Sinar F - Newbie Question

[santeij]

Hi all,

My first post here so forgive any errors, or missing information etc.

I am mostly a medium format photographer (portrait - some street work). Using a Hasselblad 500CM. I have been looking at getting into Large Format, and have recently found out a contact of mine is selling his Sinar F 4x5 gear. He has been very helpful so far, but i'm unsure of the cost. Looking on eBay and reading the forms here, I can't seem to confirm what a decent price is for it as it varies a great deal.

The kit contains the following (he is asking around $1200-AUD approx $1100-USD).
Rodenstock 90mm lens
Rodenstock 240mm lens
lens board
bag bellows
3 x double-dark slide (to hold 6 sheets of film)
carrying case
Leitz focusing loupe
remote shutter release
fresnel screen

I would be mostly using the camera indoors and some outdoor for portrait work, but being new to LF, have no idea of requirements tbh.

Any information/advise would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[Frank Petronio]

That's a fair price. In the USA, where things run a bit cheaper, a Sinar F (not an F1 or F2 but the older F) is almost free, $250, $300 in good user condition, more if mint.

Rodenstock made several versions over 30-50 years of those focal length lenses so the prices could be anything, but if they were the popular lenses from the same era as a late 1970s F, then a 90/6.8 Grandagon might be $2-300, a 240 Sironar about the same. Newer versions would more more of course and there are other models than those.

The accessories can add up but in an outfit often are included for a negligible cost.

Condition is most important. Especially in OZ getting LF lenses serviced for gummy shutters and hazy glass is expensive, $150 per lens plus shipping. So determining if the lenses are in good shape is job one.

It probably is a bit high, maybe offer 33% less and settle for anything under $800? Or get more information and photos and we could be more specific, but aim low, I never met a sober Aussie who wasn't a sharp dealmaker, they're like Texans in the States hahaha.

[John Koehrer]

Camera, lenses, bag bellows and loupe are what you're looking at buying. The value of loupe is iffy, but it's good.
The other items should be toss ins though so I'd agree with Mr Petronio at around $800 as a decentish price.
Two things you need to consider are how badly do you want it and how hard will it be for him to sell to some one else. I'm thinking there may not be that big a market down there. By the same token, he may be stubborn and just keep it After all it doesn't eat much. :)

[santeij]

thanks guys. appreciate your comments.

[Bob McCarthy]

I have a very clean, almost pristine F including bag bellows, rail extension, a fresnel I just acquired (though some scratches) and lens boards. GG is new.

I'm on edge of selling as I just bought a Chamonix.

If anyone is interested I'll post pictures and figure out a price that is fair. I will post the price to stay within the site guidelines.

Bob

[rdenney]

With all such purchases, condition is more important than anything. The camera in decent condition is a good one by any measure, and there is a high availability of interchangeable components that go with it available on, say, ebay. With some cameras, no deal is a good deal because they are dreadful to use--that is definitely not the case with a Sinar F.

I would rather pay $1100 for that kit in demonstrably good condition than pay $800 for the same items without inspection, especially in Oz where the stuff is not so thick on the ground as it is in the U.S.

I doubt I'm the dealmaker that Frank describes even though I am a sober Texan (wherever I happen to live currently), but if I was looking for something like this and found this kit that I could inspect and confirm as being in good condition, I wouldn't be wanting to risk the deal by fighting the guy too hard on price.

Rick "who has certainly paid more and gotten less in deals that were still satisfactory" Denney

[santeij]

I've inspected the cam and everything looks in decent condition. Bellow etc looks almost mint. Overall I think its a fair price, its now a decision based on can I actually afford it :D

The analogue photographers dilemma ;)