From: Michael Healy (mjhealy@kcnet.com)
Date: 05/31/03-09:19:52 AM Z
Hello, Bert! You were wondering about the age of your beast. Recently I
happen to have come across a web posting in which several people discussed
this question. One posted the following information. I hope it has some
truth to it, and will be of use to you. Separately, I am emailing you the
entire page as an attachment. It contains additional exchanges.
Mike Healy
Tempe, AZ
Production Dates for Rodenstock Lenses:
Year of Production Serial Number
(up to)
1910 50,000
1920 200,000
1930 400,000
1935 700,000
1938 900,000
1940 950,000
1945 2,000,000
1952 2,500,000
1954 3,000,000
1957 4,000,000
1961 5,000,000
1966 6,000,000
1971 7,000,000
1973 8,000,000
1974 9,000,000
1977 9,500,000
1979 10,000,000
1984 10,500,000
1991 11,000,000
1993 11,150,000
1994 11,231,713
1995 11,294,073
1996 11,358,165
1997 11,407,513
1998 11,468,541
----- Original Message -----
From: <curzon@tegenlicht.com>
To: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@ix.netcom.com>
Cc: "alt-photo-process" <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 12:02 AM
Subject: RE: please help for identifying a lens
Hello Richard,
Thank you for the extended information. You're the first who could tell me
anything
about this lens.
It has a serialnumber: 63084. There is also a scale from F/7,5 to F/62. The
lens fits (screwed) in a flat ring with 3 holes. I suppose these holes are
used to fix the ring to the camerabody/lensboard. Since the
lens is rather heavy it must have been a larger model camera.
About the USA distributor HP marketing (Bob Salomon): I found their
emailaddress on an other websie about old lenses: bob@hpmarketingcorp.com.
But when I mailed them the email was returned undeliverable. Since I live in
Holland, Europe it a bit difficult to call him.
Thanks,
Bert from Holland
-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: Richard Knoppow [mailto:dickburk@ix.netcom.com]
Verzonden: vrijdag 30 mei 2003 22:21
Aan: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Onderwerp: Re: please help for identifying a lens
> > The inscription on the lens says:
> > Rapid-Aplanoscop F:7,5.24x30
> > G.Rodenstock Munchen
Its a Rapid Rectilinear type lens. The numbers indicate
f/7.5 and a focal length of around 15 inches. The format is
in centimeters.
Rodenstock can probably date the lens from its serial
number. The USA distributor HP marketing (Bob Salomon) has a
serial number list but will date only via a phone call, not
e-mail, and won't post it.
The Rapid-Rectilinear is a symmetrical lens with two
cemented elements in each cell. The type was invented
simultaneously and independantly by Steinheil (as the
Aplanat) and Dallmeyer (as the Rapid Rectilinear) in 1866.
It quickly became the most commonly used lens. R-R type
lenses were made by practically all lens makers under a
great variety of names. They continued to be made up to the
early 1930's for use in inexpensive folding cameras. Bausch
& Lomb built millions of them for Kodak. I can't even guess
the date of this lens, the mounting probably would give some
clue.
The R-R is not an anastigmat, it was designed before the
high index low dispersion glass of Schott of Jena was
developed. Some backward curving field curvature is used to
average out the astigmatism. The lens must be used at fairly
small stops for the corners to be sharp.
Well designed R-R lenses can be quite sharp and quite
usable lenses. Both names refer to the lack of geometrical
distortion, a feature of symmetrical lenses.
R-R lenses were made as standard and wide angle types. The
coverage is partly a matter of the choice of glass. The
length of the barrel for a given focal length is a clue. The
longer the barrel the more limited the coverage but the
better the image.
I have no idea of the value of the lens as a collector's
item. At a guess, there were too many R-R lenses made for
the type to have any special value although very old lenses
may have value simply due to age. It is probably more
valuable as a usable lens.
--- Richard Knoppow Los Angeles, CA, USA dickburk@ix.netcom.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : 06/02/03-05:13:38 PM Z CST