how much do large format lenses cost?
You show us your string I'll get out the tape measure
Least paid 20 pounds for three Sinar db mounted modern Rodenstocks most paid 1600 dollars for a mint boxed Nikon 150mmSw
New prices are from say 800 -3000 + vat but pretty much no one buys new and even those manufacturers still producing lenses have a vastly reduced range.
Lenses can be had quite cheaply as others have said however at the lower end you are usually looking at compromises one way or another they may be entirely usable but often not especailly suitable.
Which sort of lenses you might need depends on what camera you get and what subjects you usually shoot.
Easy advice is stick to the big four Schneider Rodenstock Fuji and Nikon anything from them from early seventies onwards is mostly with some exceptions fine, if you goo for early lenses they will be single coated (not a huge issue) and they will be early less refined designs.
Dealer prices for good 150mm lenses tend to be about 300 similar price for 210mm lenses whereas wide angles are always more - the largest use of LF these days is landscape using wooden field cameras this tends to drive the market hence the higher price for wide angles and higher price for larger apertures you might get a 90mm Super Angulon F8 for 300 but you will most likely pay 450-500 for a F5.6 one while the latest XL's go for more again, but if you want to use those chose your camera carefully most wooden field cameras use Linhoff / wista size lens boards which makes life harder as with some you need to remove the rear element to mount the lens on the camera also if you go for wider than a 90mm on 5x4 and shoot slide you will be needing ND Centre filters which are generally in the 100-300 pounds range even secondhand.
If you want longer lenses 300mm lenses such as the Nikon 300M comand a premium while studio Plasmats like a Schneider Symmar s 300mm F5.6 do not
Standard lenses
Schneider
Symmar too old convertible lenses cheap but not up to modern standards
Symmar S much better and perfectly usable modern Plasmats
Apo Symmar replaced the S all good
Apo Symmar L latest versio
n
Schneider Super Symmar HM Premium version with 80degree coverage
Rodenstock
Sironar Early standard Plasmat fine
Sironar N updated 70degree plasmats
Sironar S 75 degree plasmats
Sironar w 80 degree plasmats
Later versions had apo stuck to the name Rodenstock also badged lenses for Sinar under the Sinaron brand the cross over of the names can be confusing, Calter branded lenses made for Calumet can be found cheaper some times
Nikon
Nikon Nikkor - W All good modern 70degree plasmats
Fuji
Fujinon W one series of late seventioes lenses are sort after for being 80 degree they are relatively compact and have excelent image circles
Fuji CMW newer series
Wide Angles
Schneider
Angulon older lenses that suit for some applications but not really useful anymore for general use
Super Angulon Modern good quality wide angles
Super Angulon XL Newer lenses with larger image circles not necessarily sharper than standard Super Angulons
Rodenstock
Grandagon Modern high quality wide angles
Nikon
Nikon SW modern high quality wide angles some outstanding lenses at particular focal lengths
Fuji
Sw F8 lenses
SWD F5.6 lenses
Most of the manufactures produced F5.6 and F8 lenses the larger aperture versions are brighter and easy to focus but carry a price premium and usually a weight one to they also generally offer greater coverage.
Places to buy
http://www.teamworkphoto.com/lenses-c-77_187_197.html Teamwork Digital
http://www.mrcad.co.uk/ MrCad I would go there rather than buying online
https://secure.peterwalnes.com/inde...mart&page=shop.browse&category_id=68&Itemid=1 Peter Walnes
http://www.ffordes.com/category/Large_Format/Panoramic/Lenses ffordes
Prices often seem quite elevated on ebay these days cetainly a lot of people with buy it now prices are clearly having a laugh but in general or so they tell me you can mostly get what you pay for large format kit.
There are many other lens options out there but even with the ones pointed out above it pays to do your research and bear in mind you need lens boards for the lenses to suit which ever camera you need to check shutters carefully lots of older shutters have a shortage of parts and more or less no large format leaf shutters are still in production.
Note you will often see cheap Sinar lenses these are db or dbm mounted and need to be used with a Sinar shutter it makes them a bargain but not if you don't have the shutter.
This was more info than anyone probably wanted but perhaps some may find it usefull.
