CHEAP 355mm G claron

[Steve Hamley]

I'd pass too.

You have to be really careful with barrel lenses. Usually you can only justify putting them in shutter (versus buying a used one already in shutter) if they're a direct fit and you have a cheap shutter ready to go, or it's an unusually exotic or expensive lens.

Best case is above, perfect lens, good used chrome ring Copal sitting on your shelf, about $575 with nice ones ready-to-use at $750, savings of $175.

Worst case, haze, Scheideritis, and having to buy a new Copal ($450), with aperture scale (about $25 from Schneider), about $940 for 355 G-Claron with Schneideritis.

A good used black Copal 3 usually goes for around $325-350, so even with that you'd come in at around $815. And the worst case involves a lot of waiting and shipping parts around the country.

BTW, I have a 270mm G-Claron in late black Copal that is perfect but had haze in it when I got it. I shot with it and was underwhelmed. I was going to sell it or trade it, but had a box going to S.K. Grimes, so I thought what the heck, I'll have Adam clean it since I have room in the box. The difference was amazing.

Cheers,

Steve

[Steve Goldstein]

The G-Clarons are quite easy to disassemble for cleaning. I've done a couple of 150s, a 270, and a 355, all with good results. The SKGrimes wrench is a wonderful tool for this, and paid for itself with the very first lens I cleaned. I wouldn't attempt this with a modern wide-angle lens, as the alignment is more critical.

A couple of years ago I sent a 120mm APO-Symmar to Schneider for cleaning (it had a touch of internal fungus). It was $75 plus shipping both ways.

Schneideritis is, AFAIK, a primarily cosmetic problem. I have no direct experience with it, though.

[Tri Tran]

I have owned a few and sold a few but now bought it again because I missed her sharpness. It's a wonderful lens for ULF shooters and relatively underprice. Buy it while you can . Mine arrived today in New condition as described NOS. Thanks Mat.

[coriana6jp]

I have owned a few and sold a few but now bought it again because I missed her sharpness. It's a wonderful lens for ULF shooters and relatively underprice. Buy it while you can . Mine arrived today in New condition as described NOS. Thanks Mat.

Just curious is it the normal G-Claron or the Repo Claron?

Thanks for the info!

Gary

[Jeff Bannow]

I have owned a few and sold a few but now bought it again because I missed her sharpness. It's a wonderful lens for ULF shooters and relatively underprice. Buy it while you can . Mine arrived today in New condition as described NOS. Thanks Mat.

This was one of the lenses from the eBay seller?

[Ole]

Another thing: Some G-Claron 355mm's fit in Copal #3 shutters, some fit in Compound #3 shutters. They are different!

I got one for Compound - on purpose, since that was the shutter I had available.

[Steve Hamley]

You don't want a Repo Claron; it's been repossessed!!

Cheers,

Steve

[Tri Tran]

Just curious is it the normal G-Claron or the Repo Claron?

Thanks for the info!

Gary

It's a G Claron as seller stated & marked outside of the box. Both front and back lens fit directly in the new Copal 3 plug and play. The same seller of Exxx link from Mat which I bought it from. Act fast.

[scootermm]

Tri
Nice. So glad you got one.

[Michael Kadillak]

Sorry to hear that Steve looks at this opportunity at barrel lens 355 G Claron's as a risk. I bought one for $225 which was a bargain. It had some problems with it and it was replaced with one that was like new. I gave the original one away and have a friend for life. I got a shutter and had an f stop engraved and mounted and I could not be happier. These lenses in barrel cost big bucks when they were new and are now discontinued. This is a must lens for the LF shooter as they cover more than 12x20 and are fabulous performers.

For the record I feel so strongly about this lens that I now have three of them.

Nothing ventured - nothing gained.

Cheers!