KEH - good source for used lenses?

[Leigh]

You give a lot of good info, and then you say the 300mm C won't cover 8x10 when it does...

Per the datasheet, the IC for the Fujinon C 300/8.5 is 380mm.

Given that the diagonal of 8x10 film is 325mm, the C should cover it with some modest movement available.

- Leigh

[8x10 user]

Hmm. I stand corrected

I just thought it was the same as the Ronar.

[StoneNYC]

Hmm. I stand corrected

I just thought it was the same as the Ronar.

I don't know about the Ronar, but the Fujinon C lenses are specifically known for having fairly large image circles, the 300 mm will cover 8 x 10, the 450 mm will cover 11 x 14, and the 600 mm will cover I believe 14 x 17 as well as 12 x 20 or something like that, this is just another reason why I want them because if I ever want to shoot something larger, even if it's just x-ray film and a cardboard box which I already shoot with, I already have a pinhole box camera in 11x14 and x-ray film, I would like a lens to use with it rather than it be a pinhole which is what I'm currently using.

So they are a multi use lens for me.

[8x10 user]

It sounds like a great lens for you.

I do think there are some advantages to the giant E.D. glass lenses in this range however there is a huge size and weight trade-off. Personally I do prefer focusing with larger apertures, but that just me.

Your 210 options are already well discussed in the thread mentioned above. Another tiny little lens with huge coverage is the Protar F/18.

Good luck with your plunge into 8x10!

[StoneNYC]

It sounds like a great lens for you.

I do think there are some advantages to the giant E.D. glass lenses in this range however there is a huge size and weight trade-off. Personally I do prefer focusing with larger apertures, but that just me.

Your 210 options are already well discussed in the thread mentioned above. Another tiny little lens with huge coverage is the Protar F/18.

Good luck with your plunge into 8x10!

Thanks, there's a huge difference between getting a lineup of lenses for around town or in studio, and getting a range of lenses to take with you on a 2 week backcountry hiking adventure... I need all the weight savings I can to keep my pack light.

Trust me, I love focussing on super bright ground glass with f/4.5 apertures, but that giant lens would weigh as much as all 3 of these... Just not with that in terms of weight savings.

[8x10 user]

Yes.... I was once foolish to believe I could use a full 8x10 Sinar P2 kit in the field. I had to stay very close to the car and make multiple trips. It was scary having boxes of full of expensive lenses next to the side of the road while your head is under the darkcloth. Not my smartest moment.

Sinars are great but only for studio use. I decide to move down to 5x7 for any outside shots.

[jnantz]

I don't know about the Ronar, but the Fujinon C lenses are specifically known for having fairly large image circles, the 300 mm will cover 8 x 10, the 450 mm will cover 11 x 14, and the 600 mm will cover I believe 14 x 17 as well as 12 x 20 or something like that, this is just another reason why I want them because if I ever want to shoot something larger, even if it's just x-ray film and a cardboard box which I already shoot with, I already have a pinhole box camera in 11x14 and x-ray film, I would like a lens to use with it rather than it be a pinhole which is what I'm currently using.

So they are a multi use lens for me.

if you are planning on using one of these big lenses on a box camera
getting familiar with hyperfocal distance focusing might be useful ...
so you don't have to actually focus your camera ( sliding film or lens plane
or using a mount allowing for your lens to go in and out with the lensboard in place .
helical mount ? ) ... instead you set the fstop and focal distance and figure out your shutter speed
as if it was aperture priority ...
schneider posts the hyperfocal settings on their website
not sure how one would figure out what they would be for the fuji or rodenstock lenses ...
but just the same it might be something to think about so you don't have to re-engineer your
ulf camera ...

[StoneNYC]

if you are planning on using one of these big lenses on a box camera
getting familiar with hyperfocal distance focusing might be useful ...
so you don't have to actually focus your camera ( sliding film or lens plane
or using a mount allowing for your lens to go in and out with the lensboard in place .
helical mount ? ) ... instead you set the fstop and focal distance and figure out your shutter speed
as if it was aperture priority ...
schneider posts the hyperfocal settings on their website
not sure how one would figure out what they would be for the fuji or rodenstock lenses ...
but just the same it might be something to think about so you don't have to re-engineer your
ulf camera ...

Just needs to be focused for infinity, it will be fine

[john borrelli]

I guess I am one of the few that finds KEH difficult to deal with.

The idea that you can not take a picture of the actual lens that you are selling to a customer is beyond me. I occasionally sell cameras and lenses on Ebay and it is no big thing to take a digital image of a lens and then provide the description of the lens, condition, etc. A while ago they had four fuji 240mm f9 lenses for sale. I was interested if one was of the latest multicoated versions of course no one there could tell me which version I would be buying. It's silly to buy four Fuji lenses, and then return them all at my expense if none of them were of the later mc versions that I wanted.

In my opinion, for any item over a certain price I really think they should be able to provide accurate info about the item you are buying. My guess is Ebay will put them out of business sooner or later if they don't adapt.

[Leigh]

The idea that you can not take a picture of the actual lens that you are selling to a customer is beyond me.

If KEH was a hobbyist selling a single lens I might agree with you.

They're not. They have a box full of any lens you care to name.

The overhead required to do as you suggest is quite excessive, including:
Photographing a lens, identified by inventory number.
Putting that photo in the ad for the lens, tagged by inventory number.
Having the stock clerk rummage through the storage box to find that inventory number for shipment.
Pull out the next example of that lens.
Unwrap it.
Photograph it.
Re-wrap it.
Return it to the storage box.
Put that photo in the ad, replacing the one that just sold.

That exercise would involve several people and cost a significant amount of money...

which would be added to the price.

You should not badmouth a reputable vendor just because they fail to meet your unrealistic expectations.

- Leigh