WTB: a lens to start with

[cleber figueiredo]

hello, dear friends.

i've just bought a graflex super speed. it's on its way to me in london.

correct me if i'm wrong, but it looks like the lens board is for copal-0 size shutters.

so now i'm looking forward for a lens to finally get started! i'm looking for something on the cheap side - maximum £150, shipping included. but all offers will be considered!

also something between 135 and 150 millimetres.

thank you!

[Peter B]

There's one on eBay that seems to fit the bill, but I'm not sure of the shutter size so you'd need to ask the seller.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SCHNEIDER-SYMMAR- ... 35a57f81c1

[Bip]

You can buy the 150mm quite cheap. If the board hole it too small you can have it made bigger at any small engineers place on a lathe for cheap so don't let that be an obstacle.
Bip Mistry.

[dave_whatever]

There's one on eBay that seems to fit the bill, but I'm not sure of the shutter size so you'd need to ask the seller.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SCHNEIDER-SYMMAR- ... 35a57f81c1

I think 150mm symmars by and large tend to be size 0 shutter.

[Bip]

There are lots of older 150mm and other size lenses that can work really well too... that will save you lots of cash until u decide what works for you...

[Peter B]

There's one on eBay that seems to fit the bill, but I'm not sure of the shutter size so you'd need to ask the seller.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SCHNEIDER-SYMMAR- ... 35a57f81c1

I think 150mm symmars by and large tend to be size 0 shutter.

Dave, I was put off by the fact that the top speed seems to be 1/400, whereas the chart I saw for Compurs has both 0 and 1 going to 1/500. Having peered closely(!) at the enlarged middle photo, I've seen the green writing that indicates it is a 150/265 convertible so maybe not the most suitable and perhaps better waiting for a non-convertible

[Joanna Carter]

I was put off by the fact that the top speed seems to be 1/400

I really wouldn't worry about not getting such fast shutter speeds, most of us are happy if we get faster than 1 sec

If you are planning on hand-holding, then maybe 1/250 might be useful but you could have trouble exposing film at less than full aperture.

[dave_whatever]

I wouldn't stress about the shutter speed issue. The fact is leaf shutters are notorious for their fastest speeds actually running a lot slower than marked, especially on older shutters. So regardless of whether your shutter has a 1/400th or 1/500th top speed, the chances are that it may only actually run at 1/300th at best anyway. And as Joanna says you're never likely to use that speed anyway. I can count the number of landscape shots I've taken this year where I've used any speed other than bulb on the finger of one hand.

[Patrick Dixon]

I have a Polaroid Rodenstock Yasrex 127mm/4.7 that you can have for virtually nothing if you want something to get started. It's clean and tidy, but I already have a 127mm Ektar so I've never used it.

[Peter B]

Joanna / Dave

Oops, looks like I've caused crossed wires! My original reply to the OP was that I didn't know the size of shutter on the lens at the eBay link, and the size was the relevant part for him. Further on I explained that the shutter only went to 1/400 and the chart I had checked showed Compur 0 & 1 to both be 1/500 top speed, so I couldn't be sure of the size of the one that was on the lens. The speed wasn't ever the issue, but I'm pretty sure it has all been overtaken by Patrick's very generous offer to the OP.