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Bill_1856
23-Jul-2010, 19:00
C.P.Goerz Berlin Dagor 120mm Series III #637642. Coated (blue) on inner and outer surfaces of both elements. Mounted in x-sync Compur shutter (T,B, 1-1/400) self-timer but no press focus. Threads of both elements are the same (where they screw into the shutter, and the same filter threads). Makes excellent negatives. (I bought it in the mid-70s at Lens & Repro.)
My problem is that there is no serial number on the rear element. I've been told that after WW2 Burke & James took pre-war lenses, coated them, and mounted in new shutters without carefully matching the front and rear elements. But if the rear element of my lens is a genuine Dagor shouldn't there be SOME serial number, even if it doesn't match the front element?

Jim Galli
23-Jul-2010, 20:47
I think the entire debacle of the Burke & James Dagor's is vastly overspoken. I've never had a bad one. I am willing to believe others who claim they did I suppose.

In yours' case I suppose if an original cell was available in factory barrel but a match wasn't found for it, they might have found another 120 element with no barrel and then machined one for it to make a complete set.

Why are people aghast that Bunk and Junk would do this, but will mix and match old Protar's all the day long and never worry about it at all.

Besides Dagor's I have many other Burke and James coated lenses from the late 1960's and it tickles me that people are afraid of them. I have a lovely coated Cooke Aviar, Bausch & Lomb Tessar, Cooke Knuckler, Ross Xpres, and 2 or three others that were sifted through that mill in the latter 1960's and they are among the best performers in my semi-vast arsenal.

In my book a classic with coating is cake and eat it too.

Jim Noel
24-Jul-2010, 07:33
I agree with Jim. I have a few Dagors with mismatched cells and see no difference in the quality of the images when compared with matched sets. If you are worried about yours, send it to me and I wil gladly test it for a few years.

Bill_1856
24-Jul-2010, 07:47
Thanks, Jim. I'm not worried about it, just curious. (Probably too much time on my hands, too.)

CP Goerz
24-Jul-2010, 08:59
I just had a peep at three dagors(14-19-24") and none have serial numbers on the rear, I think the Zeiss protars had serial numbers on the rear somewhat in the spirit of a raffle-sometimes you won but more often you didn't.

Scotty230358
2-Aug-2010, 11:28
C.P.Goerz Berlin Dagor 120mm Series III #637642. Coated (blue) on inner and outer surfaces of both elements. Mounted in x-sync Compur shutter (T,B, 1-1/400) self-timer but no press focus. Threads of both elements are the same (where they screw into the shutter, and the same filter threads). Makes excellent negatives. (I bought it in the mid-70s at Lens & Repro.)
My problem is that there is no serial number on the rear element. I've been told that after WW2 Burke & James took pre-war lenses, coated them, and mounted in new shutters without carefully matching the front and rear elements. But if the rear element of my lens is a genuine Dagor shouldn't there be SOME serial number, even if it doesn't match the front element?

Your post piqued my interest as I also have a Series III 120mm (serial #610814. Guess what, no numbers or markings on the rear element either. I am gratified that yours takes excellent pictures as I have not had the opportunity to test mine yet. Mine is mounted in a Compur Rapid shutter (T,B 1-1/400 and no press focus). I never knew they were made by Bausch and Lomb

J. Patric Dahlen
3-Aug-2010, 02:43
If it's marked "C.P. Goerz Berlin" then it's the real thing. Burke & James Dagors are marked "BERLIN DAGOR" without "Goerz" or "Serie III".

What you have is most likely a genuine pre 1926 Dagor that has been coated and refitted.

Scotty230358
3-Aug-2010, 09:43
If it's marked "C.P. Goerz Berlin" then it's the real thing. Burke & James Dagors are marked "BERLIN DAGOR" without "Goerz" or "Serie III".

What you have is most likely a genuine pre 1926 Dagor that has been coated and refitted.

Well, it looks like I have the real thing. God knows where I got Bausch and Lomb from.