Vintage Friedrich Munchen Axinon f4.5 9cm Enlarging Lens.

[Nicky]

Yes, I still print my Rolleiflex (RF 111 A) negatives the old-fashioned way (and still enjoy the process). Meanwhile, I recently purchased an old Friedrich Munchen Axinon f4.5 9cm enlarging lens (SN 420876).

After some research, I discovered that Christof Friedrich registered the Axinon name in 1938; so clearly my lens was manufactured after that date. Meanwhile, does anyone have access to a serial number list which will tell me what year my lens was made? Frankly, I believe it performs as well as my Rodenstock Rodagon enlarging lens...

[AgX]

Welcome to Apug,

The Axinon is a tessar-type, so, at least in theory, it should be outperformed by the more advanced Rodagon.

Why would you like to know the year of manufacture?
I guess 50's/60's. The company seems still to exist, thus aside of some informed Apug member or a lens catalogue you still might try to inform there.
BTW, I did not even know that company...

[Nicky]

Yes, you might be right about having four lens cells. Meanwhile, I just read another two posts on other forums where it was suggested that the lens performs extremely well; so my eyes can't be that bad! I enjoy using old, well made equipment (like my 1938 Rolleiflex), so establishing when this Axinon enlarging lens was made would have been interesting for me...

[AgX]

Make a decent test-chart photograph and print it both with the Axinon and the Rodagon at different enlargements, different apertures including each time prints of the corners of the negative. I would be surprised if the Rodagon would not come out as the better performing lens.

Of course one could ask what practical use such test would have to ones daily darkroom work. Sure for some topics the outcome would not matter.

[ic-racer]

Yes, I still print my Rolleiflex (RF 111 A) negatives the old-fashioned way

What is the old-fashioned way?

[Nicky]

What is the old-fashioned way?

I may have a Glenn Miller record playing in the darkroom while printing (he, he, he)...