Xenar 300mm f/4.5 lens---need an opinion

[scheimfluger_77]

Some time back in a purchasing frenzy for enlarging lenses I picked up a Schneider Xenar f/4.5 300mm lens not in a shutter thinking it might work as an enlarging lens. Was I off base? Currently my max shooting format is 4x5 but as I have 5x7 enlargers I'm seriously considering moving to a 5x7 camera. Is it possible to put this lens in a shutter? I have no idea what size it would need or if the existing collars containg the lens elements would need to be changed out for shutter mount. Thanks.

Steve

 

[jimgalli]

Some time back in a purchasing frenzy for enlarging lenses I picked up a Schneider Xenar f/4.5 300mm lens not in a shutter thinking it might work as an enlarging lens. Was I off base? Currently my max shooting format is 4x5 but as I have 5x7 enlargers I'm seriously considering moving to a 5x7 camera. Is it possible to put this lens in a shutter? I have no idea what size it would need or if the existing collars containg the lens elements would need to be changed out for shutter mount. Thanks.

Steve

It should fit in a Compound #4 shutter. Not the easiest or cheapest shutter to find. It won't be a good choice for enlarging 5X7. You'll be putting a hole in the roof running the carriage up to try to get an 8X10 out of a 5X7. Lots of Xenars got used for enlarging though, so that part is usable. Now if you buy an old Burke and James with the 5 1/4" lens board, you could mount the 300 in barrel and put a Packard shutter behind it and have a classic set-up for fine portraits.

 

[paul ewins]

Actually a 300/4.5 Xenar goes into a Compound 5. Your best chance of finding a Compound 5 is to buy .... a 300/4.5 Xenar (just like a Compound 4 where the most common lens found is a 240/4.5 Xenar). Almost everything else that went into a Compound 5 is much more desirable than a humble Xenar. Jim's suggestion of a Packard shutter is one way, a Sinar shutter is another possibility.