Rodagon 135 or 150mm ?

[Martin Aislabie]

I am looking to buy a new Rodagon Enlarging Lens for 5x4.

Rodenstock offer two alternative lenses – the 135/f5.6 & 150/f5.6

I am confused as to the advantages and draw backs of the alternative choices :confused:

I have enough Enlarger Column height to make as large a print as I will ever intend with a 150mm lens – so magnification isn’t an issue.

Can someone help me out by explaining the differences between the 135 and the 150 (apart from the obvious 15mm :rolleyes: )

Thanks

Martin

[vinny]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the 150 gives you more coverage which usually means sharper reproduction from edge to egde over the 135. I wouldn't buy a new enlarger lens these days since they're a dime/dozen right now in the used market. If you can wait and search out an apo rodagon or componon, do that and you'll never wonder if you could have gotten a better lens. I've paid as much as $300 and as little as $12 for enlarging lenses and they're all really good.

[Gem Singer]

The 150 has a larger image circle than the 135.

More coverage for 4X5. Less fall off around the edges.

Since you have the enlarger column height to handle it, the 150 would be a better choice.

[Bob Salomon]

There is also the matter of lens board size. The 150mm is physically much larger and has a 50mm diameter thread mount. The 135mm has the standard 39mm Leica thread mount. The 135mm also has the same pre-set aperture selector ring as the 50 to 105mm Rodagons, the 150mm does not have the pre-set feature. Lastly is cost. The 135mm new is quite a bit less then the 150mm.

[JW Dewdney]

the 135 isn't much of a problem at smaller (closer to 1:1) repro ratios. It's limitations become apparent though as you make bigger prints. But if you're not doing really big prints - it should be just fine.

[Bob Salomon]

the 135 isn't much of a problem at smaller (closer to 1:1) repro ratios. It's limitations become apparent though as you make bigger prints. But if you're not doing really big prints - it should be just fine.

Both the 135mm Rodagon and the 150mm Rodagon are optimized for the same magnification range, 2 to 10x prints.

[Drew Wiley]

I mostly use a 180 Rodagon for 4x5 because it provides much more even illumination across this format than the shorter focal lengths. However, at one time
when I had a more cramped work space, I did use the 135 Rodagon for making 20x24 color prints from 4x5 and it was certainly sharp enough, and had fine color resolution too, though I later found myself using it more for medium format enlargement. Another lens I frequently use nowadays is the 150 Apo-Rodagon - now there's a real gem in this focal length!

[Shen45]

I have had, and a friend has a 135mm Rodagon and a 150 Rodagon [both newer style ] and the results are stunningly good. I cannot see any difference in prints done with either the 135 or 150.

Measured on the baseboard of my DeVere the fall off corner to corner with either lens was .1 of a stop measured with my minolta spot.

My friend uses the 135 especially for doing larger prints. Without being told I cannot tell which lens made which print.

[Martin Aislabie]

Lens mount size isn't an issue - I will buy an additional mount for it - which would would become my main Enlarging Lens.

Martin

[Martin Aislabie]

Lens mount size isn't an issue - I will buy an additional mount for it - as it would become my main Enlarging Lens.

Martin

[JW Dewdney]

Both the 135mm Rodagon and the 150mm Rodagon are optimized for the same magnification range, 2 to 10x prints.

yes indeed bob. I'm sure that's true.

[ic-racer]

I don't have the spec sheets on those lenses, but between the Schneider 135 and 150, the only significant difference is enlarger head height. The MTF and light falloff curves are very close. I went with the 150, because it is just a hair better in the spec sheets.

This shows the superimposed light falloff. The Red is the 150. Green is the 135.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/composite.jpg

[Bob Salomon]

The Rodenstock curves on all of their lenses is available on their web page.

[Martin Aislabie]

Bob, I looked for that sort of info but couldn't find it on the Linos Web Site - http://www.linos.com/pages/no_cache/home/shop-optik/rodenstock-foto-objektive/vergroesserungstechnikccd/?sid=13384&cHash=43eaad4aa0#

I could find a spec sheet for the 50mm Rodagon but none of the other Rodagon Lenses

Am I looking in the wrong place?

Thanks for the help

Martin

[Tom Monego]

I'd go for the 150, more coverage and theoretically more sharpness. What you loose is the ability for larger prints. If you want 16x20 prints get the 135, and you will just make it on a standard D2, just under on a Bessler. For 8x10 or 11x14 a 150 would be fine. Had a 150 on both a Bessler and a D-2.

Tom

[Bob Salomon]

Bob, I looked for that sort of info but couldn't find it on the Linos Web Site - http://www.linos.com/pages/no_cache/home/shop-optik/rodenstock-foto-objektive/vergroesserungstechnikccd/?sid=13384&cHash=43eaad4aa0#

I could find a spec sheet for the 50mm Rodagon but none of the other Rodagon Lenses

Am I looking in the wrong place?

