2x3 Lenses for Linhof

NortheastPhotographic · Aug 31, 2024

Looking for recommendations on getting some 2x3 lenses for shooting 6x7 in a Linhoff. Seems like the prices on 100mm Planars and Xenotars is a bit off the rails. Over $1k for a 2x3 lens? How do the Mamiya Press 'Blue Dot' lenses compare? How easily can they be mounted to a Linhof board and used? Not looking for anything super exotic. Would love to have a 2.8 normal mostly. Thinking of getting the 55mm Grandagon for a wide angle.

abruzzi · Aug 31, 2024

I have a Xenotar 105mm ƒ2.8, but I prefer the Nikkor-M 105mm ƒ3.5. Its a tessar like the other M lenses but is fast, unlike the other M lenses. Its image circle is 110mm which covers 6x9 with minimal movements, and 6x7 with a little more space to move.

Also Nikkor and Fuji made their plasmats (W series for both brands) as short as 105/100mm. They are a bit easier to find than the Nikkor M. They're both ƒ5.6. I don't have the Nikkor but I recently bought a Fuji 105mm CM-W to function as a light weight wide for 4x5, since its image circle is 174mm.

I've looked at Schneiders and Rodenstocks, but aside from the Xenotar that came with one of my cameras, I have stuck with the Japanese brands for this use. (I also use them with a 6x4.5 digital back.) Any of the lenses I mentioned above except the Xenotar can be found for $300 or less.

EDIT: Another lens I forgot is Horseman/Topcon made lenses for their 6x9 cameras. There is a 105mm ƒ3.5 version, but I have the 4.5 version of the 105, so I can't comment on that one (but it is likely to be much easier to find and cheaper than the other lenses I mentioned.)

abruzzi · Aug 31, 2024

Also, I have a Mamiya press lens--the 50mm ƒ6.3. I don't know about the other Mamiya press lenses, but the 50mm's lens cells can be unscrewed from the rest of the lens/shutter and screwed directly into a Copal #0 shutter, which was done to mine. You'll need to update the aperture markings on the shutter, but its a very easy swap.

Paul Howell · Aug 31, 2024

How about Horseman, made by Topcon, Professional, has more movement. I have Mamiya Press, very good performers, the 100 3.5 is quite good, just not certain how easy it would to mount to Lindof.

_T_ · Aug 31, 2024

I recently discovered close up filters and it's a real game changer for 6x7 view cameras.

I have a fujinon sw 180mm f/5.6 it has an image circle of about 289mm wide open and if I put a +4 diopter onto it it becomes a 105mm f/3.3 with an image circle of 168mm wide open for less than $5 additonal.

If you already had a 300mm f/5.6 you could add a +6 diopter and turn it into a 107mm f/2(!) and depending on the original image circle of the lens it's likely it would cover 6x7 with a lot of room for movements - I found a close up filter set on ebay that could do this for ≈$12

You could find a good 300mm f/5.6 and a set of close up filters for a small fraction of what you'd pay for a dedicated f/2.8 lens designed specifically for 6x7 view cameras and you'd get a bigger image circle that way too.

They make expensive achromatic close up filters that can cost upwards of $100 for larger diameters but I find that they're not really necessary for normal shooting. I have both achromatic and regular filters and the much cheaper regular filters outperform my achromatic filters at normal subject distances.

Chuck1 · Aug 31, 2024

The zeiss 100mm 3.5 ( like the one that comes on a graflex xl) is pretty sharp and very compact.

NortheastPhotographic · Aug 31, 2024

_T_ said:
I recently discovered close up filters and it's a real game changer for 6x7 view cameras.

I have a fujinon sw 180mm f/5.6 it has an image circle of about 289mm wide open and if I put a +4 diopter onto it it becomes a 105mm f/3.3 with an image circle of 168mm wide open for less than $5 additonal.

If you already had a 300mm f/5.6 you could add a +6 diopter and turn it into a 107mm f/2(!) and depending on the original image circle of the lens it's likely it would cover 6x7 with a lot of room for movements - I found a close up filter set on ebay that could do this for ≈$12

You could find a good 300mm f/5.6 and a set of close up filters for a small fraction of what you'd pay for a dedicated f/2.8 lens designed specifically for 6x7 view cameras and you'd get a bigger image circle that way too.

They make expensive achromatic close up filters that can cost upwards of $100 for larger diameters but I find that they're not really necessary for normal shooting. I have both achromatic and regular filters and the much cheaper regular filters outperform my achromatic filters at normal subject distances.

Ok well I have to try this... I have a 180 and a 300.

_T_ · Aug 31, 2024

I wish I could be more helpful about it but like I said I just recently started learning myself.

This is the thread where I was taught about how close up filters work: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wide-angle-adapters-on-large-format-cameras.208334/

It has all the necessary information to get started.

As far as recommendations for close up filters I can only speak to the couple I've tried. Years ago I picked up an Opteka brand close up filter set in a thrift store not knowing much about it and turns out they are capable of producing pretty good close up filters. You can find a set of +1, +2, +4, and +10 on ebay for about $12. They are not achromatic. That's mainly what I've been using and they work really well for non macro stuff.

then @xkaes introduced me to this site: http://fuzzcraft.com/achromats.html and I learned about achromatic close up filters and bought a Canon 500D which works great for macro stuff but has a bit of aberration at normal distances.

