Ektar 203/7.7

[gflanslo]

What is a fair price for a good example (7/10 and above) Ektar 203/7.7 in compur? I'm interested in getting one but I haven't seen consistent pricing. Is there anything I should look out for when buying one of these? Pricing I've seen ranges from $100 to $300 or $400.

[Bill_1856]

$150 if it's clean and the shutter accurate. What a GREAT lens!

[Dave Wooten]

There was one posted awhile back on APUG.

[John Kasaian]

I think if you can find a good one (great glass and working flash supermatic) under $200 you've got yourself a good deal!

[JOSEPH ANDERSON]

I Have Two Of Thes Lenses. One In A Dead Shutter, And One In A Good Working
Shutter. I Paid $100 For First One And I Think $80 Or $90 For The 2nd One.
When My First Shutter Deid.the 2nd One Had A Good Shutter,but Had The Classic Cleaned With Brillo Look. However It Had No Effect On The Negatives.
Go Figure,these Are Great Little Lenses That Hold Up Very Well To Todays Modern Lenses. I Think Bill's Estimate Of $150 Is Right On Given The Shutter
And Glass Are Good.

Joe A

[gflanslo]

thanks for the replies everyone. It seems like 300 or 400 is way too much for these. I'm surprised that I've seen them go for that much.

I'll probably be looking to buy one soon (I'll probably post wtb in the classified section) but if anyone know of someone who is looking to get rid of one send me a pm.

[venchka]

Everytime the 203mm Ektar comes up for discussion, it reminds me that I want one! Late serial number. Clean glass. Supermatic (X) shutter. Speed Graphic board. I know there's one out there with my name on it.

Cheers!

[Andy Eads]

I've got two of these. One in a Supermatic shutter from about 1955. The other is in a Graphic Compur. Both are terrific lenses. I pulled the old one apart and cleaned up the internal haze. The newer lenses are permanently sealed. They can be opened but it is tricky business beyond my courage horizon. The slight haze in my newer one does not seem to affect sharpness or contrast appreciably. I've made side by side comparisons with a 210 Symmar and found no difference except for angle of view and of course image circle. For a nice light field lens, it is very hard to beat.

[Andy Eads]

I forgot to mention, a nice 203 in a Compur went for $282 on our favorite auction site just yesterday. That seems about right to me.

[Ernest Purdum]

The 203's in a shutter other than the Supermatic go somewhat higher, because in case of shutter trouble you can screw the cells into a brand new Copal, or another shutter made to the current size dimensions.

I have one in a Prontor shutter. If it should ever give up, I'd put the cells into a "Press" type shutter, since to me any camera that sits on a tripod all its life is better fitted with a self-cocking shutter.