Tele-Xenar 5,5 - 800mm

**Paul Schilliger** · 13-Feb-2006, 11:38

How much should I have asked for a mint Tele-Xenar 5,5 800mm in the 10,695,xxx range? (It is sold already)

Does this lens cover 8x10 well?

**Paul Schilliger** · 13-Feb-2006, 11:40

I typed it wrong! It is a 500mm !

Sorry : (

**Thomas Vaehrmann** · 14-Feb-2006, 00:52

Hi Paul,

the longer Tele-Xenars are a little bit rare. Your 500mm was made for Technika 5x7'' with little movements possible. I paid 100$ for mine in Compur 5 electronic without control unit and changed the shutter to a Compound V I alreday had. I consider this buy as a bargin, in working shutter app. 400$ are a fair price.

**Paul Schilliger** · 14-Feb-2006, 03:17

Thanks Thomas. I thought it would cover 8x10 but you are right about 5x7. I bought it at a bargain price too in a buy it now auction, kept it for a couple of years, used it a bit for landscapes with the Tech 5x7 (easier to focus at dusk than the Fujinon 450C f1:12,5 !), and despite loving it, I sold it at a bargain price with all my 5x7 gear when I turned fifty (which says a lot on the weight and hassle of carrying that kind of gear)... But besides being contrasty and sharp, the lens was beautiful. Would I have been been a collector, it would still stand on my top shelf.

What was the price tag of this lens when it was sold new?

**Paul Schilliger** · 14-Feb-2006, 06:09

Another look at the Schneider website has confirmed that the lens is tight on 8x10 but will cover. Image circle is 312mm at f16.

**Thomas Vaehrmann** · 15-Feb-2006, 00:10

Hi again Paul,

you are right about the coverage of the Tele-Xenar 500, Schneider claims 8x10'' but I've never tried and actually the lens isn't on hands. I don't know former prices in the US but have found some advertising from 1956 in Germany (prices in Deutsche Mark): the Technika 5x7 with RF was 1490, without 1195, the Tele-Xenar 500 = 916, the Symmar 210 = 421, the Angulon 120 = 227.

**Paul Schilliger** · 17-Feb-2006, 08:48

Interesting to see the prices then! I came across a pay check established in that year a few years ago. A monthly wage for a worker with bed, board and laundry done was around DM 100 equivalent! Those prices doesn't say much now!