C.P. Goerz Berlin D.R.P. Dogmar Age

[alt.kafka]

I recently picked up this 165mm f/4.8 Goerz Dogmar that is in far better condition than I expected. It was described as fogged with fungus, and I thought I'd give a try cleaning it. Well, as far as I can tell, there's nothing to clean. It looks like it's from-the-factory mint. Like, new. No age, no cleaning marks, and certainly no fog or fungus. Same thing with the Compur shutter. No slowness or hesitation at all. Everything turns smoothly. No paint missing, no wear, nothing. It looks and acts like a brand new lens and shutter.

Which, makes me suspicious. Not really suspicious, really, but I have to wonder how old it can really be. Any background info on this would be appreciated.

[Steven Tribe]

99 years old-1922. Goerz became part of Zeiss Ikon a few years later.

Probably mounted on a 10x15 cm folding camera. They are usually mounted direct on the front standard, so the lens board suggests an upmarket set.

[Chauncey Walden]

I have 2 Dogmars; a 180 f/4.5 serial 467xxx dated to 1921, and a 420 f/5.5 serial 661xxx dated to 1924. Nice lenses and one of the neat things about them is that they can be used as a triple convertible. The 420 gives me 588 and 672 also.

[alt.kafka]

It seems like a really nice lens. I'm surprised the whole thing is as crazy clean as it is. I don't know what kind of box you could put something in for 100 years where it would come out looking that unaged, but whatever it is, it was in it.

Too bad there's no flash terminal on the shutter. I wonder if there's some way I could do it using a cable release.

[nolindan]

Too bad there's no flash terminal on the shutter. I wonder if there's some way I could do it using a cable release.

I think you were expected to use flash powder. Flash bulbs date to late 20's. External synchronizers can be found on Speed Graphics and the like - a button on the flash gun fires the bulb and energizes a solenoid on the lensboard that then trips the shutter. Obviously, won't work with electronic flash.

[alt.kafka]

I think you were expected to use flash powder. Flash bulbs date to late 20's. External synchronizers can be found on Speed Graphics and the like - a button on the flash gun fires the bulb and energizes a solenoid on the lensboard that then trips the shutter. Obviously, won't work with electronic flash.

I think I'm going to go with flash powder. Can't get more analog than that.

[LabRat]

Sync can be added to these shutters by a tech... I have several that it was an obvious add-on, and some even had a PC socket end...

For still life work in a darkened studio, open flash (using B setting) works fine...

Steve K

[J. Patric Dahlen]

Congratulations! The Dogmar is a fine classic lens for black and white, just use a sun shade. I have the 135/6,3 version from 1916 and it's a gem.

[alt.kafka]

I'm thinking that the Kalart Speed Flash Automatic Synchronizer might be a solution for using flash with it.

I like to use my Crown Graphic hand held with the rangefinder. I have some cams that should be close. If they're not close enough for the ranges where I'd be using it, I can probably fabricate one.

[Neal Chaves]

That would be a nice lens to cam up on a TRF Crown Graphic, and it would be a nice focal length for Big Shot use with a nosed-off cam.