Has anyone compared 50mm APO-Rodagon (old) vs APO-Rodagon-N lenses

jjphoto

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Has anyone compared 50mm Rodenstock APO-Rodagon (old) with APO-Rodagon-N enlarging lenses.

The APO-Rodagon-N's were introduced in about 1995 and although lens construction remained the same as the APO-Rodagon, I'm curious to know what optical differences there are between old and new, if any (both are 6/4 but that doesn't mean they are optically identical).

I have the MTF for the 50mm APO-Rodagon-N lens but haven't seen MTF's for the older APO-Rodagon lenses. Does anyone have copies of the MTF's?
 

BMbikerider

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The answer is no. I have a newer version and to be honest I have no desire to check an earlier version because this one is so good. I also have a 80/F5.6 Non APO which is also very very good and will do everything I am capable of asking it to do. Is it better than any other 80/5.6? Who cares it is just simply very good as is the other one.
 

Ai Print

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I have both, pickup the new one after the older one since I found it at a good price, kept the older one as a spare for workshops. I have never done a test but I suspect with black and white printing I would hardly notice the difference.
 
OP
OP

jjphoto

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Ai Print said:
I have both, pickup the new one after the older one since I found it at a good price, kept the older one as a spare for workshops. I have never done a test but I suspect with black and white printing I would hardly notice the difference.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I suspect it might be difficult to compare them properly, in any meaningful way, as they are clearly both excellent lenses.
 

chip j

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FWIW, a test was done by a gentleman of the old Apo Rodagon vs the Leitz 50mm 4.5 Focotar 2. The APO was sharper, but he prefered the Focotar because it was "more human".
 

DREW WILEY

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Expect noticeably better contrast and micotonality, sharper too, than ordinary Rodagon. I happen to print 35mm with a 105 Apo N, and even wide open it outperforms any 50 I've ever used. (Don't use it wide open for MF negs).
 
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