The Rodenstock 80mm apochromatically corrected lenses of the APO-Rodagon-N series set new standards for the most stringent demands of professional enlarging techniques.
The advantages are clearly visible in both color and black and white enlargements. The APO-Rodagon-N is therefore the amateur's and professional's choice whenever the very highest reproduction quality is required.
| Application | 6 x 7cm |
| Filter Size | 40.5mm (Lens cap is included) |
| Dimensions | 1.6 x 2", (43 x 50mm) |
| Weight | Not specified |
| Package Weight | 0.7 lb |
| Box Dimensions (LxWxH) | 2.75 x 2.7 x 2.6" |
I'm using this lens on my Nikon Z7 via adapters. It is very sharp all the way to the extreme corners. No trace of CA what-so-ever. It does exhibit quite a bit of flare when the light source is anywhere near the frame. Two inches of lens hood helps considerably but it can still be an issue under the right circumstances. I'm very happy with this lens.
The 80mm APO-Rodagon N is one of the most perfect lens formulas I have ever used. The other is the Zeiss 100mm Makro-Planar. I not only enlarge with this lens (less now since I moved to carbon transfer printing, which is a contact printing process), but I mount it on a Nikkor PB-6 Bellows with an adapter and record images with a Sony a7RII on the other end of the apparatus. The results are astounding for sharpness, flatness of field and freedom from aberrations. The PB-6 Bellows with the attendant adapter to mount the a7RII will not focus to infinity with this lens but that is not the magnification ratio at which it is optimized in any case.
I had used the regular Rodagon 80mm for some time, making color and B&W enlargements up to 24x42 and was quite happy. Then I was loaned the APO by the Rodenstock reps. Using a DeVere 4x5 single bulb color head, from 645 negatives enlarged bigger than 16x20, there was a marked increase in sharpness, contrast(at least 1/2 a grade on B&W) and the contrast and corner sharpness as well as even-ness of illumination across the image field was surprising. I've been a professional lab technician/photographer(mostly industrial/commercial) since 1973. I've never used a better quality lens, for the finished results. It IS breathtakingly exspensive. It will cover with no fall-off at f8 the Fuji 6X8 cm format. If you have older generation enlarger lenses, even very good lenses, you are short-changing yourself without the APO series lenses. No new HDTV for me this year...three new APO Rodagon N's for me(50, 80, 105mm the 150 will have to wait a year). I have had no qualms about using this lens at F5.6 on 20x24's. It's grain-sharp into the corners. I really like the feature of using continuously variable f-stops with an on-easle densitomiter. F7.3 at 12 seconds maybe perfect. BTW: by a Minolta Flash Meter III, the F-stops are with-in .3 stops of perfect from wide-open to f22. I know lots of you silver B&W guys are using old glass because you have it and it looks OK. Try an APO, and you'll spend twice as much time in the darkroom, making far more much better prints. Yes, I am hyped. Ricky Earp
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