35-inch lens for 14x17... I think...

Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
244
Format
4x5 Format
I'm looking for a lens that would be an equivalent to a 210mm on a 4x5. This is for my 14x17 camera. What's available in that range and is anyone selling anything like that?

Thanks
Bob
 

TracyStorer

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Oct 12, 2004
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SF Bay Area
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ULarge Format
Well,
going with 210mm/8.25" being double the short side of 4x5, something like 28" would do, maybe a 30" Artar? I have a 35" Artar, it is LARGE. (it was my compromise between my 800mm and 1000mm Apo-Ronars which were LARGER and HEAVIER) I know you're using a Wisner 14x17, I built a new front standard for my Wisner which takes 6" square boards, which allows a little bit bigger lenses than the original 5.25" boards. Keep magnification issues in mind, "equivalent focal lengths" are most accurate with distant subjects.
 

clay

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Nov 21, 2002
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Asheville, N
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Tracy makes an important point that is often overlooked. When you are shooting something close with the bellows racked out to double the focal length, your angle of view necessarily is much smaller. In fact it is the same as a lens with double the focal length. So a 12 inch lens focused on something close enough to require 24 inches of bellows is essentially turning your lens in to a 24 inch focal length and it's corresponding angle of view.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
244
Format
4x5 Format
I hear you guys! I'm looking for the longer lens primarily for infinity focus type subjects where I waste too much film real-estate with a 450. I think the 30" artar is the ticket.

Clay, I just finished processing a print made with the fp4/fx-1. My God! It is everything I hoped it would be and more! Man, I'm going on a 10 day excursion and if I had the film, this would be the only camera I'd take. I LOVE IT! As it is I have 8 sheets left. So, I'll be saving them for prime pickins!

Thanks again for all your help!

bob
 

sanking

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Mar 26, 2003
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Greenville,
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Large Format

Bobby,

The Red Dot Artar is a fine lens but for contact printing I doubt very much that you would see any difference in performance between an Artar and any of the other process lenses of equivalent focal length (Apo-Nikkors, Ronars, Apo-Tessars, etcc) when contact printing 14X17" negatives. And you can usually find these lenses available for a lot less than Artars.

I used a 600mm Apo-Nikkor for a long time and it was a great lens, almost as good as the 600mm Fujinon-C I bought to replace it. Process Ronars and Apo-Tessars are also very good lenses.


Sandy
 
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