IMO, Tessar/Plasmat. Dagor and .... ALL must be evaluated individually by the image maker to see if the results meet their image making goals. Some of these view camera lenses have been around for over 100 years with their optical and mechanical condition unknown until individually evaluated-tested.
IMO, it is absurd to judge any lens by it's formulation, reputation and stuff written on the web about any given lens alone as there are very real possible variations to any individual vintage and modern lens in question.
All of this adds much confusion and difficulty for a new to LF image maker with very limited real world-real time experience with all this LF stuff. It is also why the recommendation for those new to LF to get a modern Plasmat in a proven Good-Relaible shutter as a starting point. There are SO many potential variables to add to all
possible confusion. Lenses such as Kodak Ektar (yes, it is one of my all time faves) still have the potential problem of iffy shutters and all that comes with neglected shutters adding to the difficulty of evaluating an individual lens personality as a keeper or passing it on to another home.
Basically, pick a modern 210mm or 240mm f5.6 for now, make portraits and see if the image results meet your image goal needs. If the 210mm or 240mm f5.6 plasmat does NOT meet your image goals, then it is time to consider and decided on why and what could be different to meet your image goal needs.
There is no absolute correct or wrong to this, just meeting your image goal needs.
Bernice
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