$15 Rodenstock 240mm Ysaron vs Raynox vs ITL200 TL Test

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RobertOToole
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$15 Rodenstock 240mm Ysaron vs Raynox vs ITL200 TL Test

Post by RobertOToole »

When I came across this Rodenstock tube I didn't expect anything special, but for $14.99 USD, I thought it was worth a chance. Turns out I made the right decision.

Google wasn't any help coming up with any info on this lens, but it did send me to a Rodenstock enlarger lens catalog with Ysaron lenses but nothing at all on a 240mm version. I believe this is an industrial/process lens. If anyone has more info on this lens let me know.


Quick Review

240mm focal length pushable down to at least 200mm

F-stop measures out at f/8.5

Good image quality at 240mm

Excellent image quality at 200mm

Very good CA correction

Industrial all-metal barrel

More than 10 new-old-stock units available on eBay

Unbeatable price vs performance ratio


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Test Setup

Camera: Sony A6300, model # ILCE-6300
Sensor size: APS-C 23.5 × 15.6 mm. 28.21 mm diagonal. 3.92 micron sensor pitch
Objective: Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 5X/0.14
Flash: Godox TT350s wireless flash x 2 with one Godox X1s 2.4G wireless flash transmitter
Vertical stand: Nikon MM-11 with a Nikon focus block

For this test I ran a stack of images in 2 micron steps. The sharpest frame was then chosen using Photoshop at 100% actual pixel view. Separate images were selected for center, edge, and corner if needed. Each image was processed in PS CC with identical settings with all noise reduction and lens correction turned off, all settings were zeroed out (true zero) and the same settings were used for all of the images.

Full details of the test are available on test page on Closeuphotography.com, see the test link below

Quick Test Summary

This Ysaron 9/240 was a real surprise, the image quality is up there with best lenses from my 2018 tube lens test (https://www.closeuphotography.com/tube-lens-test), the Thorlabs ITL200 and the Raynox 208mm when pushed down to 200mm. It doesn't really beat the Thorlabs or Raynox but its pretty close and when you factor in the price its easy for me to recommend it.

The lenses from the eBay seller linked below really are brand-new old-stock, and just in case anyone is interested the seller claims to have more than 10 in stock so its a safe bet if you need one.


A full report, with more images and full test results are available on my site:

https://www.closeuphotography.com/roden ... -tube-lens

Ysaron 9/240 eBay auction link. Normally I don’t recommend eBay sellers but this one is excellent:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RODENSTOCK-OBJ ... 3860611351?

Comments and questions are welcome.

Robert

RDolz
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Post by RDolz »

Hello Robert: The ability you have to discover lenses is incredible.

Thank you for sharing and for the quality of your tests. I will acquire a Ysaron.

Best Regards.
Ramón Dolz

JohnDownie
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Post by JohnDownie »

Robert - you should get a commission. Nine lenses sold in 12 hours!

One left, as of this posting.

Lou Jost
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Post by Lou Jost »

Thanks Robert for continuing to make great discoveries like this one! I look forward to trying this as a tube lens on FF, where the longer focal length will be useful.

Vish_007
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Re: $15 Rodenstock 240mm Ysaron vs Raynox vs ITL200 TL Test

Post by Vish_007 »

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RODENSTOCK-OBJ ... 3860611351?

Comments and questions are welcome.

Robert[/quote]

Thank you Robert for sharing the info, mine must be the last one purchased !!
Vishnu

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

JohnDownie wrote:Robert - you should get a commission. Nine lenses sold in 12 hours!

One left, as of this posting.
Oh, thats great for the seller, not so good for us, he did say at one point he had more than 10, hope thats the case.

The seller is a really a good guy, I over paid freight by like $ 0.75 so he sent me 3 quarters in a little zip lock with my lenses!

Robert

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

RDolz wrote:Hello Robert: The ability you have to discover lenses is incredible.

Thank you for sharing and for the quality of your tests. I will acquire a Ysaron.

Best Regards.
Thanks. Sometimes it's just luck in this case I was really undecided but the price gave me the incentive to go for it, it was just too promising to pass up for only $14!

Robert

RobertOToole
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Re: $15 Rodenstock 240mm Ysaron vs Raynox vs ITL200 TL Test

Post by RobertOToole »

Vish_007 wrote:https://www.ebay.com/itm/RODENSTOCK-OBJ ... 3860611351?

Comments and questions are welcome.

Robert
Thank you Robert for sharing the info, mine must be the last one purchased !![/quote]

Glad you were able to get one!

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

Lou Jost wrote:Thanks Robert for continuing to make great discoveries like this one! I look forward to trying this as a tube lens on FF, where the longer focal length will be useful.
Thanks Lou.

I'm interested to see how you mount this one, I got really lucky with that Raf adapter for my M-Componon 4/28. I had to use little shims but it worked well, thanks to the long set-screws Raf uses.

Best,

Robert

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

Lou Jost wrote:Thanks Robert for continuing to make great discoveries like this one! I look forward to trying this as a tube lens on FF, where the longer focal length will be useful.
Did you browse the sellers other items Lou?

He has some interesting looking Rodenstock gear.

Make sure you let us know if you decide to try anything else.

I'm trying the 10mm Rogonar telecentric lens now, turns out the RafCamera Minolta 5400 adapter fits.

Robert

Lou Jost
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Post by Lou Jost »

Robert, those telecentric lenses sound interesting. I did look at the other stuff, but my coffers are empty after my recent buying spree. I did pick up a pair of his IR-UV cut filters (he still has more left if anyone wants them). Those are usually expensive; his price is good. I need them because, after buying the S1R, I decided to send my old Pentax K-1 to Kolari to remove the sensor cover pack and replace it with something like a cover slip (0.2mm thick). This makes it sensitive to UV and IR, which now needs to be filtered out at the light sources. The idea was to make this camera behave more like a film camera for our super-fast film-era lenses and photolithography lenses, which are not corrected for thick sensor packs. This may be important for lenses faster than 2.8, to avoid spherical aberrations. I'll write about that after I test it a bit.

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

**UPDATE**

The seller messaged me that he found one more lens so if anyone would like one the last one is up now. He might have more so message him anyway even if this one is gone.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RODENSTOCK-OBJ ... 3860611351?

Best,

Robert

dolmadis
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Post by dolmadis »

Thanks Robert.

I purchased one just before the "last one" was left listed.

But I have been unable to really fathom out even going to your web page how to mount an infinite microscope lens to it.

Comments very welcome here.

BR


John

RobertOToole
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Post by RobertOToole »

dolmadis wrote:Thanks Robert.

I purchased one just before the "last one" was left listed.

But I have been unable to really fathom out even going to your web page how to mount an infinite microscope lens to it.

Comments very welcome here.

BR


John
Good to hear.

Thorlabs SM2 tubes are designed to house optics so I mount the lens inside of the threaded tube.

The Raf adapter clamps on the lens and gives me M42 threads from there I use a M42 > SM2 thread adapters. The lens then threads into an SM2 extension tube.

This is a similar setup but with an SR-120 tube lens (out of sight)

Image

Exploded view of the above

Image

dolmadis
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Post by dolmadis »

Thanks Robert. That is so elegant.

BR

John

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