Recommendation for a Bright 300mm Lens Covering 8x10

retina_restoration · Feb 6, 2025

koraks said:
For wet plate, the difference between 6.8 and 4.5 will be very significant.

Agreed. I have a Turner-Reich Gundlach f6.8 convertible (12 inch) that I have used for wet plate work on occasion, and the difference between this and my f4.5 Ektar (12") is very significant. I recommend that you insist on an f4.5 lens for your work - you'll be grateful for its advantages.

Ian Grant · Feb 6, 2025

There's a mint Boyer Saphir 300mm f4.5, it looks superb. Usually you see wear on the Compound shutter.

Ian

Chuck1 · Feb 6, 2025

That does look nice

Vaughn · Feb 6, 2025

These are a horse of a different color, but might be of some interest...

For LF & VLF (Large Format & Very Large Format) Cameras

lecarp · Feb 6, 2025

300mm 4.5 Congo in Japan

D_Quinn · Feb 7, 2025

Ian Grant said:
There's a mint Boyer Saphir 300mm f4.5, it looks superb. Usually you see wear on the Compound shutter.

Ian

It sold while I was checking shipping and customs! Let me know if you find another in a similar good condition. I need a shutter and a sync terminal for strobes. Thanks!

D_Quinn · Feb 7, 2025

lecarp said:
300mm 4.5 Congo in Japan

Thanks! I now think that I want a lens with a shutter.

D_Quinn · Feb 7, 2025

Vaughn said:
These are a horse of a different color, but might be of some interest...

For LF & VLF (Large Format & Very Large Format) Cameras

Thanks. Looks like this website has a lot of useful info

retina_restoration · Feb 8, 2025

D_Quinn said:
It sold while I was checking shipping and customs! Let me know if you find another in a similar good condition. I need a shutter and a sync terminal for strobes. Thanks!

So you changed your mind? You originally stated that a lens in barrel was sufficient. Finding something decent in a fully functional shutter may not be within your budget.

blee1996 · Feb 8, 2025

If you need the lens to be bright and in shutter, that will make it more difficult and expensive. Some more reasonably priced 300mm f4.5 lens in shutter are typically Tessar-like design, search for

Wollensak Anastigmat or Raptar
Carl Meyer or Karl Meyer
Fujinar
Congo or Yamasaki
Kodak Anastigmat or Ektar

D_Quinn · Feb 8, 2025

Thanks! I'll try to find it. So far I've never seen 300mm f4.5 Fujinar in shutter but does it exist?

ags2mikon · Feb 8, 2025

Kumar on this forum could tell you about that. I had an adapter made for mine to mount in front of a shanel 5a shutter. It has flash sync. I don't know if in that configuration it will cover 8x10 without fouling the shutter.

MattKing · Feb 8, 2025

ags2mikon said:
Kumar on this forum could tell you about that.

That would be @B.S.Kumar .
Hope this is helpful.
You will find that if you try to search on Photrio for an incomplete name it can be frustrating, because the search function is extremely literal!

argent_negre · Feb 9, 2025

Industar-37 is a 300mm f4.5 lens. They are usually very cheap. My copy is excellent.

retina_restoration · Feb 9, 2025

argent_negre said:
Industar-37 is a 300mm f4.5 lens. They are usually very cheap. My copy is excellent.

Agreed. The Industar-37 can often be had for about $100-$150 usd. I’ve compared it with my 12” Ektar and it’s just as sharp and contrasty, but it’s slightly more prone to flare. But that wouldn’t be much of an issue in studio with controlled lighting.
However, the OP has decided he wants a lens in a shutter, not a barrel type. The Industar-37 is always found in a barrel, sans shutter.

D_Quinn · Feb 9, 2025

Thanks, everyone, for the info. Yes, I’ve changed my mind—I now want a lens with a shutter because I mainly shoot with strobes. Sorry for the confusion. I know my budget isn't enough for a decent lens, but I’m not in a hurry. If I find something decent, I’ll ask for your advice.

Dan Fromm · Feb 9, 2025

D_Quinn said:
Sorry for the confusion. I know my budget isn't enough for a decent lens, but I’m not in a hurry.

