Have begun my 617 on 4x5 quest..

[luvcameras]

Ok, so I bought a 4x5 Calumet Cadet ( just $ 235 from KEH in exc cond - including lensboard ) and a Fujinon 135/5.6 which, although single coated, has great coverage and was only $ 245.....so I stand at $ 480 and now need to buy the DaYi 617 back on ebay for $ 519 shipped or the Shen-Hao from Badger in the US at $ 650 plus ship.... any opinions which 617 RFH to get ? are there any differences ?

thanks

Dan
www.antiquecameras.net

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Check this, but I think that on the KangTai version or maybe a later Shen Hao version of the 6x17 back, the format masks go on the outside of the frame, so it is possible to switch formats midroll. This is actually not that useful, but it's the only significant difference I've noticed between the three Chinese 6x17 backs I've seen.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

...and a Fujinon 135/5.6 which, although single coated, has great coverage...

www.antiquecameras.net

The number of coating layers has nothing to do with lens coverage.

 

[luvcameras]

The number of coating layers has nothing to do with lens coverage.

no kidding.... I was just commenting that although its a lens with single coating ( negative ) it does have great coverage ( positive ).

Dan

 

[Dave Parker]

no kidding.... I was just commenting that although its a lens with single coating ( negative ) it does have great coverage ( positive ).

Dan

Can't say I agree on the lens coatings, there were a heck of alot of great pictures taken with lenses that had no coatings......I don't feel a single coating is a negative at all.

Dave

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

no kidding.... I was just commenting that although its a lens with single coating ( negative ) it does have great coverage ( positive ).

Dan

I regard single coating (versus multicoating) as a second order factor in lens performance. In most picture taking circumstances you can't see the difference.

Incidentally, I recently bought a used (like new) 125mm Fujinon W f5.6 that is not labeled "EBC." However, when I look at the reflections of a single light source in the lens, I see exactly the same pattern of colors that I see in another (multicoated) Fujinon lens that is explicitly labeled "EBC."

Point being that you really need to look at the number of colors reflected from a single light source to tell if a lens with no coating designation is or is not multicoated (see Kerry Thalman's article on this).