Quote Originally Posted by rdenney View Post
I wasn't aware that that B&L Tessar was not an enlarging lens. It's in a barrel that threads into a typical enlarger plate, as I recall, and I installed it in a stock Omega lens board (25 years ago, that is). And it was sold to me as an enlarging lens, so I took that on face value. If it was intended as a taking lens, then its rendering isn't much like other tessars as taking lenses. Field was quite flat with that lens. Maybe it was intended as a process lens.
Rick "counting the cost" Denney
Rick, the idea of a lens specially computed for enlarging is relatively new. Boyer propaganda of the late 1930s touts the then new Saphir B as the first lens ever designed for enlarging.

The idea that LF taking lenses live in shutters and enlarging lenses for all formats live in barrels has been around forever, if not longer. Whence my $32 (delivered) 135/5.6 Symmar in barrel offered by a eBay seller as an enlarging lens. And whence 105/4.5 Comparons in #0 offered as wide angle taking lenses for 4x5.

There are tessar type process lenses but all the ones I'm aware of (CZJ Apo Tessars, CZJ DDR Apo Tessars, TTH process lenses sold as Apotals and Copying Lenses, LOMO Industar-11M in a variety of focal lengths) are all f/9. A Tessar Ic is a taking lens.

Cheers,

Dan "when I have finished explaining you will understand even less" Fromm