Barrel Apo-Ronar

[KenS]

I just acquired an impeccable barrel 480 mm (19 inch) Rodenstock Apo-Roar (f9 -260) that would have been cheap at 5 times the price (). I was surprised to find a scale on the side from 2 to 50mm that I have to assume is the diameter of the iris. I was also surprised to find a small lever that opens up a slot on the barrel that to allow a gel filter to be inserted between the two groups of glass. I has been a long time since I last saw such a smooth iris with eight blades providing such a ‘smooth’ aperture circle.

My first job is to attach this to a Linhof board to allow for use on my 4x5 Bi Kardan which might then be attached to the wooden lens-board of my 8x10 Burke and James

My second chore is to find an old bowler hat that I might line with black velvet to use as a ‘shutter’ as did my mentor on both his Pierce and Gandolfi some 55 years ago.

Anyone have any idea as to whether Grimes might be able to put this into a shutter, and at what cost?

Ken

[Jim Noel]

I have no doubt it can be mounted in a shutter. AS to cost, it is a good thing you bought it cheap. I would think it would cost a few hundred dollars. You might also contact www.lensn2shutter.com. He specializes in such mountings.

[Deckled Edge]

Ken,
I bought this identical lens, also cheap, and sent it along with a Copal 3 to SK Grimes. They sent it back with an apology that this lens is mostly plastic, and of such peculiar construction that it will not lend itself to machine work to set it into any known shutter.
Also, I don't think a bowler would stay put, as the barrel tapers toward the front glass.

Wanna buy a really cheap 480 Apo-Ronar CL?

Actually, I set mine in front of a 6" Packard shutter, and it's a great lens.

Enjoy your bargain, though shutterless.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Ken, get yourself some black 4 ply mat board, some gaffers tape and cut yourself some lens caps. I've done this for all of the lenses I have that didn't have caps. Looks ok and works great.

My Ronar CL 480 APO is a nice lens that I shoot at F-90 all the time. At that kind of stop you don't need a shutter. I shoot with Efke 25 on the 8x10 and I can even go for a walk during the exposure!

Jim

[Dan Fromm]

If you can live without a lot of movements, a 480 mm lens can be used on 4x5 mounted in front of a #1 shutter. Without vignetting by the shutter.

Hint 1: the Polaroid MP-4 Copal #1 Press shutter, which has no diaphragm, is inexpensive and will do the job.

Hint 2: skgrimes can make an adapter that will hold your lens in front of a #1

I use an skg adapter to mount a 480/9 Apo Nikkor, obviously a better lens than the Apo Ronar because in light alloy instead of plastic, in front of a #1. But I shoot it on a tandem 2x3 Graphic.

[KenS]

I have no doubt it can be mounted in a shutter. AS to cost, it is a good thing you bought it cheap. .

Thanks guys....

Hefting this sucker... it is the heaviest lens I have ever held in one hand.... I can assure you there is NO plastic in this baby.. unless the lenses themselves.. 8-)

I'll probably hang onto this in its "as is" state and check out its performance before making big hints in the hope that either Santa or the Birthday Faerie will come through. From what I see of the specs on the Rodenstock website,
I should not afraid to exposing through this lens at up to f-45.

Most of the negatives will be contact printed.

Ken

[Dan Fromm]

Ken, did you get a plain vanilla Apo Ronar or a Klimsch Apo Ronar? I ask because I've had a 600/9 Klimsch AR that weighed over seven (7) pounds. The glass was mounted in a lot of very high density brass.

Klimsch was a repro camera manufacturer, bought ARs in non-standard mounts. The glasses were normal ordinary plain vanilla Apo Ronar glasses, but the mounts had odd threads and the larger ones were very heavy.

For an example of odd threading, consider my tiny little 150/9 Klimsch AR. The regular one's cells are threaded to go, IIRC, into a #0. The Klimsch version's cells are too small to fit a #00. Unfair!

But yours will work on 4x5 hung in front of a #1. Thing is, it will probably need a support. To give you an idea of costs, the adapter for my 480/9 Apo Nikkor cost $135 a couple or three years ago. Today's price is probably higher.

[KenS]

Ken, did you get a plain vanilla Apo Ronar or a Klimsch Apo Ronar? I ask because I've had a 600/9 Klimsch AR that weighed over seven (7) pounds. The glass was mounted in a lot of very high density brass.

(snip)

Dan,

I'm not sure how I might tell the difference. This lens is, BTW, off a 20 x24 inch repro camera. I had hoped to salvage the vacuum back (with pump) and the lights, but the guys with the acetylene torches were too fast for me. Looking at the Apo-Ronar on Rodenstock website I kinda get the feeling that this lens is "bigger". Hefting a 2 kg bag of sugar in one hand and the lens in the other, gives me the impression that 'my' lens weighs in at just above 4 pounds.

Ken

[Dan Fromm]

Ken, Klimsch Apo Ronars are engraved Klimsch.

[Logan Group]

I'm pretty sure that when I bought my 480mm Apo-Ronar it came in an Ilex #5 shutter. I don’t know if this was a custom mounting job on the shutter but the lens screwed straight in. I use a Sinar shutter so I never used it with the Ilex but that might be an option for you if you are determined to use a shutter.