For curiosity, what's your budget?

retina_restoration · Feb 9, 2025

Dan Fromm said:
For curiosity, what's your budget?

He originally stated $1K For that sum, he can get a decent lens in a working shutter, but there will be limits on what he can choose from, especially if he wants an f4.5 lens.

Ian Grant · Feb 9, 2025

Well, the Boyer Saphir I linked to sold quickly, it was under $500, in superb condition (looked Mint), coated, and in a Compound with flash sync.

D_Quinn said:
Thanks, everyone, for the info. Yes, I’ve changed my mind—I now want a lens with a shutter because I mainly shoot with strobes. Sorry for the confusion. I know my budget isn't enough for a decent lens, but I’m not in a hurry. If I find something decent, I’ll ask for your advice.

I notice that reasonably priced 300mm good lenses in shutters that cover 10x8 sell quite quickly. Your budget is way more than the price of a decent f4.5 lens in a shutter, just needs patience and then a swift decision.

There are options for shutters for barrel lenses, but hard to find. I've just bought a new (to me, old 1080p) video camera, specifically to show the shutter options for barrel lenses. Most people don't realise Gitzo made leaf shutter, few were probably sold outside France, I have one that front mounts on all my larger lenses. It needs a new thread to mention all the options, but I have 5 or 6 different options for my larger LF barrel lenses 12" to 20"

Ian

retina_restoration · Feb 9, 2025

My favorite lens in the 12"/300mm range is my 12" f4.5 Kodak Ektar. (NOT the f6.3 Commercial Ektar) Absolutely beautiful lens. There's one on fleabay right now for a very reasonable price.

D_Quinn · Feb 10, 2025

retina_restoration said:
My favorite lens in the 12"/300mm range is my 12" f4.5 Kodak Ektar. (NOT the f6.3 Commercial Ektar) Absolutely beautiful lens. There's one on fleabay right now for a very reasonable price.

Thank you. It meets my expectations; however, I noticed some specks of dust (or spots) inside the lens, and the seller hasn’t provided a clear explanation about its condition, which makes me unsure. So I think I'll pass and look for another one. Thank you anyway!

Jonathan-sv · Feb 11, 2025

Not sure if this is the lens you want, but Kamerastore.fi has a Meyer-Görlitz Doppel Plasmat, 30 cm f 4 for sale in a Compound Shutter for less than 1000 Euros.

Meyer-Optik Görlitz 30cm f4 Doppel Plasmat (Shutter)

Meyer-Optik Görlitz 30cm f4 Doppel Plasmat (Shutter) Process lens made by Hugo Meyer & Co (Meyer-Optik Görlitz). Metal body available in black. * Hugo Meyer & Co Görlitz 30cm f4 Doppel Plasmat * Size: 112 x 85 mm * Weight: 2208g (in Compound shutter) The shutter and aperture mechanisms have been...

kamerastore.com

Jonathan

retina_restoration · Feb 11, 2025

D_Quinn said:
Thank you. It meets my expectations; however, I noticed some specks of dust (or spots) inside the lens, and the seller hasn’t provided a clear explanation about its condition, which makes me unsure. So I think I'll pass and look for another one. Thank you anyway!

The lenses made in the 1940s and 1950s by various manufacturers - not just Kodak - often included tiny air bubbles in the glass. The technology of the day didn't have a way of eliminating 100% of the air bubbles. I have several lenses that have bubbles in the glass. It has absolutely no effect on the photos made with these lenses. There's no practical reason to avoid one of the large format Ektar lenses as long as they are not damaged. These are my favorite lenses to work with.

blee1996 · Feb 11, 2025

Since OP is in Japan, then I think the best approach is to contact @B.S.Kumar and he can certainly find a suitable lens for you. You can probably inspect in person, and the price is quite reasonable.

D_Quinn · Feb 12, 2025

I was a bit late in checking the comments due to work. I'll consider the various advice and suggestions already given. Thank you! I'll also try reaching out to B.S. Kumar.

Recommendation for a Bright 300mm Lens Covering 8x10

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