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Jim Campbell
12-Jun-2011, 22:22
Hello,

I am inexperienced in LF Photography and would appreciate answers to a few questions I’ve been unable to find.

1) Goerz 24” f/11 Low Distortion Artar –
a. What shutter would be most compatible?
b. Can it act as a long lens covering 5X7 film for landscape work?
2) Goerz 180mm f/5.6 Elgor – I can find no mention on Internet.
a. Again, what would be a good shutter?
b. Is this a rare bird or perhaps a bummer line?

Both lenses are in the 80 000 series. And I assume relatively late production.

I would like to use these on an old Agfa 5x7 (with 4x5 reducing back) Studio Camera someone gave me.

Thanks in advance for any information you can give.

Jim Campbell

Pittsburgh, PA

Jim Jones
13-Jun-2011, 06:59
The Goerz Artar is an old, but good, design. A 24" focal length may be a bit long on a 5x7 body, limiting near focusing. With a 4x5 back it is about the equivalent of a 150mm lens on a 35mm camera. A Lens Collector's Vade Mecum doesn't list a Goerz Elgor. Could it be Telgor, an f/6.3 telephoto design listed from 240 to 420mm? If there is a 180mm Goerz Telgor, it almost certainly is made for a smaller format than 4x5.

Jim Campbell
13-Jun-2011, 08:01
Thank you Jim,

This is definitely engraved Elgor and it is a f/5.6 lens not f/6.3. It is about the same as a 210mm f/5.6 Schneider Symmar-S that will cover 5X7......Jim

David Lindquist
13-Jun-2011, 08:53
Hello,

I am inexperienced in LF Photography and would appreciate answers to a few questions I’ve been unable to find.

1) Goerz 24” f/11 Low Distortion Artar –
a. What shutter would be most compatible?
b. Can it act as a long lens covering 5X7 film for landscape work?
2) Goerz 180mm f/5.6 Elgor – I can find no mention on Internet.
a. Again, what would be a good shutter?
b. Is this a rare bird or perhaps a bummer line?

Both lenses are in the 80 000 series. And I assume relatively late production.

I would like to use these on an old Agfa 5x7 (with 4x5 reducing back) Studio Camera someone gave me.

Thanks in advance for any information you can give.

Jim Campbell

Pittsburgh, PA

First of all I think you must have dropped a "0" from your serial number, is that right? For a ball park indication of age, I purchased new in 1969 a 6 inch Gold Dot Dagor with the serial number 823XXX.

Regarding the Elgor, Art Kramer had an article in the May 1969 issue of Modern Photography about new lenses in the works from Goerz Optical Co. Included was a new line of enlarging lenses to be called the Elgor, to be offered in five focal lengths, from 50 to 180 mm. An informational sheet I have from Goerz Optical Co. dated 8/1/70 comments that while Goerz announced three new lens series in 1969, the Dagor-SL, the Dagor-SV and the Elgor, that "due to changes in manufacturing schedules, these series will be offered in production during the 1971 program."

I have a hunch not very many Elgors were ultimately made. I'd be interested to hear how you came by yours.

David

Steve Hamley
13-Jun-2011, 08:54
1. Great lens, but be aware that if it is barrel, the cells will unlikely screw directly into any shutter. It will be fine for 5x7 as long as your camera has 24+ inches of draw.

2. Don't really know a lot about the Elgor, but the same shutter considerations would most likely apply. Most non-wide field/wide angle 180mm lenses will not cover 5x7 according to their manufacturers. Some might, but also may be less sharp in the corners.

Cheers, Steve

Steve Hamley
13-Jun-2011, 08:59
Oh, and I might guess that the Elgor is an "enlarging Goerz" lens. It follows their naming convention, although it is a guess. Sort of like EL-Nikkor with the middle of the name removed.

Cheers, Steve

David Lindquist
13-Jun-2011, 09:21
And regarding your 24 inch L.D. Artar. My information is that it covers the same as the 24 inch Red Dot Artar, i.e. 46 degrees for an image circle of 20.4 inches. (didn't check the math here, going by my Goerz literature). A 1967 blurb I have on the L.D. Artar says it was available in either a shutter or a barrel mount, though all my price lists only list it barrel mounted. Also the comment is made that the L.D. Artar's external dimensions are the same as the Red Dot's, which would indicate a No. 5 Ilex Universal shutter would be the appropriate size. From experience I know the cells from a barrel mounted 24 inch Red Dot do not directly screw in to a No. 5 Universal, so I expect the same would be true of a 24 inch Low Distortion Artar. The Low Distortion Artar was pricey. My 1970 price list shows the 24 inch L.D. Artar in barrel was $1072.00 while the barrel mounted 24 inch Red Dot was $607.20.
David

David Lindquist
15-Jun-2011, 12:34
First of all I think you must have dropped a "0" from your serial number, is that right? For a ball park indication of age, I purchased new in 1969 a 6 inch Gold Dot Dagor with the serial number 823XXX.

Regarding the Elgor, Art Kramer had an article in the May 1969 issue of Modern Photography about new lenses in the works from Goerz Optical Co. Included was a new line of enlarging lenses to be called the Elgor, to be offered in five focal lengths, from 50 to 180 mm. An informational sheet I have from Goerz Optical Co. dated 8/1/70 comments that while Goerz announced three new lens series in 1969, the Dagor-SL, the Dagor-SV and the Elgor, that "due to changes in manufacturing schedules, these series will be offered in production during the 1971 program."

I have a hunch not very many Elgors were ultimately made. I'd be interested to hear how you came by yours.

David

To correct an error in my citing of Art Kramer's article above. The Elgor was to be offered in six (not five) focal lengths. They were to be 50, 80, 105, 135, 150 and 180 mm. Maximum aperture was not given in his article.
David