Where Did All the 300's Go?

[Mike Castles]

Have been searching for either a 305 G-Claron (with shutter) or a Nikon 300 M/Q for a while now and it is like the market dried up. Is it just a summer slump or shift. Lots of 300 Nikkor-W, etc.

Just wondering if I am looking in the wrong places (feepay, plus the usually suspects - MPEX, KEH, etc)?

[Sheldon N]

Check Ebay more often. There was a Nikkor 300-M earlier today for $499 Buy-it-now. It's gone already. There was one on June 29th for $450 Buy-it-now.

You've got to check early/often to catch those. Create a "Favorites" search on ebay for LF Lenses with Buy-it-Now option, newly listed first. Check it twice a day. Then be patient. :)

[Jack Flesher]

I just acquired a 305 G-Claron, but they do seem hard-ish to find at the moment. I will probably be selling my Fuji 300C now that I have the G-Claron, so feel free to PM me if you're interested.

(In case you weren't aware, the G-Claron and Fuji 300C (or A) both cover quite a bit more than the Nikkor 300M. Probably no issue for 4x5 or 5x7, but the Nikkor just barely covers 8x10.)

Cheers,

[Peter Collins]

Yup, they are scarce/going very fast. No luck here this summer, either. Thanks for the tip on using "Favorites."

ciao for now-------------------------------------------------

Peter

[Chuck Pere]

This dealer has a Nikon 300M for $625:

http://www.georgeury.com/

Not a great price but listed as mint. Good priced items go fast and you have to work at it.

[Capocheny]

The 305 G-Claron is a great chunk of glass... that's why they're being snapped up!

[Likewise for the 240 and 355 focal lengths too. :)]

Good luck on finding one.

Cheers

[Sal Santamaura]

Find yourself a "white market" dealer and purchase a brand new one:

http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1112&IID=5867

They also have new 240mm and 270mm versions left. I wanted a 270 around five months ago, stumbled on those schneideroptics pages and bought one through Midwest. It was manufactured in 1999; eight year old German air came out of the sealed poly bag when I cut it open. :)

The prices shown are "list." Actual selling price is set by the dealer and, in my case, was much lower.

[J_Tardiff]

Funny coincidence, I've been digging around for a 300mm to use as a portrait lens on my "new" 5x7 B&J --- in my case, I definitely want something *less sharp* (e.g. vintage) and in a shutter already, and have been having a devil of a time. Probably not helpful that I am trying to keep the price on the lower end.

Patience, patience, I know -- but I am really looking forward to fiddling with this camera.

JT

[scrichton]

Vintage 300 ... hmmm I have a nice industar 300mm f4.5. That was a steal at all of £30. On the bay from the ukraine. If you search about this is the usual price.

Tessar design. Coated and wide open it is as sharp as a portrait lens needs be.

Since getting it I have retired the 270 repromaster to a long life on a shelf.

[Scott Davis]

I snagged a Wolly Velostigmat 12" in a like-new Alphax shutter for $99 this spring, on feePay. The shutter alone is worth more than that. The lens doesn't have the greatest of reputations, but it should make a nice portrait length for 5x7 and a decent normal for 6 1/2 x 8 1/2. I'm putting it on my Seneca whole-plate field camera so I can shoot the format out of the studio.

[ifer]

and i thought i was the only one who was pulling my hair out, searching for a 300/8 or 300 tele lens...

[Jim Galli]

For years I had kind of a cottage industry snagging G-Claron's out of Europe hot off the copy cameras, mounting and calibrating in shutters with correct aperture scale, then re-selling to pay my photo hobby way. The last 305 I sold, I actually lost $$ on so I've sort of lost interest. Looks like I'm personally responsible for the shortage :D Maybe I better send the green guys out looking again.

[Mike Castles]

I just acquired a 305 G-Claron, but they do seem hard-ish to find at the moment. I will probably be selling my Fuji 300C now that I have the G-Claron, so feel free to PM me if you're interested.

(In case you weren't aware, the G-Claron and Fuji 300C (or A) both cover quite a bit more than the Nikkor 300M. Probably no issue for 4x5 or 5x7, but the Nikkor just barely covers 8x10.)

Cheers,

Thanks for the tip on the Nikkor, as it would be important since I plan to use the lens for 7x11 (and 8x10). Really like the look of the 305 G-Claron, and not in any hurry so think I will just wait it out until I find one. Plus it will be a good companion for the 240 Germinar which is really a nice lens.

