large format enlarging lens quote

David Lyga · Feb 24, 2015

From B&H I have received a quote of $65 for TWO enlarging lenses: Schneider Componon-S f5.6/135mm and Rodenstock Rogonar f4.5/135mm (photos enclosed).

This seems to me to be a very low quote (and based solely upon my photos). I still do not know if I will take them up on it. I would appreciate comments, as I do not use these lenses, or understand the status quo of that particular market, but at that price, I could do some macro work with a 35mm SLR if I am creative enough.

I also have a Rodenstock Rodagon f5.6/105mm that, apparently, they are not interested in.

NB: MODERATOR, if you wish to move this to 'enlarging', do so. - David Lyga

BrianShaw · Feb 24, 2015

Quite the bargain; one has little to lose

David Lyga · Feb 24, 2015

Who's got the bargain, Brian, me or B&H? - David Lyga

BrianShaw · Feb 24, 2015

If you are buying them just because the price is low... B&H.

David Lyga · Feb 24, 2015

That is what I thought. You should see what they CHARGE for new LF enlarging lenses. - David Lyga

Ian Grant · Feb 24, 2015

They have to make a mark uo and they are also taking risks buying unseen, and there's not a lot of demand for 105mm lenses.

You are better off selling them privately.

Ian

removed account4 · Feb 24, 2015

david

anyplace that will buy your lenses and resell them will buy them for maybe half of what they will sell them for.
it's like "flipping" a house. buy low, sell high.

if you look at their or KEH's website or eBay or here or anyplace else you might find them or similar lenses sold
you can see how much they sell for or might be re-sold for.
unrelated but not really, i know someone who had a 1963 plymouth valiant with a push button ( juke box ) transmission who sold it
in 1990 +/- for 1500$ with 34K miles on it. the following week or maybe 3 weeks later, after the buyer
paid macco or earl shribe <sic> coast to coast $50 to paint it they resold the same car for about 2x what they bought it for.
the original owner was not very happy.

BrianShaw · Feb 24, 2015

I'm sorry David, I seem to have misunderstood. It's still early on my coast.

You are selling to B&H... right? I mistakenly thought you were buying them. No matter, the quote is very low and guaranteed to ensure that B&H will be able to turn a profit. Can't blame them since that is their business and it costs them to procure, etc etc. As far as benefit to you... if you have no use for them, don't want to try to sell by yourself at higher figures, and could use a quick $65, then you are the winner.

David Lyga · Feb 24, 2015

Yes, Brian, here in Philadelphia, we are 'beyond' you on the West Coast.

NO IAN, there is no risk for B&H. They state that it is merely a quote and could readily change (always lower) when the lenses are seen. - David Lyga

snapguy · Feb 24, 2015

Pain

I share your pain. I have a number of enlarging lenses that I purchased new for peanuts at a camera store that was going to digital. I have no use for them and they are very high quality. I checked B&H and do not like their prices paid for goods although they are a sensational place to buy. You have to decide if passing up the low price for your lenses is worth the hassle you will go through trying to sell them privately. Personally, I can't decide on this so have done nothing about selling my stuff.
As my old friend Pogo used to say, "we are confronted with unsurmountable opportunities."

Rick A · Feb 24, 2015

David, retailers buy as cheap as possible, mark up is usually 400-500 percent. When ever you see a sale where everything is "half price" they are still turning a respectable profit.
Example: the gun shop near me offered me $65 for a rifle that they would retail for $200 - $300, I have had KEH give me quotes on my gear, no different, offer next to nothing then retail for $$$$$$. Of course, they're the ones with overhead to meet.

David Lyga · Feb 24, 2015

That becomes the problem: when you have a thin market, you have a thin offer. - David Lyga

BrianShaw · Feb 24, 2015

It may be a low offer, but I'll bet that if you asked around you wouldn't find a significantly higher offer. Buying and selling old/used stuff is a rather expensive venture for a business to be conduct; few seem to realize what it really costs to run a real business. And you're quite right about thin markets!

GKC · Feb 24, 2015

Good grief, just list them in the FS/WTB sub forum here!

summicron1 · Feb 24, 2015

i just sent a 135 componon s off to a guy who donated $60 to my local food bank, and was glad to get that. I'd tried to sell it for half what a new one would cost (this one is new, in box) last year and got no offers, even with subsequent price deductions.

The market is dead. They sell new ones for what they are because they paid wholesale for them and need to make their markup, and folks who want "new" will pay for new. They can afford to let the new lens sit on the shelf until a buyer comes alone because they probably only have one or two in stock.

The used market is more supply and demand, and demand right now, as you see, is pretty low.

