Computars moving up, and up, and up !

Dave Wooten · Jul 14, 2006

Did you see that?

Computar 210 f/9 sold for $860.00 U.S.! and it won t even cover 20 x 24!

Computar 150 f/9 sold for $610.00 U.S,

Claire Senft · Jul 14, 2006

Computars are good lenses. If you can afford the film, you can afford the lens.

Dan Fromm · Jul 14, 2006

A good lens is good. A good lens at a low price is better.

We have got to start keeping secrets.

jp80874 · Jul 14, 2006

Claire Senft said:
Computars are good lenses. If you can afford the film, you can afford the lens.

Oh... Are we supposed to be able to afford this hobby? My wife knew I was doing something wrong. You can't be having this much fun and be doing things the "right" way.

John Powers

Hugo Zhang · Jul 14, 2006

A 305mm in Copal 3 was sold for little over $1,600 a few days ago.

df cardwell · Jul 14, 2006

Geez, and they were overpriced 20 years ago !

colrehogan · Jul 14, 2006

There's a 420 mm Repro-Claron that someone is trying to sell at $830 or something like that. I know about the 210 mm Computar, I bid on it. A couple of people wanted it a lot more than I did. I gave up and bought the 210 mm Graphic-Kowa at the Buy it now price instead.

Dave Wooten · Jul 14, 2006

colrehogan said:
...... I know about the 210 mm Computar, I bid on it. A couple of people wanted it a lot more than I did. I gave up and bought the 210 mm Graphic-Kowa at the Buy it now price instead.

A wise choice indeed! That will be sweet on 5 x 12 !

colrehogan · Jul 14, 2006

That's exactly why I bought it. Of course, that's also why I was bidding on the Computar. Oh well.

Dave Wooten · Jul 14, 2006

Well Diane, that is exactly why I was bidding, was going to feel real cool with it on 7 x 17...I do have the 240 computar and it is my favorite on that camera....

Kerik · Jul 15, 2006

Dave Wooten said:
Computar 210 f/9 sold for $860.00 U.S.!

Hmmmm... sounds like it's time to put mine on the market.

dmax · Jul 19, 2006

At these prices maybe it makes better sense for LF shooters everywhere to capitalize a search for the former lens designers and technicians of Kowa, and then send them to work on producing the latest version of the famed Kowa line, using better glass and high-end multicoating. And while they're at it, they might as well come up with the 2006 version of Petzvals, Hemispheriques, and other esoteric lenses that everyone else lusts after! While this may may put a serious dent in Jim Galli's business, I am sure his mother lode of lenses will produce yet another phenomenal specimen that no one has even heard of.

Michael Kadillak · Jul 19, 2006

dmax said:
At these prices maybe it makes better sense for LF shooters everywhere to capitalize a search for the former lens designers and technicians of Kowa, and then send them to work on producing the latest version of the famed Kowa line, using better glass and high-end multicoating. )

There is a group of us that are in fact doing this very thing although I can tell you with certainty that Kowa is not interested in this subject. They claim that any lens run less than 1,000 does not make economic sense to them. Plus they had nothing to do with the lens design. They even checked with their Japanese counterparts. It appears that this design was produced here in the US and Kowa performed the work on contract. More to follow shortly.

Cheers!

dmax · Jul 21, 2006

Michael Kadillak said:
There is a group of us that are in fact doing this very thing although I can tell you with certainty that Kowa is not interested in this subject. They claim that any lens run less than 1,000 does not make economic sense to them. Plus they had nothing to do with the lens design. They even checked with their Japanese counterparts. It appears that this design was produced here in the US and Kowa performed the work on contract. More to follow shortly.

Cheers!

Michael,

Your efforts to keep and re-envigorate interest in LF work is simply inspiring. Many thanks from those of us who benefit from what you and your other collegues have done for those of us in the LF community, and for looking far ahead.

Members of the original Elmer-Perkin optical design group may still be around. If I recall correctly, they had a number of contracts with NASA many years back. Tracking them down through NASA's public affairs department might be worthwhile.

Michael Kadillak · Jul 21, 2006

Great suggestion. I will pass this information along. We are attempting to ascertain what the Chinese may be doing in this arena while simultaneously chasing down our own sub set of "optimal" ULF optical design criteria as it appears that the Computar design can be vastly improved for our specific application.

In order for LF and ULF to remain vibrant we cannot sit idle and concerned that the train could leave the station without us. We are simply having to much fun to allow this to happen.....

Cheers!

tim atherton · Jul 21, 2006

Dave Wooten said:
Did you see that?

Computar 210 f/9 sold for $860.00 U.S.! and it won t even cover 20 x 24!
,

One also sold for $333.00 (minus shutter - but that's easy enough to do)

Ole · Jul 21, 2006

dmax said:
... the 2006 version of Petzvals, Hemispheriques, and other esoteric lenses that everyone else lusts after! ...

Or a nice little 2+2 Anastigmat casket set? No need for Plasmat at ULF sizes - I'd even be happy with an Aplanat casket set! Make it for long focal lengths, something like four cells of 600, 800, 1000 and 1200mm focal lengths combining to about 350, 450, 550, 400 and 500mm lenses? Using a WA Aplanat spacing would make that a neat little set...

sanking · Jul 22, 2006

dmax said:
Michael,

Your efforts to keep and re-envigorate interest in LF work is simply inspiring. Many thanks from those of us who benefit from what you and your other collegues have done for those of us in the LF community, and for looking far ahead.

I will second that thought. Mike is one of those persons who know how to make big things happen. If you get involved with him on a project you had better be prepared to lead, follow or get out of the way

We all owe him a big debt for pulling the big TMY run off, and I would not be surprised to see something very positive emerge from the lens design group.

Sandy King

jimgalli · Jul 23, 2006

Meanwhile, my 305mm G-Claron and 10 3/4" Dagor go begging in the classified's here. Both would cover 11X14 nicely.

Computars moving up, and up, and up !

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