Commercial Ektar vs Ilex

I'm looking at two used 14" lens at local shops in my area. I have narrowed my choices down to a 14" Commerical Ektar in VG condition for $500 and a 14-3/4" Ilex Calumet Caltar lens in E++ condition for $300. Does the Commerical Ektar in it's condition justify the $200 greater cost over the Ilex lens? Both are in Ilex Universal #5 shutters. I will be using the lens to make 8X10 B&W contacts and an occasional 8X10 color transparancy. Thanks!

Ron: According to an article in View Camera magazine a few years ago

on lens design, the 14" Caltar was a three element design. Three

elements used to be considered the least number of elements which

could be fully corrected. According to the article, the early 14 inch

three element lenses were not all that great, but later ones were o.k.

The Commercial Ektar was a four element lens and is one of the

legendary large format lenses. I personally have used a 14 inch and

presently own a 12" Ektar. They are good lenses. For contact work

though, you probably won't be able to tell much difference,

especially if the lens is one of the later Caltar three element

lenses. Both lenses were quite popular for 8x10 work.

Hope this helps, Doug.

The same article states that the Ilex-Caltar 14-3/4" were only

"ordinary" in quality, whereas the other Ilex-Caltar lenses were

"spectacular." What does a "very good" rating mean for the vendor

selling the Ektar? Usually, this rating can imply brassing,

imperfections, etc. Based on most ratings I've seen, I wouldn't

purchase anything below an excellent. Will they send the lens "on

approval", allowing you to return it if it doesn't meet your

expectations? $500 seems like a lot for a "very good" Ektar.

"$500 seems like a lot for a "very good" Ektar."

<p>

True. I wasn't going to say anything, but since someone said if

first. In the last year, I�ve bought two 14" CEs in EX+ condition

(NO scratches, VERY few light cleaning marks) off of Ebay for less

that $400 each. Some camera stores are asking very high prices

however - $600 and up in some cases. Look around.

Neal: I couldn't find the article on the 14 3/4 Ilex Caltar when I

wrote my reply to Ron, so thanks for filling in the info on the other

Ilex Caltars. I was writing from memory. Thanks for filling in the

info on the other Ilex Caltars, which were four element lenses.

Agree that the price is too high for the Ektar in VG condition.

The three element lens, or even a two element, could give decent

results with 8x10 contacts due to the size of the neg.

Doug

Thanks to all for the comments! The Commerical Ektar has nice glass

but has a ding (been dropped) around the filter ring area. The shutter

will need to be CLA'd because slow speeds are way off. The Ilex

Calumet Caltar lens is in very pretty condition, both glass and

shutter. Shutter seems to be close to accurate but has not been tested

on a shutter tester. How can I tell a 3 element from a 4 element Ilex

Calumet Caltar. The serial number on the Ilex lens is 1531. I was told

it was late 1960's. I have seen some 14-3/4" Ilex Caltar Acutar lens

that do sell for a little less. Could this be the 3 element lens? By

the way, I'm looking at local camera shops because of some bad

experiences I have had with buying on EBAY. What you get is not always

as described and shown on EBAY.

 

<p>

 

Thanks again!

There are good places to shop and mail-order on the internet. For

example, I've always had good luck with Midwest Photo and Kenmar.

Check out Phil Greenspun's site at WWW.PHOTO.NET/NEIGHBOR for

information on good and bad mail-order sites. neil

My first 8x10 lens was a 14 3/4 " Ilex Caltar in an Ilex #5 shutter.

The lens really suprised me. It is extremely sharp and very snappy. I

have no complaints.

<p>I am digging up this old thread because I also am the happy owner of the 14-3/4" Caltar. I have read several places that it is a three-element lens, presented as a sort of automatic dismissal of its quality, and my observation is that this is definitely not true. The series of reflections of a light source within this lens is exactly the series of a 4-element Tessar formula, like the Commercial Ektar it was designed to replace, not a three-element lens. I know people like to diss American lenses, which is unfortunate because the Ilex and Wollensak line had many excellent lenses. This is a fine lens, as are the whole family of Ilex Paragons that it is a member of.</p>