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?

[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.

[AnselAdamsX]

Bob do both cover 5x7?

[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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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.