New 155-165mm Wide Angle For 8"X10".

[Rick Moore]

I would be interested in a small 155-165mm lens that offered good coverage of 8x10. A maximum aperture of f9-10 would be fine. My ideal price point would max out at around $1,250.

[Oren Grad]

I think you'd get a clearer answer if you simply ask "how many of you would pay $1500 for a modern 158mm Cooke?"

All the answers from people who want to pay less than $1000 are irrelevant, because at that price Cooke will never do it. Even $1500 may be iffy for them, given what they've asked for the PS945 and the XVa, but if there's solid demand at that price at least there would be a basis for negotiation.

Good luck...

[Bruce Watson]

There is a genuine possibility of the manufacture of a lightweight lens in the 155-165 range to cover 8"X10" this would be in a Copal #1 shutter and similar in size to a Cooke VIIB, could anyone who would be interested please respond so I can get an idea of numbers and could you also state the approximate price you would be prepared to pay and also any comments or ideas.

I might be interested in a 160mm lens for 10x8. It would depend on its size and weight, performance, etc. It would be lovely if it was at least an f/8. I'd guess that the price range for a new lens will be on the high side of the $1000-2500 USD range.

This proposed lens would be like an 80mm lens for 5x4 which is wide indeed. Around a 75 degree angle-of-view along the 10 inch side IIRC. This would be an excellent size.

[Henry Ambrose]

I'd be interested in a 165 or even a 180 that gave good coverage at a reasonable size.
There are already two available 150s, the Nikon and the Schneider. Yes, I know the Nikon is no longer made but they're out there on the market.

My perfect lens near what you are suggesting would be a 165-180 with a 400mm or larger fully usuable image circle and no larger than 95mm filter size, rear element that fits in a Technika board. Maximum aperture of f8 would be great but slower might be OK too. I'd pay $1000-1500 or maybe more for a truly exciting lens.

Another way of naming my perfect lens would be a "Schneider Super Symmar XL 165 or 180mm" thats the same size and performance as the current 150 XL. Or the equivalent to a typical modern 90mm on a 4x5 or maybe the Super Symmar 80mm XL on 4x5.

[Randy Redford]

Count me in, depending on coverage and price. I have the Nikon 150 but would like something lighter.

[Tony Lakin]

I'd be interested in a 165 or even a 180 that gave good coverage at a reasonable size.
There are already two available 150s, the Nikon and the Schneider. Yes, I know the Nikon is no longer made but they're out there on the market.

My perfect lens near what you are suggesting would be a 165-180 with a 400mm or larger fully usuable image circle and no larger than 95mm filter size, rear element that fits in a Technika board. Maximum aperture of f8 would be great but slower might be OK too. I'd pay $1000-1500 or maybe more for a truly exciting lens.

Another way of naming my perfect lens would be a "Schneider Super Symmar XL 165 or 180mm" thats the same size and performance as the current 150 XL. Or the equivalent to a typical modern 90mm on a 4x5 or maybe the Super Symmar 80mm XL on 4x5.

Hi
The lens I am proposing would be much smaller than any of the lenses you mention, we are are talking smaller than a 150mm Symmar S the filter thread would be in the region of 52mm the weight would be 250-300 grams.

[James E Galvin]

I'm interested, would prefer 155mm, need to know more about it: coverage, f#. I'd go $1200.

[tim atherton]

It sounds like the Computar combo. Combine the elements from a 150mm and 210mm Computar, get around a 165mm tiny f9 ish lens with a fair bit of coverage?

[Tony Lakin]

It sounds like the Computar combo. Combine the elements from a 150mm and 210mm Computar, get around a 165mm tiny f9 ish lens with a fair bit of coverage?

Hi
Thanks for that info Tim, I have a 210 Computar so I wouldn't mind trying the combo, have you tried elements from a 150 G Claron with the Computar? are 150mm Computars readily available, I bid for a 150mm Kyvytar (spelling?) a couple of years ago but Kerry outbid me.
Regards
Tony

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

I'd definitely be interested. Of course, the lower the price the bigger the market and I'd love to see a compact multicoated 100 degree 8x10 wide angle in a modern Copal shutter for $999.95, but I'd likely be willing to pay more ($1200 - $1400) if that was the only option to get such a lens.

Concerning pricing... Yeah, if they were priced at $650 everyone would buy one, but I seriously doubt the company making them would be in business very long. A 150mm APO Sironar-S - a 75 degree lens in a smaller, cheaper Copal No. 0 shutter currently sells for $840 - $895 new. And keep in mind it's been in production for almost 15 years and has been a big seller by LF lens standards. They have had plenty of time and sufficient sales volume to recover their initial engineering and tooling costs. The 180mm APO Sironar-S, in a Copal No. 1 shutter, currently sells for $1070 - $1160. In terms of coverage, the 150mm Super Symmar XL is the closest (actually ONLY) current equivalent and it sells for $2100 - $2600 new. It's been on the market for a decade and is obviously a more complex design. On the used market, 150mm APO Sironar-W, a modern 80 degree lens that was discontinued in the late 1990s, recently sold on eBay for $1710. This is for a used 10 - 15 year old lens that doesn't even cover 8x10 (it covers 5x7 with moderate movements).

Realistically, I don't see how anyone could bring ANY new shutter mounted LF speciality lens to market with a retail price of less than $1000 and hope to make enough profit to make it worth their time and effort. This is especially true for the boutique manufacturing of small quantity, high quality optics where the expected production volume is 100 units. In such a scenario, the manufacturing costs do not benefit appreciably from economies of scale, and ALL of your design, prototype, manufacturing, test, marketing, advertising, etc. costs have to be distributed over those 100 units.

Kerry

P.S. That said, please let us ULF shoters know when the 200mm and 222mm versions are ready to go into production. I have an old (ancient) uncoated barrel mounted 8" f6.5 Cooke Series VIIB. I'd love to have a multicoated version in a modern Copal shutter.