Choosing a better short range "telefoto" lens for product photography

Allthink · May 18, 2025

Hello
I want to ask opinion on some lenses.
1. I want to add some film large format lenses to my cambo actus system with digiral camera and sony ff camera.
I want to complement with in between ~75mm lens, so hard time choosing which one. I already have 55mm and 90mm lens.
- Mamiya RZ67 75mm f4.5 M L
- Rodenstock Apo-Rodagon N 75mm f/4.0
- Pentax 645 SMC Pentax-FA 75mm 2.8
for ~0.5-1m range shooting distance, maybe macro too (I already have Pentax 645 120mm macro and Laowa "25mm" 2.5-5X super macro lens)
Can i do both macro and non macro with Mamiya/Pentax, or preferably dedicated macro like the rodagon i mentioned?

2. In which one is preferably to choose in 180mm range? These ones are in ~500$ range
-Mamiya Sekor Z 180mm f/4.5 W-N
-Schneider Kreuznach Apo Symmar 180mm f/5.6 MC or a much costlier Sinar Sinaron SE 75° 5.6/180 MC/Rodenstock Apo Sironar S 180 f/5.6
-Rodenstock 72° Apo Sironar N 180mm f5.6
-CM Fujinon W 180mm f/5.6
- not 180mm but also a consideration, SMC Pentax-FA 645 150mm F2.8 [IF] / SMC Pentax-A 645 150mm F/3.5

Thank you

Allthink · May 18, 2025

Hello
I'm looking for digital telefoto lens to use with my cambo actus with sony ff camera. I already have Pentax 645 fa 120mm macro lens and looking for 135/150mm focal range, so looking for suggestions.

Anyone knows/used this lens i attach in images?
Sinar Rodenstock 135mm f5.6 Sinaron Digital 58° MC Copal 1 ?

As i understand, silver ring is a sign of an old design lens. but it's digital, hence i'm confused.
What is the difference between this one and Sinar Sinaron Digital 135mm f5.6 Lens?

Any other d.f. lens suggestions are welcome, i'm looking in range of 500$, but if it's something good i can spend more.
Thanks

koraks · May 19, 2025

Moderator note: two threads on closely related questions merged.

gary mulder · May 19, 2025

If the sony has a electronic shutter I advise to move away from lenses mounted in a shutter. For product photography a lens specifically designed for the magnification scale typical for what you are doing will outperform a generic taking lens.

Allthink · May 19, 2025

gary mulder said:
If the sony has a electronic shutter I advise to move away from lenses mounted in a shutter. For product photography a lens specifically designed for the magnification scale typical for what you are doing will outperform a generic taking lens.

I have a mechanical shutter and electronic on my Sony. But i think buying GFX too. Also I have nikon and Canon(DSLR) so have all the options, but currently only mounted with cambo system.
Your suggestion is too wide. I'm looking for some specific advice of the lenses i mentioned. Some suggestions?

Allthink · May 21, 2025

I also want to add additional lens to the 2nd point
Sinar Sinaron S 150mm f/5.6
I hope to hear from you people

Tomf2468 · May 23, 2025

Having played with merging a view camera and a digital camera in the past (toyo 4x5 and probably a Fuju S2, it was a while ago)... let me warn you... As you move up in file format (from 35mm to medium format to 4x5) the lenses have noticeably less resolution "per inch". Used as intended (a 4x5 lens on big 4x5 film)... you got increased "total" resolution. BUT, used on the same 35mm sensor you really lose resolution compared to a lens built for 35mm/FF! A Sinaron 150mm f/5.6 4x5 film lens is going to be a disappointment on a Sony FF digital camera! I still have one ?Russian? longer medium format lens with a tilt/shit mount that fits my Nikon DSLRs. I use it maybe once per year when the tilt/shift is worth more than the loose of resolution.

RalphLambrecht · May 23, 2025

Allthink said:
Hello
I'm looking for digital telefoto lens to use with my cambo actus with sony ff camera. I already have Pentax 645 fa 120mm macro lens and looking for 135/150mm focal range, so looking for suggestions.

Anyone knows/used this lens i attach in images?
Sinar Rodenstock 135mm f5.6 Sinaron Digital 58° MC Copal 1 ?

As i understand, silver ring is a sign of an old design lens. but it's digital, hence i'm confused.
What is the difference between this one and Sinar Sinaron Digital 135mm f5.6 Lens?

Any other d.f. lens suggestions are welcome, i'm looking in range of 500$, but if it's something good i can spend more.
Thanks

I had always viewed the word 'digital' in lens names as a marketing gimmick.

Arthurwg · May 23, 2025

RalphLambrecht said:
I had always viewed the word 'digital' in lens names as a marketing gimmick.

