Serial # range of multi-coated Apo-Ronars

[marduk]

I have read that Apo-Ronars sold in shutter were multi-coated. I can get myself now an Apo-Ronar 300mm (in shutter) made between 1966-1970. However there is also an opinion that multicoated ones should have either marked MC on the front lens cell or with a blue ring around it). This lens doesn't have such feature. Are there chances it is multi-coated? Do I lose any imaging capabilities by getting the single-coated one?

By the way, I also learned from a respectful source that both schneider & rodenstock did multicoating on their LF lenses from the early 1960 onward. They only started putting MC on the lenses later. The later lenses have many more layers on them than the earlier ones but most have 3 to 5 even from 1960 and
this qualify as multicoated.
Please share your experience with Apo-Ronars.

[Bob Salomon]

Rodenstock marks a lens multi coated when their coatings meet their specifications and requirements that the lens is actually multi coated. Multicoatin could (to some people's mond) mean more then one coat. Or coating on more then one elemnet. That is not multicoating. One company from Japan was recently selling their product as multicoated when they placed all the coatings on the front of their filter and none on the rear.

If a Rodenstock lens is not marked MC you should assume that it does not fully meet the factory requirements to be multicoated.

An Apo Ronar lens is a lens that was designed for process camera work where the light is very tightly controlled in the shooting room. So these lenses are coated but usually not multicoated and the factory literature on process lenses (including the Apo Ronar as well as the photographic lens brochure with the Apo Ronar or the taking lens slim jim with the Apo Ronar have no reference to any coatings whatsoever on the Apo Ronar.

All of the brochures, taking lens, taking lens slim jim and graphic arts lens booklet specifically state that the Apo Ronar/Apo Ronar CL lenses are designed for 1:1, optimal scale is 1:10 to 10X @f22 only - up to 600mm, f32 over 600mm.

Checking an earlier 1985 brochure from the year before we became the Rodenstock distributor also has no mention on the coating of what they called the the Apo Ronar Process Lens.. Neither are coatings mentioned in the 1982 process lens brochure or the older one marked 543-49-04-00319, or an 87 slim jim on their process lenses, nor in the factory 2/72 catalog sheet on the Apo Ronar, nor does a 6/82 factory catalog on the process lenses.

BUT in the 12/78 Rodenstock factory Process Lens brochure the following statement is made: "RODENSTOCK PROCESS LENSES
Rodenstock offers (used to not anymore) a lens range to meet all requirements of current (1978) process technology. The lens surfaces ARE COATED and remain wipe and scratch resistant"
and the very last blue ring ones were not newer technology. They just mounted the ones that were left for sale in mounts with the blue ring. Once they were gone no more were made. So there is your answer. They are coated, not multi coated.

[marduk]

Thanks, Bob! I couldn't have hoped for a better reply.
I forgot to mention that I am planning to use Apo-Ronar as a long lens for landscapes/nature shots on the 4x5.
I'm wondering now, is it worth it to pay $70-100 more for a 1979 production year lens than for a 1967 one, if both are in fine condition?

[Dan Fromm]

Um, Marduk, I have two 150/9 Apo Ronars. Long story. One made around 1960, the other around 1985. The 1960 is marginally better, but in truth I'd be happy with either.

From which I conclude that you should buy the less expensive lens.

[Bob Salomon]

Um, Marduk, I have two 150/9 Apo Ronars. Long story. One made around 1960, the other around 1985. The 1960 is marginally better, but in truth I'd be happy with either.

From which I conclude that you should buy the less expensive lens.

But that result may be from handling over the years by different owners or one lens may have been optimized for a special purpose and the other is the regular process lens optimization.

[Dan Fromm]

Bob, you're right about the possibility that one of my 150/9 Apo Ronars had an easier life than the other. But they're both Klimsch Apo Ronars, so I expect they have the same optimizations.

The only way for the original poster to know for sure which of the lenses he's considering is better to buy both and test them. Otherwise all he and we can do is speculate.

Cheers,

Dan

[Bob Salomon]

Bob, you're right about the possibility that one of my 150/9 Apo Ronars had an easier life than the other. But they're both Klimsch Apo Ronars, so I expect they have the same optimizations.

The only way for the original poster to know for sure which of the lenses he's considering is better to buy both and test them. Otherwise all he and we can do is speculate.

Cheers,

Dan

As long as Klimsch didn't have them optimized for different ratios because they were to be used on different size cameras for shooting different size originals. They probably did not need a pair for use on the same camera.

[Dan Fromm]

Thanks for the correction, Bob. This reinforces the idea that the OP should buy both lenses and test.

[Warren Clark]

Hi marduk,

my 480 Apo Ronar is marked MC and just as a point of reference the serial
number is 10489xxx. I'm not sure of the manufacture date but that info was
referenced in a VC magazine article several years ago.
Excellent lens and in Copal 3 shutter.

Warren Clark
Ft. Collins, Colo.

[Dan Fromm]

Warren, the chronologies I have show 10 000 000 in 1979, 10 500 000 in '84, so yours was made in '83 or '84.

[Glen Krueger]

I have the following Rodenstock Apo-Ronar lenses:

Rodenstock Apo-Ronar MC 1:9/240mm S/N 10 459 921 on Copal no. 1 shutter
Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 1:9/480mm (no MC marking) S/N 7710719 on Ilex no. 5 Universal Synchro shutter

These are for sale right now on eBay, along with a huge collection of other large format camera gear from my father's estate.

[Philippe Grunchec]

I also have an Apo-Ronar 9/480 marked MC (n°10959508) in Copal 3!

[Dan Fromm]

150/9 Apo Ronar, s/n 10 364 641, not marked MC.

[marduk]

Thanks everyone for the input. If you can also suggest some galleries to see the photos made with any Apo-Ronar online I'd be most thankful.

[Charles Young]

Hi Marduk,

I have a 300mm f9 apo-ronar which has "MC" markings. The glass has the distinctive multi-color reflection of multi-coating. I will post the S/N when I get home.


Cheers,

Charles Young
www.paisagembrasileira.com

[Charles Young]

Hi Marduk,

My 300mm f9 apo-ronar "MC" S/N is 10531xxx.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Charles Young
www.paisagembrasileira.com

[Bob Salomon]

Hi Marduk,

My 300mm f9 apo-ronar "MC" S/N is 10531xxx.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Charles Young
www.paisagembrasileira.com

1984