nice too

[Mark Sawyer]

Like both Mark

but do worry about black eye

that little sparkle on the ring is nice too

Thank you! Yeah, the black eye is a bit worrisome, but that's what happens when little girls put on make-up! On the original print, you can see a little Kuhn-bug where the ring sparkles. I hate Kuhn-bugs...

[Daniel Unkefer]

Yep. I sold my two smaller P6 mount Imagons to "Mr. Pentacon Six", a friend from the crazy Kiev Delphi Forums. He did an extensive writeup on the lenses, on his website http://www.pentaconsix.com/

Edit: He must have sold them on, I don't see them there anymore. They worked good on my Makiflexes

These days I still have all the Imagons from 200mm up to 420mm. Matching lens pairs I use on my 5x7 Norma Twin Lens in 200mm and 250mm

[Serge S]

Is an imagon hard to focus?
Just wondering as the image is softer by design...wondering how it's done or if anything special techniques are involved.

Thanks in advance!

[Corran]

New Imagon user but from my short experience thus far the "core" image is very sharp and easy to focus. Take a look at the two latest images I've posted (here or on Instagram) and you'll see the Imagon has some snap to it, along with the soft diffusion and "bloom."

I have yet to use any strainers.

Now I want one of the wider focal lengths as well (150mm) for wider imaging / smaller formats...and maybe a big one for ULF... :)

[Daniel Unkefer]

Indeed it is almost there are two images superimposed. The hard core sharpness (distinct sharp eyelashes, for instance) pore detail (fidelity!), but with an overlying softness. "Blooming" is a good description. The classic way to use the Imagon is with specular sharp light, like spotlighting, nowadays with those new specular studio lights. To get the maximum famous "Imagon Effect". I have a lot of old literature, some in German. Imagons are cool

https://live.staticflickr.com/5723/30717824571_cf9d978110_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NNqT42)250 Imagon Makiflex Foma (https://flic.kr/p/NNqT42) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Makiflex Std, 250mm Rodenstock Imagon, H5.8 Imagon Disk with Imagon ND Filter, Foma 200 roll film, Legacy Pro Mic-X, Replenished.

[Bernice Loui]

Imagon and other Soft Focus lenses are NOT difficult to focus, focusing is a learned skill. Suspect part of the focusing difficulty comes from using normal "sharp" lenses that have a hard transition from in to out of focus. Soft focus lenses tend to have a soften core of softness surrounded by areas of low contrast dispersed image light which can cause confusion due to the lack of hard transitions from in to out of focus.

~Focus at the exposure aperture is essential. These are not focus at full aperture then "stop down" to exposure lenses.. Not gonna work.

Soft focus lenses will lower image contrast, this is inherent with soft focus lenses. They work best when hard light is used, image tend to become low contrast mush when diffused or "soft" light is used with soft focus lenses.

233432

233431

233433

200mm Imagon, H7.7 disc, Linhof TK23s...


If the Imagon bugs are not wanted, use the strainer disc with the holes closed or make a round aperture disc as needed to control the degree of softness, Not exposure aperture. Controlling exposure "f-stop#" should be done using ND filters or dialing the lighting up or down or by shutter speed or film ISO..


Bernice

[Tin Can]

I shot this sitter very quickly 100's of D750 Zoom Lens Paul C Buff Strobes

after I shot as tribute to Josephine Baker with Delta 100 11X14 360 Imagon big holes

Wonderful model, done in 30 minutes, then we drank red wine

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50792136346_5b6e5334a9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kojYyJ)Erin B&W (https://flic.kr/p/2kojYyJ) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50792801507_398fe1cacd_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/v0y87nh0Yf)For Barbara X-Ray Erin as Ms Baker (https://www.flickr.com/gp/tincancollege/v0y87nh0Yf) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[Mark Sawyer]

Regarding focusing the Imagon, or any other lens with pronounced soft focus, the "soft" part of the image is still a sharp image, just at a different focusing distance. It's the photographer's choice to pick where in the range of focus distances the image works best, and another photographer may make a different choice. It takes some experience to achieve what you want, which is why Wollensak called its soft focus Verito "the lens that improves with acquaintance".

As changing the aperture changes depth-of-field, it also changes the soft effect so that what was the soft image becomes sharper and the dominant plane of sharp focus often shifts, focusing should always be done at the taking aperture. Soft focus is really just a very pronounced form of focus-shift, both being caused by the same phenomenon: spherical aberration.

Pretty much restating what Bernice said...

[Tin Can]

Sort of like riding a bike

First you are in the ditch, then the other ditch

after awhile you meet a beautiful person and ride straight

I wish I could have taken pics of my best model.................... forever

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/8275107655_99c02288ec_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/dBf6cV)001 (https://flic.kr/p/dBf6cV) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

My other Plaubel Makiflex Automatic, with 120mm Rodenstock Imagon (soft focus) lens. I used a Durst Enlarger Recessed Cone to recess the lens to a regular lensboard, so now, it easily focuses to infinity. Great lens and very fun equipment to use.

[xkaes]

If the Imagon bugs are not wanted, use the strainer disc with the holes closed or make a round aperture disc as needed to control the degree of softness, Not exposure aperture. Controlling exposure "f-stop#" should be done using ND filters or dialing the lighting up or down or by shutter speed or film ISO..


Bernice

With a LOT of lenses -- not just SF lenses -- users tend to forget about using ND filters in order to keep the f-stop static. Sure, there are plenty of situations where you can keep the desired f-stop by adjusting the shutter speed, but other times that won't work. ND filters can come to the rescue.

[Daniel Unkefer]

With the 150 f2.8 Xenotar, with it's jagged beautiful bokeh, I only use that lens wide open. In bright light I have two 4XND filters I stack together, which gets me to where I want and need to be with that unique lens. It's worth the trouble. Same is also done with my nearly complete Imagon collection. ND's can be accumulated cheaply and stacked. With the Sinar Norma Shutter I use 4x4" ND gels, it has a built-in gel filter holder, also fits round 103mm Norma Glass Disks

Somebody here should make 3D Imagon Discs in all the sizes. Many here are missing the vital ones, the really really big ones are nearly impossible to find and uber expensive generally. I'd buy quite a few, if the product is good. Well worth it

[xkaes]

Somebody here should make 3D Imagon Discs in all the sizes. Many here are missing the vital ones, the really really big ones are nearly impossible to find and uber expensive generally. I'd buy quite a few, if the product is good. Well worth it

That has got to be a really easy task / simple project for someone into 3D printing -- or wanting to learn. And these discs are not just used with Imagon lenses.

PLUS, they could be made in different designs from the originals.

But count me out. I have enough problems getting my simple ink-jet printers to work!

[Peter De Smidt]

I cnc'd mine at my local library. It's not hard.