Where Did All the 300's Go?

[Mike Castles]

Have been searching for either a 305 G-Claron (with shutter) or a Nikon 300 M/Q for a while now and it is like the market dried up. Is it just a summer slump or shift. Lots of 300 Nikkor-W, etc.

Just wondering if I am looking in the wrong places (feepay, plus the usually suspects - MPEX, KEH, etc)?

[Sheldon N]

Check Ebay more often. There was a Nikkor 300-M earlier today for $499 Buy-it-now. It's gone already. There was one on June 29th for $450 Buy-it-now.

You've got to check early/often to catch those. Create a "Favorites" search on ebay for LF Lenses with Buy-it-Now option, newly listed first. Check it twice a day. Then be patient.

[Jack Flesher]

I just acquired a 305 G-Claron, but they do seem hard-ish to find at the moment. I will probably be selling my Fuji 300C now that I have the G-Claron, so feel free to PM me if you're interested.

(In case you weren't aware, the G-Claron and Fuji 300C (or A) both cover quite a bit more than the Nikkor 300M. Probably no issue for 4x5 or 5x7, but the Nikkor just barely covers 8x10.)

Cheers,

[Peter Collins]

Yup, they are scarce/going very fast. No luck here this summer, either. Thanks for the tip on using "Favorites."

ciao for now-------------------------------------------------

Peter

[Chuck Pere]

This dealer has a Nikon 300M for $625:

http://www.georgeury.com/

Not a great price but listed as mint. Good priced items go fast and you have to work at it.

[Capocheny]

The 305 G-Claron is a great chunk of glass... that's why they're being snapped up!

[Likewise for the 240 and 355 focal lengths too. ]

Good luck on finding one.

Cheers

[Sal Santamaura]

Find yourself a "white market" dealer and purchase a brand new one:

http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecomm...=1112&IID=5867

They also have new 240mm and 270mm versions left. I wanted a 270 around five months ago, stumbled on those schneideroptics pages and bought one through Midwest. It was manufactured in 1999; eight year old German air came out of the sealed poly bag when I cut it open.

The prices shown are "list." Actual selling price is set by the dealer and, in my case, was much lower.

[J_Tardiff]

Funny coincidence, I've been digging around for a 300mm to use as a portrait lens on my "new" 5x7 B&J --- in my case, I definitely want something *less sharp* (e.g. vintage) and in a shutter already, and have been having a devil of a time. Probably not helpful that I am trying to keep the price on the lower end.

Patience, patience, I know -- but I am really looking forward to fiddling with this camera.

JT

[scrichton]

Vintage 300 ... hmmm I have a nice industar 300mm f4.5. That was a steal at all of £30. On the bay from the ukraine. If you search about this is the usual price.

Tessar design. Coated and wide open it is as sharp as a portrait lens needs be.

Since getting it I have retired the 270 repromaster to a long life on a shelf.

[Scott Davis]

I snagged a Wolly Velostigmat 12" in a like-new Alphax shutter for $99 this spring, on feePay. The shutter alone is worth more than that. The lens doesn't have the greatest of reputations, but it should make a nice portrait length for 5x7 and a decent normal for 6 1/2 x 8 1/2. I'm putting it on my Seneca whole-plate field camera so I can shoot the format out of the studio.