G claron 270 f9 vs nikkor m 300f9

[Oren Grad]

Many consider a 135mm lens their standard on 4x5. In threads discussing which focal length they'd choose if they could only have one (on 4x5), a common response is "135mm" because "I like the way it renders space." Photographers using 8x10 had no other modern 270mm -- 8x10's analog to a 135mm on 4x5 -- alternatives. It was the G-Claron or find a 10-3/4-inch Dagor that hadn't been trashed. Those of us who appreciate and purchase new equipment whenever possible, as well as preferring to avoid dealing with Dagors' focus shift, went with the G-Claron for our 8x10 work.

Exactly.

There is one other modern 270, but I didn't become aware of it until it was no longer sold new - the 270 Computar.

EDIT, for nitpicking completeness: Of course there are others, once one recalls that all of the modern 270's are process lenses. The 270 Gerogons weren't sold in shutter and aren't a direct fit. There's also the 270 Graphic Kowa, though I can't recall ever seeing one of those in shutter. Also in the ballpark, there's the 260 Process-Nikkor and the 260 Hexanon GRII. The Process-Nikkor is specified for a range of 1/2x-2x, and I don't know anything about how it performs at more usual pictorial distances.

[Sal Santamaura]

...There is one other modern 270, but I didn't become aware of it until it was no longer sold new - the 270 Computar.

The 270mm Computar was no longer available new when I too became interested in that focal length for 8x10, and wasn't common on the used market either. It also requires a Copal 3 shutter, unlike the G-Claron's Copal 1.

Based on catalog pages attached to this post

https://www.largeformatphotography.i...=1#post1170333

it seems likely that the end of Computar production significantly predated even my 1998 entry into 8x10, much less the era when I sought a new 270mm lens, which was at least a decade after that. We can definitely establish that the Burleigh Brooks publication was printed after 1963, since its address includes a Zip Code.

[Oren Grad]

Well, the typography in that Burleigh Brooks catalog ain't 1960's...

FWIW, I bought my 270 G-Claron new sometime in the late 1990's - don't have time just now to go digging into my files to get the exact date. But what I recall is that Schneider Optics in the US was running a trade-in offer, and I ended up getting a nice discount in return for trading in a beater 90 Angulon.

[linhofbiker]

I had a 135 Symmar as my only 4x5 lens years ago in the 1970's.
Never shot 8x10 but have some experience with 4x10 using 121 Super Angulon.
I recently obtained a 270mm Symmar Doppel Anastigmat 6.8 in compound shutter, it is an 80 degree Dagor type lens that will cover 8x10.
I have not used it for color and have never seen another one of this focal length although I did find one in the 240mm focal length.

[Bernice Loui]

Shortly after that Schneider promo of trade in lenses, Schneider had a discount sale. This was when three lenses were ordered, 110mm SSXL, 150SSXL and 72mm SAXL. They were all new at the time. The SSXL's took over a year for delivery while the 72mm SAXL was delivered in about 6 months. Schneider was after LF lens market share at the time. they upped their offerings over Rodenstock with Nikon & Fujinon beginning to leave the LF lens market and moving on to other markets. Nikon got BIG into Semiconductor processing, Fujinon continued with other diversified areas including film and chemicals.

These were the last new LF lenses purchased. Still have all three to this day.


Bernice

Well, the typography in that Burleigh Brooks catalog ain't 1960's...

FWIW, I bought my 270 G-Claron new sometime in the late 1990's - don't have time just now to go digging into my files to get the exact date. But what I recall is that Schneider Optics in the US was running a trade-in offer, and I ended up getting a nice discount in return for trading in a beater 90 Angulon.