RobC · Feb 24, 2015

The rogonar-S and the Componon-S are both wide angle 4x5 enalarging lenses for those with short enlarger columns.
The rogonar is optimised for only 4X enlargement so being wide angle is really of zero benefit. A rodagon would be a much better lens. i.e. The rogonar is worth next to nothing except to someone who doesn't know what they are buying.
Don't have any more information on the componon but I guess its optimised for 4X-6X enalargemnt. It should be worth more than the rogonar but still not much as there are plenty 150 componons and rodagons on the market.

The rodagon is very old and newer ones are superior.

i.e. they are all at best basic lenses with the rogonar being a three element lens I belive. They ain't worth much at all to a serious printer. I'd take the money or sell em privately if you can find a taker.

Dan Fromm · Feb 24, 2015

RobC, if you have no information you shouldn't guess. Knowing nothing and knowing that you know nothing is much preferable to knowing something that isn't so.

The Componon-S brochure says:

The COMPONON-S is the first choice when image quality can not be compromised. It is a versatile design and may be used to make enlargements in the 2x to 20 magnification range.

Older Schneider literature says that Componons and Componon-Ss are optimized for 8x - 12x.

I thought the OP mentioned a plain Rogonar, not a Rogonar-S. I don't have R'stock literature ready to hand, recall vaguely that plain Rogonars are triplets. Could be mistaken.

David, the best place to go to estimate how much lenses sell for is eBay sold listings. Many posters on APUG pull the information they share out of thin air.

DREW WILEY · Feb 24, 2015

You're lucky to get any offer from a reseller on lenses like these. They have to turn around and hope to sell them for more, which won't be
easy given the glut of garden-variety enlarging lenses on the market right now. Componon-S was upstaged years ago.

RobC · Feb 24, 2015

Dan Fromm said:
RobC, if you have no information you shouldn't guess. Knowing nothing and knowing that you know nothing is much preferable to knowing something that isn't so.

And who are you to tell me I shouldn't guess oh master. Geez I told him I didn't have more information and it was only a guess and you're uptight about me stating the fact. Put it away.

Oh and my bet is that you don't know what you're talking about. This is a 135mm lens and not a 50mm lens. 10X means approx 50 inch print.

AgX · Feb 24, 2015

Dan Fromm said:
I thought the OP mentioned a plain Rogonar, not a Rogonar-S. I don't have R'stock literature ready to hand, recall vaguely that plain Rogonars are triplets. Could be mistaken.

You are right:

Rogonar: plain triplet (3 elements)

Rogonar-S: modified triplet (4 elements)

David Lyga · Feb 24, 2015

This thread has been a telling experience. NOT ONE of you has offered to buy them. THAT says plenty.

The market is dead, although buying new ones from B&H will cost a fortune. (Did anyone recently look at their new enlarger prices? You will have a heart attack.)

Maybe, just maybe they are not being lower than the market demands for 'used'. Your comments are informative and frustrating at the same time. Thank you all. - David Lyga

Dan Fromm · Feb 24, 2015

RobC said:
Oh and my bet is that you don't know what you're talking about. This is a 135mm lens and not a 50mm lens. 10X means approx 50 inch print.

That's normally a safe bet but in this instance I quoted directly from Schneider propaganda.

Ian Grant · Feb 24, 2015

David Lyga said:
This thread has been a telling experience. NOT ONE of you has offered to buy them. THAT says plenty.

You can't read that into this thread it's not in the sales section after all. Those of us who have posted mostly have all the enlarger lenses we need.

I'd make a comment about selling on Forums and it's patience don't drop the price or bounce unless you're really desperate to sell. When I bought a Super Graphic it was cheap with issues, the Focus frame back was damaged and un-repairable. The back off my Cambo Cadet happened to fit, on that basis I bought a rotating CAmbo back assuming it would be the same fit, it wasn't. When I came to re-sell it I had no response here, then out of the blue after many months I had an inquiry and it sold.

It is a small market an people will pay fair prices but you need to wait until what your selling meets someone else's need.

Ian

David Lyga · Feb 24, 2015

Thank you IAN. NO I am not desperate, but, even though this is not in the classified section, someone would have jumped on it if it was really desired and low priced. Thank you. - David Lyga

David A. Goldfarb · Feb 24, 2015

Prices on enlarging lenses have been pretty depressed for some time, with a few exceptions like APO EL-Nikkors and top-end wideangle enlarging lenses of recent vintage. I upgraded mine several years ago to three Apo lenses that I couldn't have possibly afforded at their 1980's prices.

So you can check the going prices on eBay and post them here, and move them to auction if they don't sell, or think of alternate uses for them, say as macro lenses. If you try to sell through a retailer, they'll always give you a low price.

large format enlarging lens quote

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