Repro Claron APO II (320mm)

[Lachlan 717]

There’s currently one of these listed on eBay (for a significant chunk of $$$ as well).

I can’t find anything out about this particular model, nor on a search of “Repro Claron APO II”.

Anyone know of this line of Repro Clarons?

[Drew Wiley]

An old process lens somebody got mounted in a Shanel shutter. Don't know why it would realistically actually fetch a high price; but that's what some sellers are fishing for these days, realistic or not. Maybe someone else knows the actual optical formula, perhaps tessar as betrayed by its asymmetrical profile; certainly not an improved plasmat like later GC's. There is no waterhouse filter slot, or second set of aperture blades, so maybe it started out in some kind of shutter, perhaps a Synchro Compur, and marketed for Linhof Technika use. The listing itself plainly states that the present Japanese shutter is aftermarket. Perhaps a dealer there did that. Doesn't look coated at all. Probably pre-60's.

[Bernice Loui]

Real question is... who might bit into this "bait"


Note lack of good images of the aperture scale in the eBay listing.. why?

Full aperture on the scale of f4.5, nothing like that written on the lens barrel..
Most likely a lens cell "re-mount" job into a Shanel# 5 shutter from a 210mm f4.5 Fujinar.. watch to see if this seller list a set of 210mm f4.5 Fujinar lens cells.

Appears now is the time of odd re-mounted lenses for those new to this LF view camera stuff fishing to snag their _$_..
This marketing scam worked for 35mm and Digital, should work much the same for those new to LF view camera, "one born every minute."

Bernice

[Lachlan 717]

It still interests/concerns me that I can find nothing on this branding, let alone focal length.

[Oren Grad]

The item has been withdrawn from eBay, though it is still listed as "in stock" at the website of the seller, Jo Geier in Vienna. The listing acknowledges that the shutter is aftermarket.

Afraid I have no idea what this is. The fact that there's no serial number visible anywhere does make me wonder about the legitimacy of the branding.

[Lachlan 717]

It’s still listed on eBay. Can’t see the S/N. Can see the aperture in one image.

[Oren Grad]

It’s still listed on eBay.

OK, now I see it listed twice on US eBay.

[Dan Fromm]

It has to be a confection. There IS a 420/9 Repro Claron, it is a dialyte type.

f/3.5 is very unlikely for a process lens. The ebay listing gives a serial number, 412. This isn't in the Schneider s/n sequence. The brochure doesn't mention "APO II."

Something is wrong in ebay or with the seller's account. The seller has feedback which shows that it sold photographic equipment but the seller has no other listings. The "completed auctions" button on that page returns nothing.

Short answer, stay away.

[John Layton]

Yup...at first glance this looks way too good to be true (which it is), but in considering this further...how would it even be possible to combine the terms repro and apo with a 320mm f/3.5 optic? Sounds more like an oxymoron, Unless perhaps designed to be used wide open at a fixed reproduction ratio...like to enable old monitor screen recordings faster than their scanning rates? So maybe the "snake oil" in this case is that this optic has been mounted into a shutter with an adjustable iris? Hmmm...

[Kevin Crisp]

I have an original circa 1969 Schneider sales brochure. The available R Clarons were: 55, 135, 210, 305, 355, 420, 485 and 610. No "APO 1s," or APO 2's.