Any former processing lab people out there?

[simplejoy]

Pretty sure this is incorrect. The American Optical Company that was involved in Todd AO was located in Southbridge MA and was founded about 70 years prior to Goerz American Optical.

Thanks a lot for that clarification!

@simplejoy I think I've found some refs to the Imperial Magnar II, the list price in 1970 was apparently 2600usd, and it's quite probable that it had newer glass/ coatings, and I suspect it was an 'affordable'/civilianised way of as-losslessly-as-possible taking 5x5 aerial negs to wider aerial rollfilm sizes for subsequent analysis/ mapping rectification. The Kollmorgen connection is probably significant too. [Editing to add: there is some oral history that suggests by 1970-ish most of Goerz's products were so low volume that they were quite willing to customise as needed.]

Thanks a lot! Do you have a copy of the referenced price list or a link where it can be found online? I've seen mentions of the Magnar II (and even found an advertising booklet describing it) but nothing on any Imperial Magnar so far. The Magnar and Magnar II are usually just referred to as enlarging lenses (according to Goerz outstanding ones... but of course many have claimed that). Given the specs (f/5.6) and the 8 elements design the Magnar II is also reminescent of the Nikon Apo-El Nikkors, but when comparing the optical layout, they're actually quite different.

I've read about a connection to Kollmorgen when researching my article on ISCO (Schneider bought the remains of the Kollmorgen cinema-projection branch) and was quite confused. Weren't they (Goerz Inland Systems Division) just a distribution partner? Or has there been another connection?