Holy Shamoley . . .times change

[Drew Bedo]

Back (way back) in the late 1980s I was able to salvage the optics from a pile of discarded Tektronix oscilloscope cameras. All were Wollensak Oscillo-Paragons; 3", f/1.9 in an Ilex shutter. I am aware of the limitations of these lenses and shutters. Over several years into the early 1990s, I was able to sell off the shutters at the Houston Camera Show for around $50 each I think.

So, this morning, I was clicking around on e-Bay and was surprised to find identical items being offered at $150 to $250 . . .and higher. Now I know that times have changed and lunch for two at McDonalds can run over $20 now, but I was still surprised.

Thinking about it now: In 1987, at ~$50 they were around 10x the price of McDonalds for two . . .and in 2023 still are. Not a rigorous economic analysis I know, but I guess it could be argued that they have held their relative value.

Wish I still had ten of hem again!

[linhofbiker]

I saw one of those Paragons in a great camera store while I was negotiating to buy an Linhof Technika V outfit in the 1980's. The camera guy said I should buy the Paragon too as it covered 4x5 and was quite cheap. No way it will cover 4x5 I said (at infinity) so to prove my point I held the lens up to a sheet of white paper and at f/1.9 it created a lovely image circle that covered 6x6 nicely. Well, it covers 4x5 when used for its intended purpose of taking pictures of an oscillagraph screen he replied. So will most lenses image circle will cover 4x5 if extended to 1:1 and much greater I replied. Still a f/1.9 lens did look nice, but no sale. Later I bought a 3" lens, or close to it, a 90mm Angulon to go with the 150mm Symmar.

[Tin Can]

I have 2 occi 1.9

maybe

next life

[Alan Klein]

Back (way back) in the late 1980s I was able to salvage the optics from a pile of discarded Tektronix oscilloscope cameras. All were Wollensak Oscillo-Paragons; 3", f/1.9 in an Ilex shutter. I am aware of the limitations of these lenses and shutters. Over several years into the early 1990s, I was able to sell off the shutters at the Houston Camera Show for around $50 each I think.

So, this morning, I was clicking around on e-Bay and was surprised to find identical items being offered at $150 to $250 . . .and higher. Now I know that times have changed and lunch for two at McDonalds can run over $20 now, but I was still surprised.

Thinking about it now: In 1987, at ~$50 they were around 10x the price of McDonalds for two . . .and in 2023 still are. Not a rigorous economic analysis I know, but I guess it could be argued that they have held their relative value.

Wish I still had ten of hem again!

Better investment than the interest I get at my bank.

[Drew Bedo]

Yeah, I have made some nice macro images with them, butost serious macro photographers don't like them.

The current asking price really flored me at first.

[Joe O'Hara]

I only used them to make pictures of oscilloscope displays. Not a particularly demanding application, but they worked. It never occurred to me to recycle one for photography, but why not. Now, of course, we have digital storage scopes, and we attach the "images" to emails... Not to disparage DSS, of course, they're great and I would have loved to have one many times in my career.

[Mark Sampson]

Never underestimate the appeal of a fast lens.