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Mark_437
26-Feb-2001, 00:49
Saw this in an internet ad. Anybody have a clue as to what lens this might be? (Maybe the Schneider 210 XL?) I think you'd have to be a nut to spend that kin d of money on an unknown piece of glass (or pay $50 to look at a contact print!) but I'm curious as to which small 210 will cover 11x14. ************************* "~210mm ~F8 lens, coated, Copal #1, covers 11X14, small, Mint, $1800. The only o ther similar focal length lenses that will cover 11X14 with such quality are the 210 S-A and the 200 Grandagon, and they are 6-7# heavier, 20 times larger, and much more expensive. Because this lens' capabilities are known only by a few ver y knowledgeable photographers, and although rare, the lens does come onto the ma rket occasionally (I've bought 2 in the last 10 years), and I don't want any mor e competition than necessary--I will not list the lens' name. If you buy it from me you'll know, but you won't have any need for another. 25% restocking charge if returned. If you want to see for yourself what the lens can do, send $50 for 11X14 contact print made with this lens."

M.
26-Feb-2001, 00:57
Dagor, or Dagor WA?

Sean Billy Bob Boy yates
26-Feb-2001, 01:11
This came up before - a looooooong time ago. Glenn Evans in Illinois is, or at least was selling it and there was all manner of conjecture on the lens and Mr. Evans, er, ethics?

Can't find the the thread now, but the guesses were all over the place, from the JML 209 to all manner of beasts

Chris Partti
26-Feb-2001, 01:12
This is listed on Glen Evan's site. I recall that there was some discussion of this ad on the board in the past, but maybe it was deleted. I can't understand the rationale for not naming the lens ("I don't want any more competition than necessary"--huh?), especially if it is so rare. I guess any potential buyers agree with you that it seems a lot to pay for an unknown lens (with a 25% "restocking fee" if you want to return it) since he's had it listed for a long time, too long to be a 210XL.

Doug Paramore
26-Feb-2001, 15:11
Probably the reason we haven't seen anything much about this on the LF forum is that right off hand I can't think of anyone on the forum stupid enough to fall for an ad like this.

Regards,

Simon_1319
26-Feb-2001, 15:47
Doug,

I've got a lens that makes images that'll knock your socks off. Send me $40 (non-refundable, sorry) for a sample photo and you'll see what I mean. Details after I get your check or money order.

.,.,.,.,

Doug Paramore
26-Feb-2001, 18:12
Simon: In my haste to get to the post office to get a money order, I backed the car over my wife's pet iguana. The cost to replace the iguana was $39.95, so I am sending the five cents that was left. Can't wait to get the photo. Please rush.

Regards,

Hugo J. Zhang
27-Feb-2001, 01:33
It's a Schneider 210mm f/8 Angulon,I guess. Due to inconsistant quality control of lens production of that period(50s-70s?), you actually have to test Anlugons before you buy them. This is what I have learned somewhere from this forum.

Chris Partti
27-Feb-2001, 02:08
Did Angulons ever come in a f/8 version? I only know about f/6.8 (which is what the Schnieder site shows for all Angulons including the 210mm).

Kevin Kemner
27-Feb-2001, 11:15
Mark,

I checked a couple of resource books on lenses but couldn't find anything that would match this description and then it struck me that a lot of lenses will cover 11x14 just not at infinity. My suspicion is that a claim of performance is being made for something closer to 1:2 or 1:1 reproduction not infinity focus.

Oh, my sympathies to the iguana.

Pete Andrews
27-Feb-2001, 11:37
The only compact lens of that sort of focal length that Schneider made in f/8, to my knowledge, was the Repro-Claron. A pretty standard old type of process lens, and certainly not worth $1800 in mint or any other condition.Aside from the SA, the only recent design that Schneider has produced in quantity has been the double-gauss, in many different guises. Symmar (all types), G-Claron, Componon, Componon-s, they're all variations on the same basic design. If there is some 'secret' lens out there, you can bet it's a double-gauss design of some type, and performs no better than, or differently from a G-Claron.

Pete Andrews
27-Feb-2001, 12:49
Ah!I've just looked at Glenn Evans' site, and he doesn't mention Schneider at all. So that opens the field up a bit.Late model Hypergon? Topogon? Who really cares? For $1800 you could get pretty much any lens you liked.

Geoffrey_1456
27-Feb-2001, 16:17
Mark,

I have a Schneider W. A. G-Claron 210/6.3 made in 1986 mounted in a modern Copal #3 shutter, and it will cover 11x14 @f16 at infinity with movements. It's slightly bigger than Angulon 210/6.8. I paid about 1/3 of that Glennview price for my lens. There might be a W. A. C (or D) Claron 210/8 made in 1970's to cover 11x14. But certainly NOT for $1800! Cheers,

adam friedberg
27-Feb-2001, 19:05
i remember reading the old thread a while back, but can't remember what the consensus was. the jml 209 sounds familiar though. i do remember bob salomon had a very good idea what it was and several posters agreed with him. everyone agreed it was not that rare of a lens and worth much less than $1800.

by the way, how would it cause more competition if he (evans) revealed the lens' identity? economists and scholars, i welcome your answers.

Kevin Kemner
28-Feb-2001, 10:27
Because competition would establish the true market value of the lens. If it was really a "magic" lens then its value would be in its name not in its mystery.

adam friedberg
5-Mar-2001, 20:33
i just found this on r monaghan's large format lens page. note the going ebay price.

Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2000 From: tintype_NO_@_SPAM_megsinet.com (Peter Mikalajunas) Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format Subject: Re: JML Goodkin Astro lens

=David=M- dmcs@cyburban.com wrote:

>I aquired this nice-looking process lens of 209mmf8 >Anyone know anything about its application? > >The odd thing about it is that the aperture control is behind the >retaining ring. That is assuming the lens ring with the writing is at >the front. The front surface of the lens and the back both look about >the same - highly convex. Perhaps it could be used either way around?

The front element has the name in plain lettering. The rear element appears to have the name hand etching is cursive script. The iris sits behind the front element ahead of the retaining ring.

JML is an optical company located in Rochester, NY.

The website for JML is at:

http://www.netacc.net/~jmlopt/

On the JML website, they talk about cemented achromatic doublets and triplets:

http://www.netacc.net/~jmlopt/products/achromatic/index.html

From what I can tell, this is a cemented doublet. The box mine came in is dated 1995.

Chris Perez has picture of one up on his website, he claims it will cover 11x14, something I haven't tried. I know it covers 8x10 with a good deal of movement.

http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/cameras/nice_lenses.html

They show up on eBay and usually sell for under $100.00, which is a real bargin.

Peter Mikalajunas

Photo links http://www.megsinet.com/tintype

Sean Billy Bob Boy yates
5-Mar-2001, 21:46
I doubt Evans is selling the JML - I just mentioned it because someone else did. Sheldon Hambrick and I both got JML 209's on Ebay - I think he paid $50.00 for his and I paid $35.00 for mine. I am of the opinion that there is either enormous variation in the JML offerings - or Mr. Perez didn't measure the IC any too well.

Sheldon had his mounted in an Ilex # 4 by S. K. Grimes and I believe he said it would give 30mm of shift or rise at infinity @ f22. My measurements on my 8 X 10 seem to bear that out.

In other words, it's about like a 210mm G-Claron, without the advantages of that lens' small size and weight.