Schneider/Rodenstock lenses: help for a beginner

[tintype]

Hi, I've recently acquired 4 lenses and after searching on Google I still don't know what they are and why on Google the Schneider lenses pictured all seem to have a 'Copal' surround and my Schneider lenses don't?

I wonder if somebody could explain what I have and what camera they would fit?

1- Schneider - KREUZNACH MAKRO-SYMMAR HM 5,6/80 MULTICOATING
2- Schneider - Kreuznach Componon-S 5,6/100
3- Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 1:9 f=150mm MC — COPAL - N0.0
4- Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 1:9 f=240mm MC — COPAL 1

Please find attached photos of them...

Any help would be much appreciated.
Martin.

[Bob Salomon]

Copal is a brand of shutters. Other common shutters were Compur, Prontor, Prontor Press, Prontor Professional, Ilex, etc.. your two process lenses are mounted in Copal 1 and Copal 0 size shutters.
Your other 2 lenses are enlarging lenses for print making and they are rarely in a shutter.

[tintype]

Thank you Bob for your info. Sorry to bother you again, but would you know if the Rodenstock lenses with shutters would fit on the Wolf camera (attached)?

[Dan Fromm]

Pardon me for jumping in. What size is your camera? I ask because on my screen the ground glass measures 41 mm x 55 mm. Its aspect ratio is 1:1.34, seems a bit off for 4x5 and nominal 2x3. Please tell us more about the camera.

As Bob said, the two Rodenstock process lenses are in #0 and #1 shutters respectively. They'll fit on all 2x3 (6x9 in metric) and larger view cameras. However, it isn't clear how long your camera's rail is. If the rail is too short (240 mm plus a bit to allow for the rail riders' thickness) the 240 won't focus to infinity, let alone closer.

I don't know whether you've lurked (read, didn't post) here for a while, but you're a new poster. This forum has resources you might want to investigate. Look through the articles at https://www.largeformatphotography.info/.

We also have a large list of links to useful resources, it is in the first post in this https://www.largeformatphotography.i...mainly)-lenses discussion. One of its sections has very brief reviews of highly recommended books on LF photography. You'll probably get more from any of them than from discussions in the forums.

Good luck, have fun,

Dan

edit: I just looked harder, it seems that y'r Wolf is probably a Sinar Alpina 4x5, also called A1. You can learn more about the camera by searching for Sinar Alpina.

[Bob Salomon]

Thank you Bob for your info. Sorry to bother you again, but would you know if the Rodenstock lenses with shutters would fit on the Wolf camera (attached)?

You have a Sinar 45 camera that Sinar tried to market at a lower price with a different, not extendible rail. If I remember correctly it was about 18” long. But it has been several decades since these were made and since I have seen one.

The 150 would not cover 45 at infinity at f22. The 240mm will cover.

Good luck with them.

[Jac@stafford.net]

You have a Sinar 45 camera that Sinar tried to market at a lower price with a different, not extendible rail.

The Wolf was also called the Sinar Alpina.

[tintype]

Hi Dan, Thank you too for the info and the links. Yes, I am new to large format photography... I've shot 35mm with a 1972 Nikon F2 for the past 33 years. I'll look forward to reading the articles and discussions plus also the books about LF photography.

My camera's ground glass is 5 x 4 inches. Seems like I will need a plate to fit the lenses onto the camera. I've been given several boxes of 'out-of-date' 5x4 sheet film to experiment on, and a friend in London processes and prints all formats up to 10x8, so I hope to be seeing some results soon...

[tintype]

Thanks Bob, yes, the rail is 19 inches.

[Peter Lewin]

The “plate” you mention is called a lens board, and what you are looking for will be called a Sinar lens board with either a 0 or 1 hole. You need one of each to fit your Copal 0 and Copal 1 shutters. Lens boards come in different, but somewhat standardized sizes. The smaller lens boards which will NOT fit your camera are often called Linhof Technika boards, and a larger standard is the Sinar, which I think is 139mm square.

[Luis-F-S]

Might be a good idea to learn a bit more about lenses, types, use and coverage before buying any more. Of the 4 lenses as noted, only the 240 Apo-Ronar will cover 4x5. The first two are in process mounts with out shutters, the Componon is an enlarging lens, the MaKro-Symmar I suspect is a duplicating lens, the 6" Apo-Ronar is a process lens, and if it's similar to an Artar, it won't cover 4x5. Hopefully, you didn't buy these all to use on your Alpina. L