Rodenstock Geronar 300 f9

[Mark Sloane]

Rodenstock Geronar 300 f9

A dealer just called and offered me this lens in excellent condition for $550.

I’m looking for a 300 to 360 for my backpack that will cover 5x7 format and have a filter size of 77mm or less.

Doing a search on this forum for the lens it appears that the only real issue with this lens is it is soft until you stop down to f22. I shoot landscape mostly so I can make that work.

Is this a fair price? Should I hold out for a 355 G-Claron or a 360 Apo-Ronar? I’ve been trying to find one of these. I’ve seen a few Ronar’s without shutters but not much else.

Thanks.................mark

[Jan Pedersen]

Unless it is already mounted in a modern shutter it seems way overpriced. The Geronar will not as the G-Claron mount directly in a shutter.
The 300/9 Nikon, 305 G-Claron and the 300/8.5 Fuji would be better choices for about the same money.

[Mark Sloane]

Unless it is already mounted in a modern shutter it seems way overpriced. The Geronar will not as the G-Claron mount directly in a shutter.
The 300/9 Nikon, 305 G-Claron and the 300/8.5 Fuji would be better choices for about the same money.

Jan,

It is mounted in a shutter. I believe it's a copal 1.

[Glenn Thoreson]

I don't know about the 300 version, but the 210/9 is a very sharp lens, at something like 70 lpm at f/16. It covers 5X7 but I don't know how much room you'd have for movements. The 210 in a Copal 1 can be had, used, for as little as 125.00 with a patient search. Around 300.00+ new. Your 300 seems over priced to me. It should cover 8X10 with room to wiggle, but do you really need that much lens for 5X7?

[Dan Fromm]

Jan, were you perhaps thinking of an Apo Gerogon?

Mark, have you seen http://photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/0039yi ? Or this http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=1157 ?

[Jan Pedersen]

Dan, Yes indeed, my mistake.
The Geronar is a triplet why it may be a bit soft wide open. At 550$ there is a lot of lenses to chose from.

[BradS]

the 300mm Geronar is a nice lens but that is way too much to pay for one. The 300mm Nikkor-M is far superior (my opinion) and can easily be found for that kind of money. In fact, I think a fellow was selling one here for just about $550 a few weeks ago or so.

[Mark Sloane]

Thanks....I've bought three large format lenses in my life and I probably overpaid for those too.

I'll let this one go and I appreciate the help.

[Eric Rose]

I have the 300 Geronar and it's a great lens. Very sharp stopped down and has a great OOF thing going for it when shot wide open.