Cooke Protrait

[tim atherton]

My personal wish list for a lens would be somethin g in the Wide Field 245/250mm range for 8x10.

There is nothing in modern lenses to compare with the classic Wide Field Ektar lns in 250mm for 8x10 (apart from the now defunct Fuji 250mm 6.7)

A new lens in this range would be great

(and maybe something in the 200 - 210mm range for 8x10?)

tim a

[Barbara Lowry]

Thanks for your suggestions, Tim. I'm adding that to our file!

[Tim Hicks]

I am delighted that Cooke is re-entering the LF marketplace. I entirely agree with the above comments from Kerry about the Series VIIB wide-angle. Availability of such a small lens would enable one of the more adventurous camera makers to produce a small 5x4 camera for hikers and walkers - something not much bigger than the 9x12cm Patent Etui of the 1930s (which could fit in a coat pocket)but with better movements. Bigger modern lenses have needed bigger lensboard, in turn leading to bigger and less handy cameras. A modern Series VIIb would enable someone to do for large format what Olympus did for 35mm when it introduced the OM1.

The other Cooke lenses that I treasure are the Aviars - especially the coated Series IIIb from the 1940's. I am planning to take an 8 1/2" one of these out this week, along with a 7" Series II.