Dallmeyer (J.H.) Pentac · 203.2mm f/2.9

{"overview":"The Dallmeyer 8 Inch f\/2.9 Pentac is a long-focus large-format lens of the classic Pentac series, offering a 203mm focal length at a relatively fast f\/2.9 maximum aperture. Designed for press, portrait and aerial work on large-format plate cameras, it is a British-made optic typical of the mid-20th century era of Dallmeyer's London production.","market_narrative":"At UK auction the 8 Inch f\/2.9 Pentac is a thinly traded item, with the only logged hammer price being £88 at Chiswick Auctions in August 2024 — a wholesale saleroom result rather than a retail asking price. With just one data point, that figure should be read as indicative of what a clean but unmounted example sells for today rather than a firm market value, and condition, shutter fitment and presentation case can all shift the price meaningfully.","buying_guide":"Inspect the glass carefully for fungus, internal haze and cleaning marks, all of which are common on Dallmeyer optics of this age and significantly affect value. Check the iris for oil on the aperture blades and confirm the blades open and close smoothly, look for signs of element separation around the cemented groups, and make sure the focus mount or barrel threads turn cleanly without stiffness or play.","specs":"Key specifications from the supplied data are limited to the headline figures: an 8-inch (approximately 203mm) focal length and an f\/2.9 maximum aperture, sold as a Dallmeyer Pentac series lens.","faq":[{"q":"What is a Dallmeyer 8 Inch f\/2.9 Pentac worth at UK auction today?","a":"Based on the single recorded 2024 sale, a Dallmeyer 8 Inch f\/2.9 Pentac is worth around £88 at hammer in the UK auction market, though with only one data point the value of any individual example will depend heavily on condition and completeness."},{"q":"How much does a Dallmeyer Pentac 8 Inch f\/2.9 sell for?","a":"The only logged UK auction result shows the lens selling for £88 hammer in August 2024; clean, shutter-mounted or cased examples could reasonably exceed this, but there is not enough sales data to give a firm price range."},{"q":"What was the Dallmeyer Pentac 8 Inch f\/2.9 designed for?","a":"It is a fast long-focus large-format lens of Dallmeyer's Pentac line, a series associated with press, portrait and aerial photography where its f\/2.9 aperture allowed shorter exposures than typical plate-camera optics."},{"q":"Is the Dallmeyer 8 Inch f\/2.9 Pentac a good buy at current prices?","a":"At sub-£100 hammer levels it is inexpensive for a fast 8-inch large-format lens, but buyers should weigh the price against the cost of cleaning, shutter servicing or remounting, since these can easily exceed the lens's auction value."}],"confidence":35,"reasoning":"Confidence is low because SPECS and variant data are empty and SALES HISTORY contains only a single auction record, limiting factual grounding to the headline focal length, aperture and one hammer price."}