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Marko Trebusak
19-Dec-2012, 07:12
I'm in a process of switching to 5x12 format for my main camera. This of course means I'll be working with longer lenses. I have Arca Swiss rail capable to hold 1200 mm lens, and bellows will be make according to this. But I would really like to go even longer. Now to Adon question: is it possible to atach one to say Aplanat of choice to get a telephoto Aplanat? Like a some sort of a teleconverter. What can one expect from such a combination? I'm used to soft focus lens, but would prefer to live without out of focus mush. I searched the net quite a bit, but wasn't abble to get a satisfactory answer. Adons do come up on British E-bay reasonably often, so this idea is quite tempting...

Thanks,
Marko

Roger Hesketh
19-Dec-2012, 09:21
The beauty of the Dallmeyer Adon is you can use it on any format. The Adon is a variable telephoto extension which can be used with a lens like a teleconverter is on 35mm but which can also be used as a standalone variable focal length telephoto lens. It can cover film sizes from 2x3 up to 15x12 or even more.
The downside of course is poorer lens performance compared to a fixed separation telephoto lens. A number of Ansel Adams' earlier photographs including 'Monolith the face of Half Dome' (1927) were taken using a Dallmeyer Adon as a standalone lens. He did say however that he would have preferred to use something better.
To cover 5x12" the Adon needs about 15 " of extension the effective focal length is then about 38" f32 maximum aperture .You can stop down further if required.
The following thread contains a lot of information on Adons.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?78885-Using-a-Dallmeyer-ADON-zoom-telephoto-lens&highlight=adon

The Adon can have another lens attached to the front and then used like a teleconverter but their are other attachments which do it better. Ross made a dodo attachment which acted like a teleconverter and Goerz made a variable one for the Dagor magnifying anything between 3-8 times.

Marko Trebusak
19-Dec-2012, 10:09
Thanks Roger!
I'm aware of that thread, but it's focus is on stand alone lens. Can you tell me more about Ross and Goertz "teleconverters"?
Thank you
Marko

Roger Hesketh
19-Dec-2012, 12:10
Marko I will have to qualify my previous statement about the dodo and Goerz attachments in use as it seems you can not just use them with any lens like a teleconverter. Each attachment is designed to be use with a specific focal length of lens which does limit their usefulness and I suspect has a great deal to do with why they did not become popular. Also as you can see they were not cheap.

85735

85736

85737

I have a Goerz one which I bought to use on a Graflex SLR. I thought I might use it as an extension tube to help me to mount a long lens on the camera. One day I will do that.

Marko Trebusak
19-Dec-2012, 13:32
Being specific for exact focal leinght probably means they can be better corrected. But given, that Gortz advertised them for very different lens, that might be questionable anyway.

Marko

Roger Hesketh
19-Dec-2012, 14:10
Well their are two price lists one for dagors an one for the dialytes and a $3 charge for the special fitting if one were to returned after a trial. It would suggest that they were matched to the lens. One for a 8 1/4" dagor is $47 that is over $1000 in today's money.

Jody_S
19-Dec-2012, 14:51
I can't comment on the Adon, but I do have a similar period Rietzschel Telinear (actually predates the Adon) zoom lens for LF (tiny lens, covers 4x5) that I picked up off fleabay a couple years ago. It works well enough for what it does, but there was an unexpected downside that might also occur with the Adon; the diaphragm is not located at the optical center of the lens, it's just in front of the rear element. So when I tried to stop down to f16 for optimal performance (?), it vignetted. I was forced to shoot nearly wide open, all the time. Performance was barely adequate. I tried it a couple of times, it's been on the shelf since then.