I just came across this on Badger Graphic's site---
http://www.badgergraphic.com/opencar...ategory&path=3
I just came across this on Badger Graphic's site---
http://www.badgergraphic.com/opencar...ategory&path=3
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
Not really much of a market anymore, even the second-hand market is pretty soft for most recent LF stuffs. Even MFD has taken a hit recently with the D8** and Sony 36mp offerings, combined with different combinations of cameras/lenses...
Rodenstock only offers a few "analog" lenses now, and it wouldn't surprise me if they go digital-only in the near future.
"Progress" my friend
-Dan
Stone Photo Gear
https://www.stonephotogear.com/
Old news; redundant thread.
There's such a glut of used lenses out there at the moment that I don't see how any mfg or distributor would make money. Many of these lenses will be operative
for decades to come. A better business plan is to make things which rapidly go obsolete - like electronics.
There are always a few people who will pay really big bucks for a brand new lens. But the market is so small that the lenses would need to be made only occasionally in small batches. There are some specialty optical shops that are equipped to do this. The prices would be astronomical, but a few very wealthy enthusiasts could afford it.
I think there is an optical company in Russia that will make a custom lens in any design desired for about three or four thousand dollars. I saw their name mentioned once but don't remember what it was.
I think a lack of shutters will be a major problem long before the glass goes bad.
Ron McElroy
Memphis
I think a lack of shutters
Ron: I would say "the lack of mechanical shutters" like compurs, prontors, copal, etc ...
Because electro-mechanical leaf shutters are available from Rollei-DHW, Schneider-Kreuznach and Rodenstock, Sinar, Horseman (the ISS system is not discontinued) and Arca Swiss.
Moreover, Arca Swiss has introduced at the last 2014 photokina an electro-mechanical focal plane shutter, but this is only for medium format film or sensors (645 size), not large format.
DHW filed for protection/liquidation last August. So the Rollei shutters are not really available.
The ISS shutters are step motored Copal mechanical shutters and since Copal no longer makes mechanical shutters the ISS, if still made, will run out of shutters shortly.
Our info is that Schneider is no longer producing their shutter.
I think the future for new manufactured LF lenses will be to mount them in cells to fit a customer's shutter. Or they could be mounted in barrel and used in front of a Packard shutter, which I think are still being made. There may be a shutter manufacturer in China that would be willing to make LF shutters if the order is large enough.
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