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View Full Version : Schneider G Claron "more than 1/2 off sale"



Michael Jones
3-Dec-2007, 14:11
While looking for a filter size, I found this today:

http://www.schneideroptics.com/Ecommerce/CatalogSubCategoryDisplay.aspx?CID=1454

$595 is a steal if you're in the market for a brand new 240G Claron! Good luck!

Mike

Michael T. Murphy
3-Dec-2007, 16:25
Thanks for the link Mike!

I actually bought *two* of these by mistake. I was adding filters, flipping through, changing shipping, and I hit checkout after having gone through it all once, so it took right away.

Anyway, once they arrive, I will be selling one here at cost, $595, plus shipping. Please e-mail me if you are interested.

Not sure when they will arrive. Expedited shipping was $110, ground said $11? Seemed odd, but I chose that - we shall see if they ever arrive. :)

Toyon
3-Dec-2007, 17:24
It's a heck of a lens.

Michael T. Murphy
3-Dec-2007, 18:13
Do you have one Toyon?

I am going to use it for repro, though it is a bit long. I have to get a 120mm macro too.

Don't know what I am going to do with all of my equipment if I get a digital back! Now up to 2 Cambo Wides, 2 Fotoman, the Toyo AII, and 47mm, 65mm, 90mm, 90mm, 125mm, 210mm, and 240mm lenses.

Half Rodenstock, half Schneider. I wanted all of one or the other. I am anal enough that it bothers me, too, but *way* too much work to switch now. :p

Joseph O'Neil
4-Dec-2007, 06:22
I just bought a used one for about that price this past fall. A very nice lens. wish they had more sizes on sale than just the 240mm. :(

One warning however - if you have never used a lens at F9 (or F8) they are very dim compared to regular F5.6 lenses. Most of my backpacking lenses are F8 or F9, so I am used to it, but occasionally when I go to a F5.6 lens - wow - like somebody turned a spaotlight on.

joe

John Kasaian
4-Dec-2007, 17:54
I can't speak about the Fuji, but I have a 240 G Claron on my 8x10 and it's just swell! It is easily one of my most used lenses. FWIW I bought mine in a barrel and the late Mr.Grimes put it into a copal #1 with a scale and everything. All the stuff and labor worked out to about $1/mm IIRC. Not a bad deal :D

Toyon
4-Dec-2007, 17:59
I do own one. There is something absolutely reassuring about the lens. It does everything right, with no oddments of flare, coverage issues or vignetting. I use it all the time, both wide open and closed down. I've never minded that it isn't as bright as some of my other lenses. It is a lot lighter, so it goes with me all the time.

Michael Jones
5-Dec-2007, 07:36
Now that this lens caught my interest, which lens is the better choice...G-Claron 240/9 or the Fujinon A240/9 for 8x10 format (there isn't a big difference in price). I like that the fujinon is multi-coated, 336mm image circle compared to 299mm for the Claron (although I know it expands greatly as you stop down past f/22). Questions:

1. Is the 336mm coverage for the fujinon enough for landscape work (8x10), or do you
feel it is on the tight side?
2. I heard the Claron is great for b/w, but what about color?

So which is the better lens for color landscape photography?

I have used both on 8x10, although not for color. I did not like the image quality of the Fuji; it seemed too clinical and cold. It was razor sharp to the point of not feeling real. I believe it was due to the contrast imparted by the lens design. The G-Claron on the other hand, produced images that felt right to me. So I now have 3 G-Clarons and sold my 2 Fujis.

Both 240s work well on 8x10 and offer sufficient image circles for ample movements. The issue of single vs. multi-coated is primarily flare reduction. Use a lens hood and don't shoot into the sun and you should not notice an appreciable difference.

Unfortunately , as with most "things" in photography, the tools to produce an image are mostly a function of personal taste. Good luck.

Mike

Greg Miller
5-Dec-2007, 10:43
I just bought a used one for about that price this past fall. A very nice lens. wish they had more sizes on sale than just the 240mm. :(

One warning however - if you have never used a lens at F9 (or F8) they are very dim compared to regular F5.6 lenses. Most of my backpacking lenses are F8 or F9, so I am used to it, but occasionally when I go to a F5.6 lens - wow - like somebody turned a spaotlight on.

joe


Do you find that to be an issue with all focal lengths?

