180mm Apo-Rodagon Enlarging Lens

[neil poulsen]

I'm curious about this lens. From posts I've seen, I gather it predates the 150mm Apo-Rodagon N enlarging lenses.

Any information regarding this lens would be appreciated.

[Bob Salomon]

It was replaced with the 150mm Apo Rodagon-N which is a much better performer. What specifically do you want to know?

[AnselAdamsX]

Bob do both cover 5x7?

[neil poulsen]

Bob, thanks. What's its coverage, and is it an 8 element lens? I kind of doubt it, but is it multi-coated? When did it come into, and go out of, production?

[Bob Salomon]

Bob do both cover 5x7?

Neither cover 5x7. The 180mm Rodagon and, if you are only doing mural sized prints, the Rodagon G 210mm. No Apo Rodagon or Apo Rodagon-N enlarging lens covered 5x7.

[Bob Salomon]

The 180mm Apo Rodagon was optimized for 6x and covered 4x5. It was not multi-coated. The only MC Rodenstock enlarging lenses are the Apo Rodagon-N series. In addition, the 180 has a 58mm mounting thread while the newer 150 has a more convenient 50mm mounting thread. The 180 was a 4.8 and the 150 is a f4.0. In addition, the 150 was corrected for 2 to 15x so it has a greater working range then the 180. The 180 was made from sometime in the late 80's till the Apo Rodagon-N series was introduced in the 90s.

[Chauncey Walden]

Please don't tell my 180mm APO-Rodagon that it doesn't cover 5x7 because that is where I use it;-)

[neil poulsen]

I suspect that Rodenstock specs guard-band to ensure optimum performance under a variety of circumstances.

[ic-racer]

Please don't tell my 180mm APO-Rodagon that it doesn't cover 5x7 because that is where I use it;-)

"Coverage" with enlarger lenses is always magnification dependent and needs to be specified for a given magnification.

[neil poulsen]

I was thinking about the 6X optimization spec that Bob quoted for this lens. I know that a lot of the older lenses are optimized for higher magnifications. (Although, the 90's isn't that old.) 6X seems a bit much, given that I don't think people generally print 24x30 prints.

Then it occurred to me that, as magnification decreases, one doesn't need as much resolution in a lens to achieve the same sharpness on the print. Put another way, it's when one prints the largest that they would want the best resolution.

[bob carnie]

I have one of these lenses, I am wondering where I can send it to have it completely checked out. As well where to find mounts for the lens for various enlargers.

[neil poulsen]

I wonder if you can send it to Rodenstock? I know that it's possible to send lenses to Schneider. Or, S.K. Grimes?

What might be wrong with it?

[Bob Salomon]

I have one of these lenses, I am wondering where I can send it to have it completely checked out. As well where to find mounts for the lens for various enlargers.
Check with Mike at Blazes in Toronto. They are the Canadian distributor and service center for Rodenstock. Lens mounts come from enlarger manufacyrers. To use the 180 Apo Rodagon you will need a board with a hole large enough for the 180's 58mm thread mount. That may be too large for some enlargers. Depeding on the brand of the enlarger you may or may not need a lens cone.

[Bob Salomon]

I was thinking about the 6X optimization spec that Bob quoted for this lens. I know that a lot of the older lenses are optimized for higher magnifications. (Although, the 90's isn't that old.) 6X seems a bit much, given that I don't think people generally print 24x30 prints.

Then it occurred to me that, as magnification decreases, one doesn't need as much resolution in a lens to achieve the same sharpness on the print. Put another way, it's when one prints the largest that they would want the best resolution.

6x would mean that it performs optimally between 2 and 12x.

[neil poulsen]

6x would mean that it performs optimally between 2 and 12x.

Bob, Again, thanks for the update!

I just purchased this lens. It's not the N series, but I think that it will give me good performance. It was within my price-range, where the 150 Apo-Rodagon N's fetch 2X-3X what I paid. I now have all Apo-Rodagons for my enlarging. Sweet!

[Luis-F-S]

While the 180 Apo-Rodagon Cat # 275018001 will technically "not cover" 5x7, it will do so almost up to a 3x enlargement or roughly a 16 x20 print size. Since most of my prints are 11x14 or smaller, I've been using this lens with 5x7 negatives for over 25 years. A 4.5" x 6.5" has a negative diagonal of 200.8 mm. At a 2x magnification (10" x 14" print), the lens coverage at f16 is 229 mm; at 3x magnification (15" x 21") the lens coverage is 204 mm. At 4x (20" x 28" print) the lens coverage is 191 mm or shy of the negative diagonal of 201 mm. At 6x (30" x 42" print) the coverage is 179.6 mm.

Mine is mounted for a Durst SM-183 on one of the smaller Lapla boards.

Luis

[dmecham]

I have used a 180mm Apo Rodagon lens for more than 30 years. A good friend of mine purchased the 150mm Apo Rodagon lens a few years later. We did side by side tests to discover any differences. Other that the slight adjustment to enlarger head height to compensate for the focal length they were virtually identical in performance. Both stellar. I printed 20x24 Ilfochome prints with mine for many years at the aperture of F8. Totally even illumination and edge to edge sharpness. Later purchased 105mm and 80 mm Apo Rodagons. Finest enlarging lenses I've even used. Worth every penny.

[dmecham]

I've owned a 180mm Apo Rodagon for more than 30 years and it certainly appears to be multi coated.

[Bob Salomon]

I've owned a 180mm Apo Rodagon for more than 30 years and it certainly appears to be multi coated.
No, the Apo Rodagon N series are multi coated your 180 is coated.

[bob carnie]

I have one of these lenses, I wanted to use it for 4 x 5 negatives, unfortunately something is amiss and it has a problem with softness on one side , not sure how to fix this or who can fix this lens these days.

[neil poulsen]

It was nice to reread this thread and refresh my memory on the specs of the 180mm Apo Rodagon that I still have. 2x to 6x optimum range . . . that's ideal for a 4x5 enlarging lens. A 150mm enlarging lens is nice, because it's a little longer than what's needed in an enlarging lens. The 180mm enlarging lens carries that a step further.

[Drew Wiley]

Used my regular 180/5.6 Rodagon yesterday. I like it for its very even illumination of 4x5 negs or chromes, and was my preferred lens for Ciba printing unless I needed more speed. My apo is the Apo Rodagon N 150/4.5 - very contrasty and with superb microtonal discernment, but sometimes a bit over the top. I often use it for 6X9 enlargement in preference to my 105 Apo N, due to its perfectly even illumination (no corner or edge burning needed). I kinda remember, correctly or not, the 180 apos as somewhat big or longish, but otherwise a process lens which a particular party was selling for enlarging use at one time.

Sometimes an enlarging lens can be just too good. For 8x10 film, I generally use f9 Apo Nikkors; but one has to be careful because their resolution and tonal response is so very high that every little flaw in enlarger glass or subtle Newton ring (even with AN glass both sides) might show up in a high contrast paper grade.

[dmecham]

No, the Apo Rodagon N series are multi coated your 180 is coated.

I just examined my 80mm Apo Rodagon N side by side with my 180 Apo Rodagon and the reflections of the coatings appear to be the same. The same purple color that I see in other multi coated lenses. My Rollieflex 3.5F taking lens is single coated and it's a yellow color.

[Bob Salomon]

I just examined my 80mm Apo Rodagon N side by side with my 180 Apo Rodagon and the reflections of the coatings appear to be the same. The same purple color that I see in other multi coated lenses. My Rollieflex 3.5F taking lens is single coated and it's a yellow color.

Good, but your 180 is not and never was multi coated. Only the N series are MC.