Difference in Rodenstock Sironar-N 150/5.6 MC

[Bart]

Hallo,

I have read that there are two types of the Rodenstock 150 Sironar-N. One has an image circle of 208mm, the other has an image circle of 214mm. How do you recognise both versions?

Regards,

bart

[Ted Harris]

There is the Sironar N and the Apo Sironar N series. The one with the Apo designation is the latest and has some small design improvements over the earlier one. As for as image circles go, the current 150 N has an image circle of 214 mm and the 150 S 231mm if I recall correctly. There is also the 150 W with a much larger circle (can't recall it excatly and it is in the lens bag in the truck. There are lotsa places online to find more exact info and if Kerry Thalmann or Chris Perezx chime in they will ahve all the details for you.

[Caroline Matthews]

Isn't it maddening when someone gives you an answer that's absolutely no help like Ted's? First, he speculates from memory, then hopes someone else chimes in. No answer at all would be better.

[Frank Petronio]

I find it more maddening that you would bother to complain.

The older lens have a slightly smaller circle. Whether the actual circle changed or the way the state the size is up for debate and testing, but I'd assume they made some slight improvements over the years.

Cosmetically, the lens were progressively labeled "Sironar" then "Sironar MC" then "Sironar-N MC" then "APO Sironar MC" with a colored ring around the rim. I don't have dates but 7-8 years between marketing cycles is a good guess - the first ones are from the early 1970s and the rings started in the early 1990s. Shutters also provide a clue - black dial Copals are the latest, but the earlier one had thin chrome metal dials, replaced by larger ones, and the arrow pointers changed from white plastic to black plastic.

[Struan Gray]

The Sironar N is a different lens from the APO-Sironar.

Older lens, originally sold as convertible: Sironar

Modern multicoated plasmat: Sironar-N, later called APO-Sironar-N

Modern multicoated plasmat with ED glass and extra coverage: Sironar-S, later called APO-Sironar-S

Modern multicoated plasmat with even more coverage: APO-Sironar, later called APO-Sironar-W

'N's were also sold as Sinaron S by Sinar and Caltar-N by Calumet.

'S's were also sold as Sinaron SE by Sinar

'W's were also sold as Sinaron WS by Sinar

'APO-Sinaron' is Sinar's label for APO-Ronars: a different beast.

[Oren Grad]

Modern multicoated plasmat with ED glass and extra coverage: Sironar-S, later called APO-Sironar-S

There was never a plain "Sironar-S" - the 75-degree coverage lenses were introduced as "Apo-Sironar-S".

I've never seen reference to different versions of the Sironar-N with different coverage. But Bob Salomon would be the ultimate authority on that - perhaps he'll see this posting...

[Ken Lee]

These lenses are described at http://largeformatphotography.info/lenses/LF4x5in.html

[Bart]

Hi Ken,

The 150 Sironar-N is not listed.

Regards,

Bart

[Bob Salomon]

Currently Rodenstock has the 72° Apo Sironar N optimized for 1:20 and the 75° Apo Sironar S optimized for 1:10. Previously they also made the Apo Sironar W 80° optimized for 1:10. Originally the W was the Apo Sironar.

Before these lenses were available there was the Sironar N MC 72° lens which replaced the earlier Sironar N which replaced the original convertible Sironar lens.