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JBelthoff
21-May-2012, 11:05
I recently acquired a used Sinar P 4x5 from e-bay and am trying to get a nice selection of lenses for it. I will be starting with a 210mm and would appreciate your thoughts about the following lenses as these are in my price range at the moment.

210 F5.6 NIKKOR-W
210 F5.6 CALTAR II-N MC
210 F5.6 SIRONAR-N MC

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

--JB

Ari
21-May-2012, 11:10
Are you asking if one is better than the other?
If so, the short answer is no; get the one in the best condition at the best price.
Get the one with the snappiest shutter and cleanest glass.
In many respects, they are of the same quality.

The long answer is yes, but...but you don't want to go there. :)

Lynn Jones
21-May-2012, 12:49
I recently acquired a used Sinar P 4x5 from e-bay and am trying to get a nice selection of lenses for it. I will be starting with a 210mm and would appreciate your thoughts about the following lenses as these are in my price range at the moment.

210 F5.6 NIKKOR-W
210 F5.6 CALTAR II-N MC
210 F5.6 SIRONAR-N MC

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

--JB

Hi JB, you might wish to consider some excellent quality used lenses and since I was in the LF business for some years (although now "professoring") if you will email me I'll send some information to you.
lynn@austincc.edu

Lynn

Lachlan 717
21-May-2012, 14:09
What about the Fujinon 210mm? Cheapest option in my opinion, and wonderful quality (same as those listed).

Oren Grad
21-May-2012, 14:52
The second and third lenses on your list are the same lens; Caltar II-N is Calumet's private-label version of Rodenstock's Sironar-N.

Alan Gales
21-May-2012, 17:17
Add Schneider to the mix so you now have the choice of Nikkor, Rodenstock, Caltar, Fujinon, and Schneider. Look for a clean example of any of these lenses in a modern Copal shutter at a fair price.

JBelthoff
22-May-2012, 05:13
Wow, thanks all for your great responses. It's nice to know this community is here and so active.

Ken Lee
22-May-2012, 06:36
When we get down to this sort of comparison, other factors emerge: size, weight, filter size. If I'm not mistaken, the Nikkor wins on those criteria.

John Kasaian
22-May-2012, 07:01
I'd recommend you take Lynn Jones up on his offer!

Alan Gales
22-May-2012, 08:31
Like Ken mentions, filter size is real important. You don't want to buy multiple sets of filters. It's expensive, takes a up a lot of space, and is a hassle.

Preferably, you want to keep your filter size as small as possible. The larger the filter, generally the higher the cost.

The largest filter threads on my lenses are 77mm so I own 77mm filters and use step-up rings to bring my other lenses up to that size. Why so large a filter thread? It's because most of my lenses cover 8x10. If you only plan on shooting 4x5 you can use smaller lenses with smaller threads.

Old-N-Feeble
22-May-2012, 08:42
I settled on a 203mm Ektar and 210mm Graphic Kowa... for two very different formats.

I haven't given enough thought or study for 210mm for 4x5 but I have a nearly LNIB Apo Symmar for sale. ;)

Leigh
22-May-2012, 09:22
Filter size is certainly important.

The vast majority of 210mm lenses in my database use 67mm filters,
including the Fujinon W and CM-W, the Nikkor W, and the Rodenstock (Apo-)Sironar-N.

Most of the Schneiders are larger, ranging up to the Super Symmar XL Aspheric at 135mm,
but if you can afford that lens, you can afford the filters for it.

I've standardized on filter sizes of 67mm, 82mm, and 95mm for my LF lenses... definitely hits the wallet.

======

I generally look at the diameter of the image circle (IC) as one of the selection criteria.

The Fujinon-W wins in this regard at 352mm, which will permit very generous movements on 4x5,
and will even cover 8x10 with modest movements.
Its IC is exactly the same as the Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-W, which is unobtanium.

The Schneider Symmar-S has the smallest IC at 294mm, followed by the Nikkor-W at 295mm.

Watch out for the Nikkor AM-ED 210mm/5.6, which is an apochromatic macro lens. Its published IC is 400mm,
but that's at 1:1 ratio, as is typical for macros. At infinity the IC is half that, and it will barely cover 4x5.

- Leigh

Old-N-Feeble
22-May-2012, 09:25
IIRC, the 210mm Apo Symmar (non-L) uses 72mm filters.

Leigh
22-May-2012, 09:38
IIRC, the 210mm Apo Symmar (non-L) uses 72mm filters.
My database shows the Apo Symmar MC 210/5.6 at 72mm. I don't know if that's the same lens.

There seem to be many different Schneider lenses with similar names.
I don't use that brand, so I'm not familiar with the differences.

- Leigh

JBelthoff
23-May-2012, 10:05
Well, I am upgrading from a Mamiya RZ-67 so all of my filters are at least 77mm. I'm not so worried about weight or anything like that at the moment.