Any opinions of the quality of this process lense when used for general purpose photos including landscapes. The coverage seems to be very good, and the price, usually not in a shutter, also seems to be very reasonable. How hard would it be to find a shutter to fit a barrel version if I decided to go this way ?

-- Tom Reynolds (treynold@cbhs.com), December 05, 2000

Answers

I've just picked up two of these beauties, a 210mm and 300mm, for next to nowt.
Initial findings are that they're good to excellent, but I haven't really had time to put them through their paces yet.
Contrary to popular belief, they're not enlarging lenses, but wide-field copying (process) lenses, very similar to the G-Claron in design and specification. In fact, the front assembly from a 210mm G-claron swaps over with the Apo-Gerogon with very little effect on the performance. The angle of coverage is stated to be up to 74 degrees, I think this must be at f/22, so a 210mm would give plenty of scope for camera movement on 5x7, and should just cover 10x8.
Mine came in barrel mount, but the front and rear glasses unscrew easily, and the 210mm version fits perfectly in a #1 copal shutter. (There were some shim washers under the front glass of mine, - take care when unscrewing the glasses from the iris assembly.) The 300mm should fit a #3 shutter, if I ever find one at the right price.
Good luck!

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), December 06, 2000.

I have the 150mm that I use with the Calumet adapter ring on a Copal shutter and get very decent results, I picked up the lens for $45.00...

-- bill zelinski (willy226@yahoo.com), December 06, 2000.