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Joe Hudgens
23-Sep-2005, 21:12
This might be a dumb question but do they make new Caltar lenses?
John Kasaian
23-Sep-2005, 21:18
If Calumet isn't fibbing to us, Yes!
Mark Sawyer
23-Sep-2005, 21:20
No, but they're still making old ones...
Joe Hudgens
23-Sep-2005, 22:00
Then were can you buy them at? I'v seen non on line except on Ebay
Kerry L. Thalmann
23-Sep-2005, 22:13
Calumet Photo (http://www.calumetphoto.com/)

Kerry
John Kasaian
23-Sep-2005, 22:15
You can get them new from Calumet. They've got stores in all the major photo-metropolis in the US and they also have a catalog and e-store. Check out www.apug.org Calumet is one of the underwriters and I believe there is a direct link somewhere on the page.

Cheers!
Mark Sawyer
23-Sep-2005, 22:20
"do they make new Caltar lenses?"

BTW, "they" are Rodenstock, and have been for quite a while. I think modern Caltars are Calumets "house brand" versions of Rodenstock lenses.
Ron Marshall
23-Sep-2005, 22:38
They make them new, but many are available in excellent condition for considerably less than new at many stores or on ebay.
Kerry L. Thalmann
23-Sep-2005, 22:52
"they" are Rodenstock, and have been for quite a while.

Rodenstock has been making the Caltar II-N line for Calumet since 1984 and the Caltar II-E line since 1986. The Caltar II-N series are private label version of Rodenstock's Grandagon-N and APO-Sironar-N lines. They are made in the same factory by the same workers and are identical in all respects except for the name on the lens, who handles warranty service and the price. The Caltar II-E series are private label version of Rodenstock's 150mm and 210mm three-element Geronar lenses.

From 1965 - 1984 Caltar lenses were made by five different manufacturers on three different continents. For these older Caltars, figuring out just who made what and when can be a bit confusing. I had an article on the history of the Caltar lenses published in the May/June 2003 issue of View Camera magazine. Included in the article are the basic specs on every Caltar lens made from 1965 to the present. Of course, for the current products it's easy to find the specs online. It's mostly the older Caltars where things start to get confusing.

Kerry
Bob Salomon
24-Sep-2005, 06:25
"APO-Sironar-N lines"

All Apo Sironar N lenses have been discontinued and are no longer in production except for the 150mm 5.6 and the 210mm 5.6.
The Apo Sironar S line is the current full range line from Rodenstock.