I would like to buy Nikon APO-EL-NIKKOR enlarging lenses. I am interestes in any one or all of the five lenses that were made. They are a 105mm f/5.6, a 170mm f/5.6, a 210mm f/5.6, a 300mm f/5.6, and a 480mm f/5.6 If you have one or know someone who does please contact me. Thank you,

-- Michael W. Gore (michael@gore.net), December 06, 2001

Answers

I don't know of any, but you should prepare your wallet for the assult. The last one I saw available was several thousand dollars US.

Good luck in your search.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), December 06, 2001.

You can special order a brand new 210mm (charge your credit card up front, non-cancellable and non-returnable) from B&H for a mere $4,673.95. Included is a Nikon USA warranty. They'll also sell you a 105mm "Printing Nikkor" with the same terms and conditions for only $6,478.50.

-- Sal Santamaura (santamaura@earthlink.net), December 06, 2001.

Actually, I have 4 Nikon Apo-El-Nikkor lenses 2-105mm and 2-210mm lenses. I use one of the 105mm lenses with excellent results on my Leica Visoflex, so I would be interested in selling the other one. As for the 210mm lenses, one is of the new style small barrel type and the other is an old style fat barrel type. I assume the internal elements are the same but the outside is quite a different design, and the old style came in a real wood box, not the cheap gold cardboard and foam normal type Nikon box. I was considering using one of these on my 4x5 with a BetterLight digital back, so the lack of a shutter is no problem, the other I would probably sell. All the lenses are in mint conditon, never mounted on a working enlarger other than for testing. You have to be careful with these lenses, as the lens ring can be mounted on the front or the back of the lens (the front and rear elements are very close to the same size), and the quality of the image will suffer tremendously if you have the lens mounted backwards. Also, these do have a fairly narrow angle of view, the 105 will do 2.25 square and the 210 will only cover 4x5. As to how I came to own these lenses it is a bit of a sad story. I used to work for a manufacturer of large format graphic arts cameras, (in fact as one of my duties I was responsable for testing lenses) and before the company went out of business, we moved from a large building to a smaller location, meaning we had to get rid of "excess" inventory. The people they put in charge of this had no idea of the value of most items other than what we had listed on inventory sheets. I noted a box of lenses to be disposed of after returning from a business trip and these were in the box. Although quite upset that I was not consulted before disposing the lenses, I was quite happy to save them from being thrown in the dumpster along with some other fine graphic arts lenses. Alas, I had come back one day too late, as I was informed that a box of 10 of the 105mm Apo-El-Nikkors were thrown in the dumpster the previous day! Sorry to ramble on so long, but I'll try to e-mail you a photo of the lenses and think of a fair price in a week or two. I'll have to dig them out of the back of my safe, which is no easy matter. Feel free to e-mail if you have any questions about these or other lenses.

-- Arlen C. Elkins (arlenandsuzie@att.net), December 08, 2001.

What is the differance between EL Nikkors, Apo Nikkors (f9 varity usally found on ebay), and 'Apo El Nikkors' (f5.6). Nikon seems to to have produced a varity of lens (including a FAX Nikkor), but has anyone seen a referance describing the intended use or potential capibilities of each type lens?

-- Beau (ejschwarzjr@hotmail.com), December 12, 2001.