Calumet 240 and 300 mm lenses

[Helcio Tagliolatto]

I can't find any data about two lenses for 8x10 for a begining:
Calumet 300mm f/5.6 Pro series and Calumet Orbit S II 240mm f/5.6
Could somebody help me deciding if they are worthing the price ? (U$999.00 and U$599.00, mint conditions.

Hélcio

[Scott Davis]

From watching Ebay a lot recently, those sound high to me. Where are you located? That could have a significant factor in the price.

[Helcio Tagliolatto]

Hi Scott

those prices are from B&H.
I'm used to buy from them, because they accept international orders very friendly (Brazil)
Hélcio

[Kerry L. Thalmann]

Helcio,

Those prices are WAY too high - especially the 300mm Caltar Pro. It is a private lable version of the Schneider Xenar - a 4 element tessar-type. It was made during the early 1980s (probably between 1982 and 1984) by Schneider for Calumet. The published image circle is 347mm. I consider the late Schneider Xenars (and their Caltar twins) to be a more modern version of the classic Kodak Commercial Ektars - similar design and performance, but in a newer, more reliable shutter. It's a perfectly decent lens, but it is a 20+ year old single coated Tessar-type. You can easily get one for significantly less than half what B&H is asking. At the right price, this lens is an excellent performer at a bargain price. $999.00 is NOT the right price.

Heck, for a thousand bucks, you should have no trouble getting a very clean, much newer multicoated 300mm plasmat (6 element) with more coverage. For example, KEH currently has several, including a 300mm f5.6 Caltar II-N (a multicoated plasmat equivalent to a Rodenstock Sironar-N) in excellent condition for $665 - a much better deal on a better lens.

The 240mm Orbit S II is also a Schneider lens from the late 1970s or early 1980s. It's a private lable version of the Schneider Symmar-S. It may be single coated or multicoated (if it is multicoated, it will be labeled "Multicoating"). Again, a perfectly fine lens, but the price is too high. Not quite as far detached from reality as $999 for the 300mm Caltar Pro, but still too high.

Kerry

[Helcio Tagliolatto]

Kerry

Thank you very much. It's gratifying to receive such complete information. I always search your LF site before searching for a lens. I've just received my Wista 8 x 10 and need my first 8x10 lens .

[John Kasaian]

Helcio,

May I suggest a Schneider 240mm G Claron? It works wonderfully on my 8x10 and excellent examples are out there in modern copal shutters for far less than a new lens.

Cheers!