New Member in NY & A gear/pricing question

[MikeDote]

Hello,
I'm new here and to large format photography. I've been shooting 35mm digital for about 4 years, but I have found a project that using a 4x5 will help tremendously.

A friend of mine recently sold me a toyo omega 4x5 with a 210mm lens, a changing bag, 2 polaroid backs, and a tripod for $800 total. With that said, he'd originally said the lens was a schneider, but upon closer inspection, I saw that it was a calumet. He had no clue about this or at least has claimed as such... I've paid him about $600 so far with the other 200 due in a month or so.

He's given me the chance to go back on the deal because he regrets selling the 4x5. Should I do that because of the lens mixup? My plan was to buy a wide lens anyhow. What is the difference in price between a schneider 210 5.6 and a calumet?

Thank you guys for your input. I appreciate the feedback and hope to be shooting 4x5 a lot more shortly.

Mike

[Gem Singer]

From your description, the price seems high.

Polaroid backs are no longer valuable. What make is the tripod?

A few Schneider lenses were re-badged (Caltar Pro) by Calumet. They have a lower re-sale value than Schneider badged lenses.

What is the exact name engraved on the lens?

[Noah A]

It's tough to tell but the price seems high. My first instinct would be to back out on the deal. If he's your friend and regrets selling it, letting him have it back would be a kind thing to do anyway.

More detail (exact model of the camera, tripod, etc) would be needed to know for sure.

For $800, you could easily pick up a nice monorail, a lens or two and a tripod.

[William Whitaker]

And if by NY you mean NYC, you could rent a 4x5 for your project.

[cyrus]

Eh, $800 is about double what you'd pay on Ebay for a monorail with a lens and a tripod but then again, you don't have the benefit of know whom you're dealing with. THe polaroid backs are useless, the Calumet lenses are rebranded Schnieiders and in any case will have the same performance so there's no practical difference, and the changing bag is about $20.

[Alan Gales]

I have seen Schneider SA 210 5.6 lens go from $180.00 to about $210.00 on Ebay. Great lens at a bargain price. Why so cheap? Because there are so many of them out there on the used market due to pros going digital and abandoning their monorails.

Caltar badged lenses normally go for less then their Schneider or Rodenstock counterparts but as low as these lenses are going I wouldn't think it would be worth much less than a Schneider badged lens.

I also agree with everyone else. You paid too much and if your friend wants it back by all means oblige him.

Welcome to Large Format Photography Forum!

Alan