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View Full Version : Holy image circle! A 28" IC for an old 14" f/7.7 Dagor?



Mattk
4-Oct-2010, 16:21
I have an old Hugo Meyer Double Anastigmat 14 1/4" f/7.7 that I picked up badly fogged on the auction site a year or two ago. For some crazy reason I sent it off to Focal Point to re-cement and clean up--the price of which was about 4 times the price of the lens. The lens cleaned up well for the most part (some interior specks) but I hadn't had time measure the image circle till now. Roughly 28" and when you pull an element it goes to around 56"! My 8yr old son helped hold the white board in darkened bathroom and gasped when he saw the 56" image. Guess I don't need to worry about coverage on the 8x10! Is this coverage typical of 14" dagors?

Steve Hamley
4-Oct-2010, 16:57
Mattk,

Are you sure your subject is at infinity and the lens is 14-1/4" from the wall? Remember tje image circle gets bigger as you go "macro".

12x20 takes about 600mm IC (24") to cover, and I have an old but beautiful 14" f:7.7 Goerz Series III Double Anastigmat that covers with a some room to spare, and is actually reasonably sharp which was a pleasant surprise. With these lenses, the corners on 12x20 will likely not be great but fine for contact printing.

So I think the answer is yes considering a 28" IC on 12x20 seems about right.

Cheers, Steve

Mattk
4-Oct-2010, 17:23
Steve,

Infinity no--but not macro. I'd say focused on an object 100ft away--this was by no means precise but just a rough look at the circle on a dry erase board. I'll try a more accurate test tomorrow--in general I was just impressed with that big orb of an image! Do you use yours only for b&w or some color as well? Thanks for the info.

Matt

Steve Hamley
5-Oct-2010, 03:58
Only B&W, there's no ULF color film so a lens with this much illumination isn't needed on smaller formats. I typically use a 14" Commercial Ektar for 8x10 color on the fairly rare occasion I shoot it.

BTW, 28" for a 14" lens is "only" 90 degree illumination circle, not that unusual for old Dagors and Double Anastigmats. The trick seems to be getting one that's still pretty clean and relatively sharp.

If you want to see a bigger circle, try to find a Seies IV Double Anastigmat or Dagor. I have a 19" Series IV that covers 20x24 wide open according to the person I bought it from, and it fits in a Copal #3.

BTW, how did Focal Point do? Good job?

Cheers, Steve

Mattk
12-Oct-2010, 17:40
Steve,

I don't have any other experience than Focal Point and they were helpful and willing to talk about the service as well as provide insight into the lens. Compared to how the lens was, the results are wonderful. I would do business with them again.