Repro Nikkor anyone?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

It is apparently become a collector's item, and which that good bye to rational price levels ....

It is a well made lens made for slide duplicating work at 1:1 (not read the 'Red Book', but I surmise it operates the same way as my Repro 85 mm f/1, only for a larger format).

[Jørgen Ramskov]

Thanks, silly price for sure, but many things is sold for silly prices: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/modiglianis-nu-couche-sells-170-4-million-second-highest-price-n460326

[Akira]

According to the Red Book Nikkor, the image circle and the intended magnification factor of 170/1.4 is the same as those of 85/1.0.  I'm not sure of the reason for the variation for the seemingly same purpose.  The different reproduction units require different working distance perhaps?

[Roland Vink]

Roland, at least you get something out of this deal 

Actually, no. The serial number is not visible in the pictures, I asked the seller but I received a rather unhelpful reply. Not someone I would want to deal with...

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Don't bash the seller Akira. Akiyama-San even has a special site of the collection of that very same person.
And indeed, Kiril Arsov is rather a handful when it comes to commuinication, I had that "pleasure" too a while ago... ;-)

Here is the collection showing this very same lens on front page:
http://homepage2.nifty.com/akiyanroom/redbook-e/collection/kiril1.html

[Akira]

Hi, Klaus, I'm pretty sure that Mr. Akiyama has received the permission from Mr. Arsov to use his images of those rare lenses.  And I would bet that the layout of the page you linked was created by Mr. Akiyama using the images provided by Mr. Arsov.

So, I still believe that the seller stole the page from Red Book Nikkor.  As you know, this is not the first case we have ever observed...

[simsurace]

Am I wrong in believing you could have a replica of the lens custom-made for less than the asking price? Maybe the glass types would not be 100% the same, but still.

But even for a pure collector's market, the starting price does not make sense (if the seller wants to actually sell the lens, that is). If the demand was there, it should reach this sort of price by itself.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I tend to see this as a marketing strategy so people come to associate these lenses with elevated asking prices.

If anyone should be foolish enough to pay such a price, then from a seller's perspective nothing would be better

[Frank Fremerey]

I have seen a lens shortly that looks pretty much like that one. It is builtin to the last analogue projector in my favorite movie theatre (they switched to digital)

Are these projector lenses from a cinema good for taking photos?

[Akira]

Projector lenses for professional movie theaters should be of high optical quality.  But unfortunately I have no idea of their focal length, speed or adaptability...

[Bill De Jager]

Thanks, silly price for sure, but many things is sold for silly prices

If you actually paid $50K for this lens you wouldn't dare use it for the things it should be used for.  Imagine if you dropped it...

[Michael Erlewine]

I have the 85mm Repro Nikkor. For me this is a one-trick pony and difficult to use at that. No focusing, etc.  Perhaps it would make a good relay lens. I keep getting it out, shooting with it, and putting it away. It really is an interesting lens, but (for me) it has been hard to find a use for it. I would rather use the CRT-Nikkor or EL Nikkor APO 105.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Neither the Repro 85/1 nor the CRT 55/1.2 has a focusing mechanism. Although the optical designs are different, both are high quality performers in their field and none of them were designed for broad-spectrum "white light". So basically the main difference is the Repro gives you around 1:1 and the CRT 1:3 or thereabouts. Both are inspirational tools at times when you feel a urge to break out of the box as it were. If you on the other hand really wants a quality lens for general close-ups, many other lenses can do better to that end.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Hi, Klaus, I'm pretty sure that Mr. Akiyama has received the permission from Mr. Arsov to use his images of those rare lenses.  And I would bet that the layout of the page you linked was created by Mr. Akiyama using the images provided by Mr. Arsov.

So, I still believe that the seller stole the page from Red Book Nikkor.  As you know, this is not the first case we have ever observed...

Akira, hello .... that seller IS Kiril Arsov himself, I thought that got clear... 

If you look at his completed auctions, its gets very clear that those are very inflated...
http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?item=262131394721&rmvSB=true&LH_Complete=1&_ssn=ultramicronikkor&LH_PrefLoc=2

Nearly $1.200 for a FUJINON 0.85/25mm is at least a factor three too high ...

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

I have seen a lens shortly that looks pretty much like that one. It is builtin to the last analogue projector in my favorite movie theatre (they switched to digital)

Are these projector lenses from a cinema good for taking photos?

Projector lenses for professional movie theaters should be of high optical quality.  But unfortunately I have no idea of their focal length, speed or adaptability...

I use quite a few these days, adapted with focusing mounts even some with added iris. Very pleased with the results I am....





This is using a 1.6/100mm Zeiss Jena VISIONAR fully open...