How Do You Like Your G-Clarons?

[george jiri loun]

I have the G-Claron 150 mm and it is a gift from heaven! Yes, small,sharp and contrasty and incredibly so... To those who posted doubts about their quality - you cannot compare apples and oranges. G -Clarons are optimised for close working distance 5:1 - 1:5! George

[John O'Connell]

My 355 G-Claron is noticeably sharper close up than for distances, and definitely suffers more from flare than my Sironar. That said, the f/9 focusing hasn't been a problem until I get close to 1:1, and the near distance sharpness is very, very good.

[Phil Brammer]

I use a 210 F9 G-claron for enlarging 6x17 format. Who needs a light jet printer with a lens like it. I love it. Lots of coverage.

[Jim Galli]

Seems no matter what you do in large format there are compromises. Who can afford to own every latest APO XL? Some of you, yes, but not me. I own every Schnieder G-Claron size produced and they continue to be my favorite lenses. They have allowed me to do so much for so little $ that I consider them the best bargains in LF. If I sold them all I couldn't afford the 110XL I'd love to have. Too bad Schneider didn't see a need for a 120 G-Claron although admittedly f9 might be difficult by then. And I have strained my eyes on a light table, and even cut 35mm size areas out of large negs to enlarge 22 times, and they still hang with the best. I wouldn't trade any 6 element lens for a Nikkor M which is a 4 element. All that said, I'll admit my Fuji 240 f9A has bumped the 240 G-Claron. But only by a very TINY margin, and at 3.3 times the price. I keep the 240 G-Claron anyways because if I'm shooting old buildings it has the 380mm circle at f22 1/2.

[Nora Hernandez]

I read on the web that for distance shooting the G-Claron has to be shot at f22 or smaller aperture or the resolution is less than optimum. The accompanying slower shutter speeds might be bothersome as well. Rodenstock's and Symmar's top of the line 5.6 lenses ensure optimum resolution at f11- f16. In certain lighting situations, the choice of lens might make a dfference as to whether you have to compensate for reciprocity loss. I am not an expert on this, not even a connisseur (Did I spell that right?). I would appreciate it if Bob Salomon would comment. ....................................

[Daniel luu Van Lang]

Hi, I have a 240G-Claron in barrel, I think it's a process lens and I've not used it yet since I haven't any shutter. Answering a previous post, many users said it could directly fit in a copal 1 shutter. Obviously, front and rear parts seem to have the right threads to be screwed in the shutter, my concern is: Is it working according to the opticals rules? since space between front and rear lens would increase.Anybody has an answer to that theorical question? Thank you

[Brian Ellis]

I own the 150 and 210 G Clarons. The 150 is used for 4x5 black and white enlargements up to 11x14, the 210 is used for 8x10 contact prints. I've been very pleased with them regarless of the distance from lens to subject. I don't do any color, no slide film, so I don't know how they would perform in those media. I've never examined my negatives on a light table with a 20x loupe but just evaluating all of my lenses on the bais of the end result (a black and white print) the G Clarons are outstanding. I also own a Schneider 210 Apo Symmar that I use for 4x5 enlargements and with enlargements up to 11x14 you can't tell from looking at the prints which ones were made with the 150 G Claron and which were made with the Apo Symmar. I use the 210 G Claron only for contact prints with 8x10 and of course the contact prints are naturally going to look better than most enlargements so it's not fair to compare that lens with the Apo Symmar but FWIW the results with the 210 G Claron and contact prints are spectacular if the operator is functioning properly.

[Sandy Sorlien]

I use a 240 G-Claron on my ancient Elwood enlarger to blow up 2 1/4 x 7 1/2" negatives. (Quiz: guess how they got to be that size!) When I bought it new to go with the ancient enlarger I was given for free, the photographer (Jack Carnell) who gave me the enlarger advised that I get a lens with a shutter in case I ever wanted to use it on a camera, or sell it. At the time I did not own an LF camera (hint for previous quiz question).

Now the proud owner of an Arca-Swiss FC69, I am so grateful for that advice especially now that I am reading this thread! I didn't think the lens was appropriate for my infinity subjects, old buildings, but I see that someone is using it for just that purpose. I'm gonna order a lens board for it right now, Jeff at Badger!

Nora, f/22 doesn't cause me any reciprocity problems shooting buildings even in the low light of dawn and dusk. I shoot ISO 160 color neg film and never had to go longer than 2 seconds and never added any compensation and if there were color shifts, they weren't too strange so I accepted them.

Cheers,

[John Kasaian]

If anybody wants to get rid of their nasty old G-Clarons, they can send them to me! cHEERS!

[Christopher Condit]

Another vote for the G-Claron 240mm, which I use on 4x5 and 8x10. I shoot mostly at infinity and mostly no wider than f/22 anyways, and I am pleased with the results.

CXC