Lenses - who's least expensive and still good?

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Not to dispute Jim's recommendation of the G Claron. He's right on the mark Th ey are great lenses at truly bargain prices.

However, WRT to the 300mm Nikkor M I offer the following opinion...

At f22, the first 300mm Nikkor we tested (my personal lens bought new several ye ars ago) was almost identical in resolution to the one 305mm G Claron tested (54 , 54, 54 vs. 54, 60, 54). By f32, resolution of either lens will pretty much ma tch the diffraction limit. Most 8x10 shooters I know rarely shoot any wider tha n f22 (f454 seems to be quite common), and even at f16 the Nikkor is 48 lp/mm co rner to corner. I consider that plenty sharp enough for critical enlargement of at least 6x (a 48" x 60" print from 8x10). So, in terms of practical use, I co nsider the two to be pretty equal in terms of resolution at normal working apert ures.

The Nikkor, however, is slightly higher in contrast, being a multicoated 4/3 des ign (6 air:glass interfaces) vs. the single coated 6/4 G Claron (8 air:glass int erfaces). The Nikkor is also considerably smaller and lighter than the G Claron (52mm filters, 270g vs. 67mm filters 460g).

In the end, they are both great lenses. I just didn't want to see the Nikkor ge t unfairly criticized based on the results of our tests. As a 4x5 color landsca pe shooter, I prefer the smaller, lighter, multicoated Nikkor. I generally shoo t it at f22 or there abouts, and have found the results to be wonderful - both i n terms of sharpness and contrast. If I was an 8x10 black and white shooter, I may indeed prefer the G Claron. Like I said, they are both outstanding lenses a nd I think most users would be happy with either.

Finally, I must point out that our tests results are not meant to be universal. We tested a VERY limited number of samples of any lens (in this case 2 Nikkors and one G Claron). Many were older, used lenses with unknown histories. In the end, our results are really only valid for the EXACT lenses we tested. There c an be sample to sample variations between even relatively new lenses, but especi ally between older used samples. We post our results to share what we've learne d, but mostly as fodder to inspire other people to test their own lenses. How g ood, or bad our lenses are, is really only applicable to OUR lenses. Testing a lens (or a camera for ground glass alignment, or a film holder for proper film p osition) is a simple excercise that requires just a little time and effort. Rat her than take our word as gospel, we encourage everyone to test their own equipm ent. We learned a lot in the process, and wouldn't want to deprive anyone else of a similar educational opportunity.

Kerry

[John Kasaian]

I think the commercial ektars are great lenses. I've got a 14" in a Ilex no.5 Universal and it has served me nicely for the past four years. Ihave no intention of trading it in ,or adding another lens to my kit. Ive had some experience with Artars(nice but pricey in the lengths that have a suitable image circle for an 8x10] and wollensak velostigmats which are fine lenses,too. When I was looking for a lens for my 8x10 I asked the advice of an old time pro who shot LF and he recommended the Kodak Commercial Ektars as the place to start. I took his advice and I'm glad of it. I see them on E-Bay every so often and Midwest Photo Exchange usually has one. I think you could pay $450 to $550 for one in a good Ilex shutter. If you want a new lens look at the G-Clarons. If you don't plan on using your cameras movements, The 300mm Nikkor M is excellent, but for the price and a BIG image circle, try a Coommercial Ektar!

[Don Wallace]

I second the vote for Commercial Ektars. I bought an 8 1/4 inch for 4x5 about a year ago and was very impressed. I was amazed at how good it was for colour (see Richard Knoppow's comments on that at : http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/lf/classic-experts.htm l )

The Commercial Ektars were really high quality lenses and if you can get one with the shutter in decent condition, they are one of the best buys out there. A 14" can be had for around $400-600. I just bought a 14" for 8x10 and can hardly wait to use it.

Don Wallace

[Rick Moore]

I highly recommend the Fujinon-C 300/8.5. It's razor sharp and a great deal smaller and lighter than the G-Claron (which is also a fine lens). It has greater coverage than the 300/9 Nikkor, but less than the G-Claron. It goes for about $725 new from Badger Graphics these days. Since your C-1 is a substantial camera, the small size and light weight of the Fujinon would be a good match for you.

If you're looking for a longer lens, the 450/12.5 Fujinon-C is also an outstanding performer.