Should I buy this lens?

[Existing Light]

I bought a Burke and James Grover 5x7 back in January, and she still needs a lens. I've been paitiently saving up a bit of cash and watching that auction site for a while, and I think I'm ready to make a purchase. Now all I need is a bit of advice from you LF experts here. I found this lens (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130496232535&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT), and it seems promising to me. Does anyone know anything about this lens? I'd like to hear from anyone who has any experience with it before I buy

BTW, I'm a LF newbie

 

[removed account4]

hi el

i don't have a 210, but have a 150 g claron i use as an enlarger lens
... once in a blue moon when i do copy work i put it on my speed graphic.
it is f9 like the one you linked to and isn't the easiest lens to focus.

i imagine you have hopes to use it at infinity ?
from what i remember it is best for that sort of thing
unless you are doing copy work or enlargements / macro work.

if you have your heart set on this particular lens, you might hunt for one
in a barrel, and also hunt for a polaroid tominon type lens in a prontor shutter
there is no machining necessary ( from what i remember ) and you can screw the
elements right into the shutter and figure out your fstops ( measure your iris + divide into your focal length ) .. very easy.
i mention hunting for one because you can probably find one and a separate shutter for a bit less than
that one ....

another you may think about would be a schneider symmar convertible ...
it has huge image circles and the 210 is also a 370 when you remove the front element. it doesn't cost too much and works great with the long bellows
of your 5x7 camera. ( they often go for way-less than 2 lenses. )

i have a 210/370 and can't say anything bad about it ( have been using it since around 1996 )....

good luck !

john

 

[2F/2F]

Reproduction lenses are often used by LF camera users because they are inexpensive, because their relatively small max apertures make them pretty compact and lightweight for the focal length, and because they often have very large image circles, which allows one to use all the movement his or her camera can provide. They are usually optimized for photographing 1:1 or greater magnification flat work, in which lack of distortion and color accuracy are the most important characteristics of a lens. But they are certainly more than passable at making other pictures, especially once you consider their prices.

I'm really not sure about the price of this particular lens. My gut tells me it sounds high, but I have no specific knowledge of the market for this lens. It is nice that it is mounted in a shutter. But who knows if it has an accurate aperture scale of not?

 

[Existing Light]

I dont nesessarily have my heart set on this lens. However, it is within my budget, which is very limited atm (I drive to school 30 minutes each way four days a week and I work at a target ). Also, I dont have a 5x7 enlarger, so contact printing is my only option. I guess my questions are, if the aperture is accurate and the shutter is accurate, as the seller describes, "will it actualy cover 5x7? (the seller says so, and I have no reason to doubt him with his feedback rating)" and "will be able to tell a difference image-wise with a lens not meant for copy/reproduction work when I'm only making contact prints?"

With my current income, a 5x7 enlarger is out of the question for quite a while. My school doesnt have one, either, so enlargements for me is impossible.

 

[Existing Light]

I asked what size shutter was on the lens. the seller replied (actual quote) "It's a synchro compur shutter 0. It fits a copal 0 sized lensboard." Assuming, I do buy this lens, and right now I may or may not, I'd have to get a lensboard to fit my camera with a Copal 0 hole.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Don't buy it. Per Schneider -- see http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/repro_claron.pdf -- it doesn't come close to covering 5x7 at infinity.

 

[Jim Jones]

The Repro-Claron is similar to the venerable dialyt formula. Other such lenses, like the Ektar 203mm f/7.7 usually work well for 5x7. The Ektar was my favorite lens on 5x7, and permits increased movements on 4x5. I now prefer it with 4x5 backs on a couple of B&J 5x7 cameras for convenience in printing and scanning negatives.

 

[Existing Light]

Don't buy it. Per Schneider -- see http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/archiv/pdf/repro_claron.pdf -- it doesn't come close to covering 5x7 at infinity.

Isnt this one of the G Claron lenses? If so, from the google search I did, they should be able to cover 5x7. Of course, I cold have found flawed information

 

[Dan Fromm]

Isnt this one of the G Claron lenses? If so, from the google search I did, they should be able to cover 5x7. Of course, I cold have found flawed information

G-Clarons are not Repro-Clarons, Repro-Clarons are not G-Clarons. Read the documentation, if you don't read German use Google Translate.

Jim, you read the documentation too. Its tempting to reason by analogy from one lens to another but doing so isn't safe.

 

[Klainmeister]

The Schneider page does indeed suggest that the Repro won't even come close to 5x7....

 

[aoresteen]

The 210mm Repo will NOT cover 5x7. The 305mm Repo WILL cover 5x7 at infinity. I used a 305mm years ago with my 5x7 and I loved the results. I just needed more bellows than I had. Sold it and got a 210mm Fujinon that did cover 5x7.

 

[archer]

The repro claron will disappoint you if used at infinity compared to the G claron. The g clarons are blazingly sharp when used for general photography and the repro claron is not in the same class. I speak from experience.
Denise Libby