LF Fujinon lenses discontinued

[David Karp]

Sal,

I think you will be very happy with that 180 A. I have one that came with a camera and a bunch of other items that I bought to get a Horseman 6x7 holder. I ended up selling off almost everything over time, including the 6x7 holder, but I kept the 180 A. It pairs nicely for 4x5 with my 450 C, 125 f/5.6 NW and single coated 240 A.

[Renato Tonelli]

Leads me to wonder when the other two shoes (Schneider and Rodensotck) will drop.
I am very happy with my Fujinons. I wish I had known about them much earlier - I would have saved quite a bit of money.

[Kevin Crisp]

If B&L ever stops making the Protar VII series I'm going to be really bummed.

Actually the last new lens I purchased was the 450c and it is terrific.

[BrianShaw]

Because if no one buys new lenses, people will stop making them.

That kind of basic business decision appears to have happened in reality. It is too bad, really, but how can we be too surprised?

[David Lindquist]

Leads me to wonder when the other two shoes (Schneider and Rodensotck) will drop.
I am very happy with my Fujinons. I wish I had known about them much earlier - I would have saved quite a bit of money.

On this forum earlier this year Bob Salomon reported that the 35, 45, and 55 mm Apo Grandagons have been discontinued. On their website Linhof & Studio notes "To be discontinued" for the following Rodenstock lenses: the Apo Sironar S focal lengths of 100, 180, 240, 300 and 360 mm and the Grandagon N in focal lengths 65, 75 and 90 mm (both f/4.5 and f/6.8). Couldn't immediately see anything on Rodenstock's website to this effect. Again I wonder if these decisions are being driven to some extent by a dwindling supply of Copal shutters.
David

[desertrat]

I think the manufacture of new lenses will dwindle until some equilibrium is reached where one remaining manufacturer can continue to make a few for a profit. When that point is reached, they will be pretty expensive, but there are a few people who will pay a premium price for a brand new product.

Cooke in the UK runs off a small batch of LF lenses now and then, or did until a couple of years ago. That may be the future norm for new production.

It's also possible new manufacture may cease for several years, until the price of desirable used lenses climbs high enough to make it economically feasible for some company to start making (a few) new ones. We may see Chinese made LF lenses entering the market at some point in the future.

[Bob Salomon]

On this forum earlier this year Bob Salomon reported that the 35, 45, and 55 mm Apo Grandagons have been discontinued. On their website Linhof & Studio notes "To be discontinued" for the following Rodenstock lenses: the Apo Sironar S focal lengths of 100, 180, 240, 300 and 360 mm and the Grandagon N in focal lengths 65, 75 and 90 mm (both f/4.5 and f/6.8). Couldn't immediately see anything on Rodenstock's website to this effect. Again I wonder if these decisions are being driven to some extent by a dwindling supply of Copal shutters.
David

All Apo Sironar N lenses were discontinued quite a while ago, we have one demo 240 left cheap. All Apo Grandagons lenses were discontinued a few months ago. No Apo Sironar S lenses are discontinued. The Grandagons 65mm 4.5, 75 mm 4.5, and both 90mm lenses are current.

Rodenstock has stated that they were able to order enough Copal shutters to cover their needs for the immediate future. Of course that means that they have enough also for all their digital lenses from 23 to 180mm as well as for their 120 and 180mm macro lenses.

The latest Linhof factory price lists have indicated that many lenses from Rodenstock and Schneider may have limited availability. These lenses are marked with an * in the price list.

[ROL]

I knew this forum would eventually cost me more than my dignity or any remaining faith in humanity. I just pulled the trigger from BG on:

"Fujinon Compact 450mm/12.5
LAST ONE AVAILABLE FROM FUJINON. NO LONGER MADE."

(Yikes!)

[Andrew O'Neill]

When was the last time any of you bought a new lens? Yes, brand new! I think the last lens I bought brand new was at least four years ago. I haven't seen a new Fuji for sale since Nikon dropped its LF lenses.

2002 in Japan. The last new lens I bought was a Fuji 600C. Which my insurance company replaced new in 2006 along with other Fujinon lenses, after they were stolen.

[Arne Croell]

Schneider also cut their lens lines significantly, no longer produced (although available as long as they have stock) are the XXL Fine-Art series, all the Macro-Symmars, all the Apo-Tele-Xenars, the Super-Angulon XL 38mm and 47mm, and the Apo-Symmar L 480mm, as mentioned in this older thread: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...able-LF-lenses

The last lens I bought new was the Apo-Tele-Xenar 350mm from Schneider 4 years ago, and now its out of production already.