Old Rodenstock Lens for Enlarger

[Wayne Olson]

I recently acquired a Burke & James 5X7 which came with an old lens mounted behind an Acme #3 shutter. Actually, the shutter was taped to the front of the lens. With electrical tape!
I removed both since I planned on reconditioning the camera and using a newer lens. I got bored this evening and decided to see if the lens was actually supposed to be crusty and green. It wasn't.
Underneath was a beautiful brass barrel lens. It is a 240mm (marked 24 cm) Rodenstock Doppel-Anastigmat Eurynar f/6.3. The front section of the body says "G. Rodenstock, Munchen."
I'm sure it's pretty old but the glass is slightly dusty, no separation or fungus. Probably not coated. Perfectly clear though. The elements can all be removed and the glass cleaned up.
My question is - having recently acquired an old 5X7 Solar enlarger in excellent shape, I'll need a lens. The 240mm might be a bit long. Is there any reason this lens can't be used for enlarging 5X7?
I'd appreciate any input and information on this use as well as about the lens itself.

Wayne Olson

 

[Christopher Colley]

I bought a Calumet C-400 4x5 camera, It came with a Schnieder Symmar 150mm f/5.6 lens..

I do not own an 'enlarging lens' to print the negatives made with this camera, when I need to I just mount the lens (inside shutter and on the board) to a 4inch cone and attach it to my enlarger and print through the same lens I captured the photograph with..

No problems so far! (I also did this with a 50mm lens for a Pentax K mount 35mm camera before I had purchased a lens fit for printing 35mm)

I dont see any reason why your lens wouldnt be great for printing 5x7 so long as you can find a way to mount it..

 

[Jim Jones]

The Eurynar apears to be the Dialite design. This usually works well as a copy lens, and thus as an enlarging lens. Its 12 inch focal length might require an awkward height for enlarging. The minimum distance from negative to easel will be 4 feet. A 3x enlargement requires a 5' 4" distance.

 

[Wayne Olson]

Jim,

Thanks for the input. I hadn't even considered the projection distance! That would exceed the mast height. I'll continue to hunt around for a 210 or 180 mm lens so that I don't have to bash the ceiling open with a hammer to make enlargements.