I agree for wide angle lenses, but with longer lenses F8/F9 do not cause any problems for me in the field even in low light.

Joseph O'Neil
5-Dec-2007, 16:10
Do you find that to be an issue with all focal lengths?
I agree for wide angle lenses, but with longer lenses F8/F9 do not cause any problems for me in the field even in low light.

I've not been bothered by it, but I have met others who were. as the old saying goes "your mileage may vary", but my use of slower or slowish lenses was one reason I went with a new Tachihara over other choices.

joe

Michael T. Murphy
5-Dec-2007, 16:43
I have had trouble focusing my 65mm 5.6 with a center filter, effectively a f/9.0+

I put a Beattie Intenscreen on my Cambo Wide and that helped quite a bit. I also use a viewfinder from the Cambo or Fotoman instead of the GG, along with a laser distance measuring device.

Toward dusk I can't even see the GG to compose with the 65mm, or a 90mm f/8.0 My 90mm f/4.5 is great though. :)

Should not be as much of a problem with the longer focal length.

audioexcels
5-Dec-2007, 22:12
Does anyone know what kind of shutter these come in from Schneider?

Turner Reich
6-Dec-2007, 01:43
If I didn't have a 10" Commercial Ektar I would most certainly be putting in an order. I wonder though if they are convertible.

tr

Turner Reich
6-Dec-2007, 01:48
I just tested it on my 8x10 and the Ektar covers superbly, I have the Schneider 210 Symmar S and if the G Claron is anything like it I would consider getting one. If they offered a 90 Super I would be buying a couple.

Ted Harris
6-Dec-2007, 06:38
audioexcels, the ad says it's in a Copal #1 and that is what the picture there shows.

Michael Jones
6-Dec-2007, 07:06
One warning however - if you have never used a lens at F9 (or F8) they are very dim compared to regular F5.6 lenses. Most of my backpacking lenses are F8 or F9, so I am used to it, but occasionally when I go to a F5.6 lens - wow - like somebody turned a spotlight on.

joe

I agree. Most of my lenses are f9 or smaller. I get adjusted to the dimmer image on the screen with no problems. Then I drag out the Symmar-S and, as Joe said: "wow." Then I curse how dim my other lenses are. After a while I get used to them again, and then the process starts anew. If its not one thing, its another.

Mike

Ted Harris
7-Dec-2007, 20:55
I can't tell yo about the G Claron, never used one but its design is similar to the Fuji A.

I can tell you that the Fuji 240 A is sharp wide open.

Gene McCluney
8-Dec-2007, 18:23
According to the Schneider website selling the G-claron 240 for $595, they wrote..."The G-Claron may also be used for distances up to infinity by stopping down to f/22 or less."

I thought you must stop down to infinity only to get full coverage at 299mm. This however implies I must stop down to f/22 just to achieve sharp focus at infinity, anything like f/16 would be out of focus.



There is a difference between visually sharp results, and ultimate laboratory measured sharpness. I think Schneider is advising you to stop down to at least f22 to achieve the same level of "measured" sharpness the lens otherwise gives at close range at wider f-stops. Do you really care if the edges of your negative are a teensy bit less sharp than the center? I doubt you will see the difference, particularly considering depth-of-field in general makes peripheral parts of the picture less sharp, in many compositions.

lee\c
8-Dec-2007, 20:02
I have 210, 150 and 305 g clarons. They are very sharp. I use them stopped down all the way and I just don't see an loss of sharpness. The 150 fits a Copal 0 and the other two are in Copal 1's The 355 is in Copal 3 but I don't have one of those. The 210 will cover my 8x10 without movements at infinity and closer with movements.

lee\c

John O'Connell
9-Dec-2007, 08:05
If I didn't have a 10" Commercial Ektar I would most certainly be putting in an order. I wonder though if they are convertible.

tr

G-Clarons, in my experience, are not good candidates for use as convertibles. The images I got using a 355mm rear cell and a strong yellow filter were not very sharp---noticeably less sharp, in fact, than any other LF lens I've used.

What made the G-Claron special (to me) was that it offered 8 deg. extra coverage over a standard plasmat in an f/9 package. I don't find that they're sharper than standard plasmats; my example has lower contrast than Sironars that I've used.