240 - 300m barrel lens for 4x5

paul ewins · Jan 18, 2006

Hi, I've got a 4x5 Graflex SLR and am looking for something a bit longer than the 8 1/2" Kodak Anastigmat that came with it. I'm not planning to swap the lens onto any other cameras, so I'd prefer to get a barrel lens and save the cost of the shutter. The only movements the camera has is front rise, so I don't need much in the way of coverage either.

Does anybody have any recommendations?

FWIW, the intended use is portraits, not landscapes. I'd prefer something that is usable wide open and I don't care that much about the corners. The age of the lens is not important.

thanks,

Paul

MattCarey · Jan 18, 2006

How about a series II velostigmat (Wollensak)? In that range, you may even get the variable soft-focus model.

Matt

jimgalli · Jan 18, 2006

I think I may have a coated f5.6 Xenar down in the dungeon. Want me to check?

ReallyBigCameras · Jan 18, 2006

How about one of the late model, East German Zeiss Tessars? These are available in both 250mm f4.5 and 300mm f4.5 focal lengths (as well as longer and shorter). Depending on your lens board size the 300mm may be too big. They are common on eBay. If you look for one with a four or five digit serial number, it will be of recent vintage (1984 or newer) and coated. In near mint condition, the 250mm usually sells for around $100 (plus or minus $25) and the 300mm is a bit more. Be sure to buy from a reputable seller and check the shipping costs before you bid. These are great lenses for your intended application. They are a bit soft around the edges wide open, but sharpen up nicely as you stop down a bit.

Kerry

John Kasaian · Jan 18, 2006

9-1/2" Verito? 12" Volta?

paul ewins · Jan 18, 2006

Jim, I'd be interested in the Xenar if you can find it.
Kerry, those East German Tessars look like a possibility too.
The Verito and Volta will also go on the search list. Finding the right Velostigmat may be a problem, apparently the name was used for different designs.

HPorter · Jan 18, 2006

I would be careful with the 300mm East German Tessar for the Graflex. I bought one last year with similar thoughts about using it on my graflex, but it "barely" fits on my 5-1/4" lensboard for my 5x7 view camera. No way will it fit on my 4x5 Series D Graflex SLR. The 250 might be a different story, and btw they are beautiful lenses.

Harold

Struan Gray · Jan 18, 2006

If you can live with f9 as your maximum aperture there are any number of unloved process lenses going for a few tens of dollars or Euros. G-clarons get the most press, but the older single-coated APO-Ronars are also a great deal, and the less sexy process lenses like Saphirs, Ultragons and Lustrars cost less than postage in many cases.

60s era plasmats like plain, no-suffix Symmars and Sironars are easy to find at good prices, but they may be too large for your lensboard and bellows, and the longer lengths haven't quite dropped down into my buy-it-and-see-what-its-like comfort zone.

The real sleepers in this focal length are the press telephotos like Rotelars and earlier model Tele-Xenars. These were made for exactly the application you have in mind, but tend to get spurned these days because of their limited coverage.

Dan Fromm · Jan 18, 2006

Struan Gray said:
If you can live with f9 as your maximum aperture there are any number of unloved process lenses going for a few tens of dollars or Euros. G-clarons get the most press, but the older single-coated APO-Ronars are also a great deal, and the less sexy process lenses like Saphirs, Ultragons and Lustrars cost less than postage in many cases.

60s era plasmats like plain, no-suffix Symmars and Sironars are easy to find at good prices, but they may be too large for your lensboard and bellows, and the longer lengths haven't quite dropped down into my buy-it-and-see-what-its-like comfort zone.

The real sleepers in this focal length are the press telephotos like Rotelars and earlier model Tele-Xenars. These were made for exactly the application you have in mind, but tend to get spurned these days because of their limited coverage.

Struan, do the Rotelars and such have enough back focus to work on a 4x5 Graflex SLR? I ask because the one 12" tele I have -- 12"/4 Taylor Hobson, ex-F95, the VM says it covers 4x5 -- has only around 85 mm back focus and won't clear the Graflex' mirror.

Cheers,

Dan

Struan Gray · Jan 18, 2006

Good point Dan. I have no idea. How much room does the mirror need?

Also, I wrote Tele-Xenar, and in the shorter focal lenghts you'd be wanting a Tele-Arton. Again, I don't know if they would clear the mirror on a Graflex - caveat emptor.

MattCarey · Jan 18, 2006

paul ewins said:
Finding the right Velostigmat may be a problem, apparently the name was used for different designs.

Check the catalogues on cameraeccentric.com. They have descriptions of the different wollensak (and other brand) lenses.

The series II was made a portrait type lens. It is fairly fast at f4.5, and goes soft to the corners wide open. Fairly smooth response. Because of the variable soft focus, they tend to be a bit more expensive in the longer focal lengths.

Matt

240 - 300m barrel lens for 4x5

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