If someone gave you a lens...

[drumminor2nd]

... in this case, a Process-Nikkor 260mm/10 lens, what would you do with it? It's a bit dirty, but the optics and aperture look nice. It's in a Robertson mount (I think it came off a camera for reproducing plates for printing newspapers).

So... any good ideas of what to do with this lens?

 

[Ian Grant]

I'd clean it fix it to a 10x8 camera lens board and test it with a shutter. I've some larger Thornton Pickard shutters that would work with a lens like that, may have to be mounted on the shutter which is attached to the lens board, that give Time and Instant speeds 1/15th to a 1/90th

May depend how the lens is attached to the Robertson mount.

Ian

 

[Rick A]

I'd make a lensboard to fit it and strap it on my Calumet cc-401 and start shooting. Probably make a cap for it to use as a "top hat" shutter. If I didn't already have a LF camera I'd make one quick.

 

[cowanw]

What's a Robertson mount?
The best I could find on the web was a bagpipes joint!
Is it like this?
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=61335

 

[drumminor2nd]

What's a Robertson mount?
The best I could find on the web was a bagpipes joint!
Is it like this?
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=61335

Basically the same thing.

 

[ic-racer]

I occasionally use a Fujinar 250 for enlarging 8x10, so if someone gave me that Nikkor, I'd use it for enlarging 8x10.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Funny you should ask. I have one, also Nikon's f/10 Process Nikkor catalog. I spent pots of money at SKGrimes for an adapter to mount it in front of a Copal #1. This, alas, before I found the catalog.

Per the catalog, the lens is not an apochromat and is not suitable for use outside of the recommended range of magnifications. Apo-Nikkors (so badged) are apochromats and are suitable for use at all distances.

The 260 Process Nikkor is recommended for 1:3 to 3:1. It is symmetrical so doesn't have to be reversed when magnification crosses 1:1.

I bought the mount adapter so I could find out what my lens was good for. I've shot it at distance. Short answer, not much. If I were you I'd invest nothing in making it usable.

 

[Dan Fromm]

I occasionally use a Fujinar 250 for enlarging 8x10, so if someone gave me that Nikkor, I'd use it for enlarging 8x10.

Small enlargements, maybe up to 3x. You'd be better off with a 305/9 Apo-Nikkor.

 

[Ian Grant]

Dan, it's rare to see someone sharing my thoughts on process lenses.

One problem is that if you test them with a lens chart they'll out perfom other lenses because that's what they are designed for - copying flat field artwork, but in real life conditions particularly towards infinity they fall behind quite rapidly.

Ian

 

[ic-racer]

Small enlargements, maybe up to 3x. You'd be better off with a 305/9 Apo-Nikkor.

Small magnification but big enlargement 24x30" I couldn't even process a print made at greater than 3x.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Dan, it's rare to see someone sharing my thoughts on process lenses.

Not entirely.

Process Nikkors and the equivalent lenses from Schneider (f/11 wide angle G-Clarons) are quite poor at distance. These are all, I think, 4/4 double Gauss types. It may be -- I'm not qualified to say -- that lenses of this design type optimized for close up don't hold their corrections well at distance. Come to think of it, I have a couple of 4/4 double Gauss types sold as general purpose taking lenses -- 80/6.3 WF Ektar, 100/6.3 WW Aristostigmat -- that I've never tried close up; perhaps I should.

Dialyte type process lenses, e.g., Apo-Artars, Apo-Nikkors, Apo-Ronars, Repro Clarons, can be very good at distance. So can heliar types (Apo Saphir, Apo Skopar) and some tessar types (Apotal, TTH tessar type "Copying Lens", Apo Nikkors, ...). So can plasmat types (G-Claron, Apo Gerogon). So can dagor types (G-Claron).

One problem is that if you test them with a lens chart they'll out perfom other lenses because that's what they are designed for - copying flat field artwork, but in real life conditions particularly towards infinity they fall behind quite rapidly.

I don't think so.