Super Angulon 210m F8 - any good?

[koh303]

Came across this SA 210mm F8 lens and was not sure what is what.
It is HUGE (and heavy), about 5 times the size and weight of the repromaster 213mm f9.25, but is it worth all size/weight?

Price was difficult to gauge as well it was going for 900$....

[jbenedict]

The 210/8 SA is the Super Mutha of 8x10 wide angle lenses. It will cover 11x14 and has a 500mm circle. It will have more movements that you could use. I would want to have a monorail with a bag bellows if I had this lens. I'm not sure that the field cameras could adequately deal with this big hunk of glass. Taking the size difference into account, this is like using a 90 on 4x5 or a 28 on 35mm. If you want wider, it would be a 165 on 8x10, 65 on 4x5 and 20mm on 35mm.

"Worth" the size and weight? That's subjective, of course. If you shoot 11x14, this would be your wide angle, A lot of the other banquet formats as well. I'm not familiar with the Repromaster but it is possible to get a 210WA for 8x10 that is a lot less weight. The quality is right up there with anything else that has been made. I've seen the price all over the board. From $500-700 in a Sinar board w/o shutter to $1200/1400 with shutter. I once looked into getting one of these put into a shutter and the price of having that done was something like $2000 including the initial $500 for the lens without shutter. If it is in shutter and everything works fine, $900 seems fine.

Here is a list of 210s which will cover 8x10 (at least 300mm):

Brand L f/s Circle
Fujinon CM-W 210 f/5.6 309
APO-Sironar S 210 f/5.6 316
APO-Symmar 210 f/5.6 305

Kodak WF Ektar 190/6.8? 317 Need to watch the Ektars because the coating is known to be kind of soft and easily scratched. Considering these lenses are at least 50 years old, some of these have been cleaned with less than adequate cloths many times over the years.

That list is not all inclusive but you do have some choices. Perhaps someone can suggest some others keeping in mind that it is possible to find an example of the lens.

I'd get the 210/8 SA because it's so cool. But you're not me.

Jeff

[koh303]

I ws shocked by the size, and was not sure this would be any good on the dorff or BJ grover.
I guess, i could get the SC8X10 with bag bellows and work that, but that camera is so big and heavy to start out with, i guess it would not make a big difference if the lens is as big...

[Jac@stafford.net]

I sold mine in 2002 for $2,500 because it is was unnecessary when equivalents are available for 4x5. Really, who enlarges 8x10 enough to care?

[Lachlan 717]

It's really good for ULF. Very wide on 11x14"/7x17".

I'd love to use one on my 7x17...

[John Schneider]

Here is a list of 210s which will cover 8x10 (at least 300mm):

Brand L f/s Circle

also the W:
APO-Sironar W 210 f/5.6 352

The 210 S-A works fine on an Arca, but outside of metal monorails it would be iffy on all but the biggest wooden studio cameras.

[Bob Salomon]

Don't forget the 200mm 6.8 Grandagon N. 495mm image circle.