Donald Hutton
9-Aug-2005, 20:14
I am having a little lens dilemma:
I shoot a range of formats. Anything bigger than 4X5 is done for alt. processes ; particularly Pt/Pd (although down the road, I may spend a bit more time on silver contact printing). I currently own nothing longer than a 450mm. On 4X5, I use a 300mm quite a bit and I'd like something longer for 8X10 and larger (up to 12x20). 600mm looks about right for the next longer lens, but I am in some doubt as to how to proceed:
1.A Fujinon C 600mm (which would cover everything I would ever want to shoot, costs a shade under $1500 new and they are very seldom available used).
2. I picked up a 24in Red Artar in near perfect shape for $375 - it's in a barrel.
I have been investigating the options for having the Artar mounted into a shutter (I'd really prefer it to a barrel especially on 8X10 when exposures are occassionally under a second...). It would appear that I will be in for about $700 which brings the all in cost of this to about $1075 - significantly less than the Fujinon.
Does it make sense to have the Artar remounted (I have never actually used a lens of this vintage; except on Rolleiflexes - I have no doubt that it will perform adequately for my purposes)? I'm not sure there is any point in spending +-$1100 for a 40 year old lens when I could buy pretty much state of the art (great coatings anyway) for an extra $400. Even on 12x20, $400 buys quite a bit of film....
I shoot a range of formats. Anything bigger than 4X5 is done for alt. processes ; particularly Pt/Pd (although down the road, I may spend a bit more time on silver contact printing). I currently own nothing longer than a 450mm. On 4X5, I use a 300mm quite a bit and I'd like something longer for 8X10 and larger (up to 12x20). 600mm looks about right for the next longer lens, but I am in some doubt as to how to proceed:
1.A Fujinon C 600mm (which would cover everything I would ever want to shoot, costs a shade under $1500 new and they are very seldom available used).
2. I picked up a 24in Red Artar in near perfect shape for $375 - it's in a barrel.
I have been investigating the options for having the Artar mounted into a shutter (I'd really prefer it to a barrel especially on 8X10 when exposures are occassionally under a second...). It would appear that I will be in for about $700 which brings the all in cost of this to about $1075 - significantly less than the Fujinon.
Does it make sense to have the Artar remounted (I have never actually used a lens of this vintage; except on Rolleiflexes - I have no doubt that it will perform adequately for my purposes)? I'm not sure there is any point in spending +-$1100 for a 40 year old lens when I could buy pretty much state of the art (great coatings anyway) for an extra $400. Even on 12x20, $400 buys quite a bit of film....