Prinz Lens value

[thefilmguy2009]

I came across a PRINZ 1:6.3 210mm lens in a copal no. 1 shutter. Assuming everything works well, what would be a fair value for buying the item?

I haven't been able to find much online about prinz lenses except that the company also made enlarger lenses.

Thanks

[Dan Fromm]

Prinz is a distributor's brand, not a lens maker.

I once bought a 210/6.3 Prinz in Copal 1 that for the shutter. Read about it here: http://www.galerie-photo.com/3-lens-6x9-dan-fromm.html Short version: the lens is an imitation 8" (or thereabouts)/6.3 Commercial Ektar made by Yamasaki Optical, whose brand is Congo. I asked Yamasaki about mine and they confirmed that they'd made it. Mine is scratched -- decent image quality anyway -- so I retired the cells and use the shutter for front mounting other lenses.

It could be a decent lens, but Yamasaki's quality control is supposed to have been shaky.

I wouldn't pay more than the price of a used Copal 1 for the lens. Mine cost around $100, less than half the price of a new Copal 1 at the time. Foul alien unclean lenses in shutter often sell for less than the price of the shutter alone. I'm not sure why.

Look at what KEH has in the way of used 210/5.6 lenses (I think they're all plasmat types). I wouldn't pay more for a 210/6.3 Tessar in good order than for a 210/5.6 plasmat type in good order, so KEH's prices for 210/5.6ers should set a ceiling on your offer for the Prinz. If you can snatch for for $100, though, I don't see why not ...

[Bob Salomon]

Absolutely as little as possible with a return option if it flunks testing.

[Nathan Potter]

Bob is absolutely correct; although he might be somewhat prejudiced.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Bob Salomon]

Bob is absolutely correct; although he might be somewhat prejudiced.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

I am somewhat prejudiced. I was a rep for Prinz in the 70s and know what quality their products were at that time. Also how they had a different price for every dealer.

I also should not have said "if it failed testeing". Properly phrased would have been "when it failed testing"'.

[Dan Fromm]

Sigh. And sigh again. How about the shutter? If the price is low enough, grab it for the shutter.

[thefilmguy2009]

Ouch...

Well, I took the leap of faith and got the shutter. It came as an oddly packaged deal. For 250 I obtained a Graflex Speed Graphic and the Prinz lens in a copal shutter. The speed graphic is in good condition with a good rear curtain and bellows; although it did not have a rangefinder attachment. We'll see how it turns out. I was guessing that the lens might not be worth anything, but the seller, a pro photographer getting rid of his film gear assured me that he could sell the lens and shutter for 250 'easily'. I figured I got the shutter for a 100 and the speed graphic for 150 as part of the lot. It sounds like the lens was fairly worthless.

I guess I look as naive as I sound, oh well. Now I have a speed graphic and a cambo.

Anybody know how to get the shutter off of the speed graphic lens board. It looks like I need a special tool.