Apo EL NIKKOR

[kimcheeya]

How much is an Apo EL-NIKKOR 1:5.6 f=300mm lens worth (mint)?

[CP Goerz]

Not that much since longer enlarger lenses aren't worth that much as no-one enlarges 8x10. I can help you out with $50 if you really need to get rid of it ;-)

CP Goerz

[Vince Pulvirenti]

There are a lot of us enlarging 8x10, your lens is worth much more than $50. If you want to sell it try ebay.

[CP Goerz]

I was just kidding, the lens ought to sell for a couple of grand at least on Ebay, maybe 5K if the blood gets up.

CP Goerz

[Mark Sawyer]

No way, $1200, max. C'mon, let's get a pool going...

[CP Goerz]

If it goes for $1.2K I'll buy it myself!, the 480mm sells for $15K...and thats the lowest I've ever seen it sell for. Used by Christopher Burkett and held closely by National Geographic who has three of them.

CP Goerz.

[Mark Sawyer]

We'll find out soon; it's listed now and bidding is up to $790 with a week to go...

BTW, would the 480mm APO El Nikkor really produce measureably/noticeably better results than my $149 used-but-mint APO Ronar? (I've never used a high-dollar state of the art lens, and suspect it would be wasted on me anyways...)

[CP Goerz]

The APO El Nikkors are pretty special, yes you would see a difference.

CP Goerz.

[holden]

WHAT ABOUT A MINT APO 105 WITH BOX

ITS VERY SHARP,BUT I DO NOT REALY USE IT ANYMORE

HOW MUCH THIS WILL SELL FOR?

THANKS

[Jess Tibbiteur]

Looks like a Apo El Nikkor 300mm is worth about $4051.00 or there abouts. Lucky dog. And you folks wondering if there is a difference, yes. Bigtime, as a matter of fact. They are optomized for color work and there is nothing better in glass than an Apo El Nikkor. There is a staggering difference between the AENs and anything else when you look through your focuser. They make Goertz Apos look like Coke bottle lenses and an Apo Nikkor is soft in comparison. And those Process Nikkors folks fall all over themselves about on Ebay are relagated to paperweights. (I have had a couple of those Process Nikkors and they are profoundly ordinary and fall apart fast as the enlargement increases) They are beautiful to look at. The closest lenses I've seen in sharpness are the Rodenstock G's. My 50mm G is a ripper and the longer lenses are optimised for such huge ratios that they are only as good as anything else below their optimum range. the Apo Els are for more practical ratios such as 5-20x depending on the focal length. And that 300 will only cover up to 5x7 and that is if you stop down to f11 at least. I heard of a 480 on Ebay a year or two ago that went for ten grand but there was something about the seller changing his mind after setting the Buy It Now price and screwed the buyer over. Prices have softened and I though the 300 would hit at least five grand. Everyone says they would pay this or that but when it comes to stepping up to the plate, talk is cheap. Four grand is a very good price considering the condition and performance and I think they were 8-12K new in the mid seventies (more than a brand new Porsche 911). If you can find one and have the cash, buy it. It doesn't get any better than this in color and in most B&W work it is excellent too. There is a rare 170mm for making 8x10 or 11x14 prints from 4x5. Really sweet. The 210 is amazing and great for everything up to 4x5. The 2nd generation 210 covered 5x7 too. B&H listed them for sale up to a year or so ago for $7900 or close. (back me up on that one CP) I hope the buyer of that 300 is a printer and not a collector. What a waste not to use something like that.....Maybe someday..... Ever have one CP?