Dan Fromm · Sep 1, 2024

Hmm. OP, there are many many lenses that can be used on a 2x3 press/technical camera. Few of us have tried out many of them. None of us has tried all of them. People usually respond to questions like yours by talking about what they know. I'm guilty too, and here's proof: http://www.galerie-photo.com/telechargement/dan-fromm-6x9-lenses-v2-2011-03-29.pdf.

Even so, you'd do well to read my old lens diary. To summarize it, most of the lenses that will fit your camera are better than good enough.

ic-racer · Sep 1, 2024

Dan probably knows about more 2x3” format lenses than anyone.

ic-racer · Sep 1, 2024

Personally, I have only used the Horseman/Topcor lenses. I have all of them and they are excellent performers.

No f2.8 lenses, but there is a 'normal' f3.5 105mm that will foldup inside the camera.

xkaes · Sep 1, 2024

_T_ said:
I learned about achromatic close up filters and bought a Canon 500D which works great for macro stuff but has a bit of aberration at normal distances.

Were you using the 500D with the lens wide open? Stopping down should help a lot.

ags2mikon · Sep 1, 2024

I have to agree with @ic-racer about the horseman lenses. They are all Topcon made and as good as Schneider or Rodenstock. I have been very happy with mine.

Paul Howell · Sep 1, 2024

Question, will a non Linhof lens match the rangefinder?

OAPOli · Sep 1, 2024

In f2.8 there also the Heligon 80mm, the Noritar 80mm (both made for the Graflex XL I believe) plus the Mamiya 100mm f2.8 which can be transferred to a lens board. One of those is in the classifieds.

The Xenotars also come in a barrel mount and can be remounted onto a shutter.

_T_ · Sep 1, 2024

xkaes said:
Were you using the 500D with the lens wide open? Stopping down should help a lot.

Stopping down does help almost immediately. At the f/8 setting on my lens the aberration is gone. But yes what I’m doing requires the widest aperture I can get.

Chuck1 · Sep 1, 2024

Just out of curiosity this is for a 4x5 linhof with a 6x7 back?
Wide lenses can be tricky with anything but a master technika 2000.
There's also a heligon 95mm 2.8 from the graflex xl

ags2mikon · Sep 1, 2024

I would be very cautious with older Rodenstock lenses. The lens cement was a disaster and was prone to failure. I have had more than a few fail over the years. Optically they were good.

abruzzi · Sep 1, 2024

Paul Howell said:
Question, will a non Linhof lens match the rangefinder?

Officially no. Epecially the older technikas where they said you needed a serial number matched rangefinder cam to lens. Later ones were just lens model/focal length, but I think still officially no. In reality, I suspect it depends somewhat how wide open you shoot.

The OP didn't identify rangefinder vs non rangefinder camera, he also didn't mention whther he's shooting a 4x5 Linhof with graflock roll back, or a 2x3 Linhof.

Paul Howell · Sep 1, 2024

I guess I just assumed a rangefinder, if a view camera wonder how birght a MF lens will be? I have both Speed and Bushman 2 2/4 by 3 1/4 with 90mm and 100mm lens, when using the ground glass image is rather dim.

Hassasin · Sep 1, 2024

Paul Howell said:
Question, will a non Linhof lens match the rangefinder?

All Linhof lenses were custom matched to cams by len’s serial number.

ags2mikon · Sep 1, 2024

Linhof went to great lengths to make sure that there lenses and cams worked well together. That said I had a friend that had a 2x3 linhof with a few lenses that did not have matching serial numbers and they worked good. One of them was a 180mm tele xenar and it tracked just fine. He later sold the tele xenar to me and I have used on my horseman 985 with a Horseman 180mm cam and it seems to track just fine. Your mileage may vary as they say.

mshchem · Sep 1, 2024

ic-racer said:
Personally, I have only used the Horseman/Topcor lenses. I have all of them and they are excellent performers.

No f2.8 lenses, but there is a 'normal' f3.5 105mm that will foldup inside the camera.

View attachment 377519

That's a beautiful outfit!

chuckroast · Sep 2, 2024

NortheastPhotographic said:
Looking for recommendations on getting some 2x3 lenses for shooting 6x7 in a Linhoff. Seems like the prices on 100mm Planars and Xenotars is a bit off the rails. Over $1k for a 2x3 lens? How do the Mamiya Press 'Blue Dot' lenses compare? How easily can they be mounted to a Linhof board and used? Not looking for anything super exotic. Would love to have a 2.8 normal mostly. Thinking of getting the 55mm Grandagon for a wide angle.

65mm f/8 Super Angulon
101mm f/4.5 Ektar
127mm f/4.7 Ektar (will also cover 4x5)
203mm f/7.7 Ektar (will also cover 4x5)
210mm f/6.8 Caltar-II (will also cover 4x5)
180mm f/5.5 Tele-Arton

The Ektars are all uniformly excellent. The Caltar and Schneiders are great once you stop down a stop or two.

I have shot with all these lenses and consider them gold standards. The 101mm and 180mm are part of my goto kit for my "Baby" Speed Graphic.

JPD · Sep 2, 2024

Then there is the Linhof selected 3,5/105 Xenar.

2x3 Lenses for Linhof

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