I just bought an older calumet 400c monorail 4x5 camera and it came with a Astragon-commercial f=150mm 1:6.3 lems in a Seikosha-slv shutter, ser#97548 . It's speeds are 1-500, and B. 6.3/45. The glass looks clean and it has a hint of multicoating. I just tried a few shots of b&w with my polaroid 545i and ther not bad . My questions are: Is this lens ok for landscaping field work in the 150mm range,and does anyone know the history of the lens and background, is the coverage sufficient for 4x5 ? I would appreciate any info on the subject. Thanks, Dan Kowalsky

-- Dan Kowalsky (dan0judy@bellsouth.net), February 09, 2000

Answers

Happy with the results?

Then it is fine for your landscapes.

Unhappy with the results?

Then it isn't.

What difference does someone elses opinion make under your conditions? You are the one that has to be satisfied.

Will it equal a moden lens? No. But then it is far less expensive.

Astrogon was the house brand (private label) for a store in the Bronx Sterling Howard. They have been out of business for decades.

You are probably confusing coating with MC. It is very unlikely a lens that old was multicoated but it was probably coated since it is a post WWII lens.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), February 13, 2000.

Thank you Bob for the infomation on the Astragon lens.

-- Dan Kowalsky (dan0judy@bellsouth.net), February 15, 2000.