Thanks for the help

Martin

Go to our web page: www.hpmarketingcorp.com
click on Rodenstock and go to the bottom of that page and
click on the link to the Rodenstock web site.
Look on the right edge of that page for the pdf files for the lenses.

Or use this link:

http://www.linos.com/pages/mediabase/original/e_Rodenstock_Photo_Optics_1-75__8347.pdf

[Turner Reich]

Moving it up a bit, how does the Apo Rodagon 240 compare? Bob do you think the Rodagon 150 is better, worse, or the same as a 1980's El Nikkor 150? I mean a little bit more or less. I would like to see the spec sheet with the 240 included.

Thanks and good luck Martin, I'd go with the 150 also if you can get it mounted on your enlarger.

[Bob Salomon]

Moving it up a bit, how does the Apo Rodagon 240 compare? Bob do you think the Rodagon 150 is better, worse, or the same as a 1980's El Nikkor 150? I mean a little bit more or less. I would like to see the spec sheet with the 240 included.

Thanks and good luck Martin, I'd go with the 150 also if you can get it mounted on your enlarger.

It doesn't. The Apo Rodagon 240mm was a process lens not an enlarging lens. The longest Apo Rodagon enlarging lens was the 180mm which was replaced with the 150mm Apo Rodagon-N. Both are discontinued and out of production but the 150 Apo Rodagon-N was a much better performer then the 180 that it replaced.

Also to be considered, and also out of production, was the 120 Rodagon WA. This lens while a short focal length would deliver performance in the range of the Apo Rodagon-N.
Of course, all this presupposes the use of a glass carrier, a properly aligned enlarger and printing within the optimal aperture range of the lens and the optimal magnification range of the lens.
Magnification ranges of the lenses:
135 and 150mm Rodagon - 2 to 10x
120mm Rodagon WA 4 to 15x
150mm Apo Rodagon-N 2 to 15x
180mm Apo Rodagon 3 to 12x

And for mural prints:
150mm Rodagon G 10 to 40x

[Allen in Montreal]

..... but the 150 Apo Rodagon-N was a much better performer then the 180 that it replaced.

Also to be considered, and also out of production, was the 120 Rodagon WA. This lens while a short focal length would deliver performance in the range of the Apo Rodagon-N.......



Bob,

I have a standard Rodagon 150 (current generation I believe), I find it a very sharp lens with a great "feel or palette" for lack of better words at the moment, overall, just a great lens. How much better can the 120 or the apo 150 really be?

[Bob Salomon]

Bob,

I have a standard Rodagon 150 (current generation I believe), I find it a very sharp lens with a great "feel or palette" for lack of better words at the moment, overall, just a great lens. How much better can the 120 or the apo 150 really be?

Much better. Especially at larger sizes.

[ic-racer]

Go to our web page: www.hpmarketingcorp.com
click on Rodenstock and go to the bottom of that page and
click on the link to the Rodenstock web site.
Look on the right edge of that page for the pdf files for the lenses.

Or use this link:

http://www.linos.com/pages/mediabase/original/e_Rodenstock_Photo_Optics_1-75__8347.pdf

I could not find falloff or MTF curves for the 150 or 135 in either of those places.

[Bob Salomon]

I could not find falloff or MTF curves for the 150 or 135 in either of those places.

Apparently they only posted 50mm curves, sorry about that. I do have a printed brochure that has all of the Rodagon and Rodagon WA lenses and another one for the Apo Rodagon-N lenses and these do have for the 135 and 150 Rodagon MTF at 6x at f5.6 and at f11, relative light fall-off curves at 6x, distortion from 10x to 2 x curves and longitudinal color aberration curves at 6x.

The Rodagon/Rodagon WA brochure alone is 12 double sided pages so if someone wants to scan it I will mail them a copy of the brochure. Or if you want a copy for yourself of either of the brochures and/or the same one for the Rodagon G lenses I would be happy to make a copy and mail it to an address in the USA. I do not have the time to scan these myself.

If you are interested send an email to info@hpmarketingcorp.com. Do not request these by forum mail!

[Martin Aislabie]

If anyone is going to take Bob up on his offer, I would be interested in a scan of the results.

I don't fall within Bobs criteria of the USA

Thanks

Martin

[Martin Aislabie]

If anyone is going to take Bob up on his offer, I would be interested in a scan of the results.

I don't fall within Bobs criteria of the USA

Thanks

Martin

Guys, I now have the info - thanks

I e-mailed Rodenstock in Germany, who replied with the data sheets for the 135 and 150mm lenses.

My take on the comparison of the MFT is there is very little difference between the two lenses, both are very very good but the 150 would be just a fraction sharper in the corners.

Thanks everyone for there help, advice and experiences :)

Martin