Rodenstock Magnagon 75mm f/5.6 Scanner Lens Test

The Magnagon 5.6/75 is a special lens made for the scanner industry by Rodenstock for use with linear scanner CCDs using low-dispersion glass for lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberration control. The Magnagon 75mm f/5.6 lens you see above was removed from Fuji Lanovia Sprint C550 high-end flatbed scanner. An f/8 version of the Magnagon lens is used in Hasselblad Flextight X5 scanner: https://www.hasselblad.com/flextight-x5/.

To see test results from 2018 here on Closeuphotography.com follow this link: https://www.closeuphotography.com/2x-lens-test-2018


This test and all the other content on my site, is completely independent and free from industry influence. I will not benefit from your purchases. Most photo sites in the web today are run by corporations for profit. I do not show ads, use any affiliate links, or take money from anyone in the photo industry. I create content for this site for fun in my free time. Instead of making a few dollars from this site, I'm more concerned about teaching people to learn to use what they already have, rather than waste time and money buying more equipment. Most of us, myself included, would make far better pictures if we'd stop buying the wrong equipment and spend more time learning how to use what we already have instead.


TECHNICAL DETAILS

Rodenstock Linos Magnagon 75mm f/5.6 Scanner Lens
Rodenstock part number:
0703.027.000.024
Filter threads: None. Deep red filter is installed at the factory with a retaining ring.
Lens Mount: Standard M39 lens mount which is 39mm x 26tpi also known as Leica Thread-Mount (LTM). 
Typical used price: $300-500.
Type: High resolution CCD scanners using XY Zoom (XYZ) technology
Focal length: 75mm
Aperture: Fixed aperture f/5.6. Measured at f/6.1. Best performance at f/5.6.
Optical Design: Special low-dispersion glass used in this lens for CA, and LoCA correction.
Chromatic Correction: No problems, lens is well corrected.
Magnification range: 1:5 to 3:1. Used at 0.25x to 3x in the Fuji C550 Lanovia scanner.
Coverage: 72mm linear CCD
Normal or reverse mounting: Normal.
Notes: Typically the Magnagon has a red dot on the lens barrel for best azimuth.
Scanners that use the Magnagon 5.6/75:
Agfa XY15 scanner flatbed
Fuji Lanovia Sprint C550 flatbed
Hasselblad Flextight X5 scanner (f/8 version)


Rodenstock Magnagon 75mm f/5.6 Scanner Lens with filter removed

The Red Filter

In testing I found that the lens is optimized to work with the filter so it should be left in place for photography. Without the filter the lens is slightly sharper but suffers from CAs or lateral chromatic aberrations. With the filter in place the Magnagon is free from CAs.

Normally a deep red filter is used in machine vision applications to pass UV and cut visible light but in this case the filter does not seem to have this kind of effect in this case.


1.4x lens test: 75mm magnagon vs Rodagon 80mm vs Makro Symmar 5.6/80

Coming soon!

Rodenstock Rodagon 80mm, Magnagon 75mm f/5.6 Scanner lens without filter, and APO-Rodagon 75mm f/4 Duplication lens facing down.

Rodenstock Rodagon 80mm, Magnagon 75mm f/5.6 Scanner lens without filter, and APO-Rodagon 75mm f/4 Duplication lens face up.


 LENS RATING

Like: 
Sharpness
APO chromatic correction
Compact iris housing

Can live with: 
Built-in red filter

Disappointed with: 
Lack of iris
Conservative maximum aperture
Can be hard to locate on the used market

Image Quality: very good sharpness and free from chromatic aberrations from edge to edge.
 


Mounting the Magnagon 75mm

More coming soon..

The Fuji Lanovia Sprint C550

A flatbed scanner with XY technology can move the scanner head in two directions: forward and backward (X direction) and left and right. The Magnagon lens was used in the more modern type of optical system using XYZoom (also called xyz scanning), the Fuji C550 Lanovia, Linotype-Hell Topaz II production scanner, and the Screen Cezanne. XYZoom allows the scanner to select just the area necessary for the scan, at the resolution needed, all in one pass. With XYZoom there is no need to scan and stitch with multiple scan passes.

 More coming soon….