6x12--What Lens Do You Like To Use?

Dan Fromm said:

xya, what aperture was your vignetted example shot at? I ask because the typical w/a lens gains coverage on stopping down for two reasons. It gains illumination far off-axis because for most w/a lenses stopping down reduces mechanical vignetting. And it gains image quality far off-axis because stopping down reduced off-axis aberrations.

Further on this point, as I calculate it a 90 degree lens should be 1.1 stops down in the 6x12's corners. I could be mistaken, but y'r example shot seems to be darker than that in the corners.

Click to expand...

as far as I remember, it was a very dull day and I shot hand held. so it was F11 and F16. shots at F22 and F 32 were better. The camera was a holgamod. he did a bad job on mine. focus isn't spot on infinity. I have to rework this camera next winter and I will try again...

I use a Kodak Ektar 101mm f4.5 from a defunct Miniature Speed Graphic on my home made 6x12. Initially I shot everything at f32 as I made it fixed focus. I also shot hand-held withe everything at around 3m/10ft at larger apertures. I have now modified it to focus but it needs more work. Attached is shot of camera and one taken at Milford Sound, New Zealand. Film is FP4+ in Rodinal.

One doesn't find much 105 information these days. I have the apogee of 105 tessars, the superb multicoated Nikkor M 3.5 version. It does an excellent job on 6x9, even with moderate view camera movements. But as far as 6x12 goes, even dead-on with no movement and well stopped down, it's good to only about 6x11 before side sharpness starts to deteriorate. Some people might not even notice that, but if one expects crisp enlargements, it's an issue. If I ever decide to buy a Horesman 6x12 back to supplement the 6x9 ones for my 4x5, I'd use my 125/5.6 Fuji W instead.