Rather than bore you with another "210mm lens for 8x10" thread, I'll bore you with a "300mm lens for 8x10" thread.
Looking for some suggestions on an affordable 300mm lens to use for 8x10 portraits.
What's affordable? Nothing, really, but let's try under $800 for starters.

Here are the rules I'm playing by:
  • Not looking for 14" or longer, not my style.
  • not the very latest modern glass (no APO-Sironars, etc)
  • needs to be in a shutter
  • single/multi-coated
  • smooth and sharp look, medium contrast
  • not pictorialist/soft looking lenses
  • f/4.5 preferred

Been there: Radar, Commercial Ektar, Wolly Series II, Heliar

Considering a 300mm Xenar, one is f/4.5, other is f/5.6 and of more recent vintage
Also considering some older coated Fujis - 300 S or 300 L (both in Copal 3, both f/5.6).

I know there's a lot I don't know, so any suggestions would help, if they tick off one or more boxes.

Thanks in advance!