[JPlomley]

The Nikkor and G-Claron sure seem a lot cheaper than the APO Sironar-S I was planning on purchasing. Other than weight and price, are there any other advantages of the Nikkor and G-Claron that I am missing. How do they compare in resolution and contrast to the Sironar-S? The application would be strictly landscapes.

[Eric Leppanen]

Other than weight and price, are there any other advantages of the Nikkor and G-Claron that I am missing. How do they compare in resolution and contrast to the Sironar-S?I have never owned the G-Claron so I can only speak for the Nikkor 300M and 300 APO Sironar-S.

Within its rated image circle the Nikkor is an extremely sharp piece of glass. I doubt you'll see any significant differences between it and the Sironar-S in real world prints, particularly if you print digitally. Photographer Richard Sexton, who wrote many of the articles for the Ebony camera web site and who recently converted to digital capture, ended up keeping his Nikon 200M and 300M lenses (rather than replacing them with digital glass) because he found them to be extremely sharp even with his digital back (he found his 300M to be superior to his 300mm Canon lens (!)); see his writeup here: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/digital-ebony.shtml.

IMO the merits of the Sironar-S are:

- f5.6 maximum aperture. I personally enjoy focusing with f/5.6 lenses, even on 4x5 with the relatively long 300mm focal length. The image of the ground glass is significantly brighter than when using an f/9 lens, and the depth of field is significantly reduced, making focus transitions easier to spot. The brightness difference is usually not enough to affect whether I'll ultimately get the shot -- except for dark architectural interiors or sunrises shot from the bottoms of dark canyons, I'll get the shot either way -- but the brighter ground glass helps make composition and focusing a bit easier and quicker, and the LF process more enjoyable. That being said, on long hikes I'll use the f/9 glass like most folks.
- Substantially greater coverage when shooting 8x10. The Nikon M provides up to one inch of rise maximum (with no front tilt/swing), which for me is extremely tight even for landscapes. The Sironar-S image circle is large enough that I can combine maximum front rise on my camera (roughly 2.5 inches) with a smidge of front tilt, and still not vignette. For this reason the Sironar-S is my standard normal lens for 8x10, unless I need to travel extremely light.

[Joseph O'Neil]

The Nikkor and G-Claron sure seem a lot cheaper than the APO Sironar-S I was planning on purchasing. Other than weight and price, are there any other advantages of the Nikkor and G-Claron that I am missing. How do they compare in resolution and contrast to the Sironar-S? The application would be strictly landscapes.

I have the 270mm G-Claron - if you think the 300 and 240s are hard to find, try and look for a 270mm. :)

Anyhow, never compared my G-claron to a apo Sironar-s, but i use a 180mm sironar and a 135mm apo sironar-n, if that helps. In terms of contrast & sharpness, I cannot qualify it precisely, but I think the G-claron is, IMO, a tiny bit more sharp and contrasty, but that is a very, very subjective observation. Your mileage may vary.

For me, it's the huge image circle of the G-claron that I love, especially how sharp it is to the very edge. I think the main drawback to these lenses is how dark they can be (starting at F9), certainly in twilight hours. Even with the bright screen on my Tachihara, it's quite a noticeable difference going from an F5.6 lens to an F9 lens of any brand/type (I also use an apo Artar at F9).
Otherwise, my G-claron is just about my favourite lens

joe

[John Kasaian]

I'm hoarding a Nikkor M and a 12" Dagor, so I gues I'm part of the problem ;)

If you want a sharp, contrasty 300mm lens to cover 4x5 or 5x7 you might consider a 12" APO or RD Artar as an alternative. FWIW my 14" APO Artar covers 8x10 with useable movements.

[Steve Hamley]

I have the 270mm G-Claron - if you think the 300 and 240s are hard to find, try and look for a 270mm. :) joe

Joe,

They are apparently available new.

http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1112&IID=2070

Steve

[Rob Vinnedge]

Joe,

They are apparently available new.

http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1112&IID=2070

Steve

What a pleasant surprise. I thought the G-Clarons were discontinued. I applaud Schneider for continuing to be responsive to the analog large format community.

[Rob Vinnedge]

Oops. Just read Sal Santamaura's post. Maybe The "new" G-Clarons are only old stock.