I've wondered about that myself.

koraks · May 23, 2025

AFAIK the term 'digital' on a lens can/may refer to the coatings used esp. on the rear element to reduce flare as a result of light reflecting off of the image sensor and back again via the rear element. It may also refer to design choices intended to minimize problems due to the 3D-nature of imaging sensors which can affect performance of lenses esp. far outside the image center due to angle of incidence - but IDK to what extent this can effectively be dealt with/optimized in optical lens design.

Either way, it's not necessarily a marketing gimmick. How fundamental/big the real-world differences between a non-digital and a 'digital' lens being used on a digital camera is of course debatable.

Allthink · May 23, 2025

Tomf2468 said:
Having played with merging a view camera and a digital camera in the past (toyo 4x5 and probably a Fuju S2, it was a while ago)... let me warn you... As you move up in file format (from 35mm to medium format to 4x5) the lenses have noticeably less resolution "per inch". Used as intended (a 4x5 lens on big 4x5 film)... you got increased "total" resolution. BUT, used on the same 35mm sensor you really lose resolution compared to a lens built for 35mm/FF! A Sinaron 150mm f/5.6 4x5 film lens is going to be a disappointment on a Sony FF digital camera! I still have one ?Russian? longer medium format lens with a tilt/shit mount that fits my Nikon DSLRs. I use it maybe once per year when the tilt/shift is worth more than the loose of resolution.

Oh, thanks for that warning.
So actually, all of the large format lenses i consider with sony and cambo isn't gonna give good resolution?
Because for 75mm i considered Fuji SWD 75mm, Mamiya RZ67 75mm f4.5 M L and a smaller 645 format of Pentax 645 75mm.
So you think i should not consider any of the older 4*5 lenes for my combo? If yes, then should i consider 645 lenses or newer digital lenses disigned for 4*5cm sensors?

Tomf2468 · May 23, 2025

I wouldn't (I don't) use anything bigger than medium format lenses on my digital. True large format lenses of any age are likely to disappoint in resolution with a 35mm sensor! There are (were?) some lenses put out by the large format folks (Rodenstock for example) that were marketed to digital shooters. To my knowledge, none of these actually covered 4x5 film (a wise limitation). Why not use a 75-85mm lens made for 35mm film/sensor? Probably cheaper and certainly sharper... but perhaps your system needs more flange to sensor distance.

JensH · May 23, 2025

RalphLambrecht said:
I had always viewed the word 'digital' in lens names as a marketing gimmick.

Just compare the MTF's and lens section of a SK Componon-S 4/80mm with it's Apo-Digitar 4/80mm cousin.
Maybe they added multicoatings...

Vaidotas · May 24, 2025

Your lens choice is pretty much specific, no experience with them.
To my understanding contemporary optics are produced keeping in mind sensor pixel size and light wavelenght compatibility optimisation.
That means experience with non dedicated optics might be mixed bag.

My experience with Hasselblad H4D50MS and V 80/2.8 CF using dedicated adapter (1 -1.5 m distance)
Resolving power is pretty much comparable to HC lens but contrast is much lower and not usable to critical technical assignment, but kind of nice for artsy expressions.

Here is some thoughts about digital MF and analog optics:

Pentax 645 120/4 smc FA macro on GFX 100S at 1:1 - the last word

This is one in a series of posts on the Fujifilm GFX 100S. You should be able to find all the posts about that camera in the Category List on the right sidebar, below the Articles widget. There’s a drop-down menu there that you can use to get to all the posts in this series;

blog.kasson.com

Allthink · May 26, 2025

Vaidotas said:
Your lens choice is pretty much specific, no experience with them.
To my understanding contemporary optics are produced keeping in mind sensor pixel size and light wavelenght compatibility optimisation.
That means experience with non dedicated optics might be mixed bag.

My experience with Hasselblad H4D50MS and V 80/2.8 CF using dedicated adapter (1 -1.5 m distance)
Resolving power is pretty much comparable to HC lens but contrast is much lower and not usable to critical technical assignment, but kind of nice for artsy expressions.

Here is some thoughts about digital MF and analog optics:

Pentax 645 120/4 smc FA macro on GFX 100S at 1:1 - the last word

This is one in a series of posts on the Fujifilm GFX 100S. You should be able to find all the posts about that camera in the Category List on the right sidebar, below the Articles widget. There’s a drop-down menu there that you can use to get to all the posts in this series;

blog.kasson.com

Currenly i have cambo actus, so it does allow only old hasselblad C lenses, but i don't have any(not C nor HC) and leica m39 lenses, which i also don't own.
It also supports, besides copal 0,1 lenses, Pentax 645 and Mamiya rz 67, that's why i consider copal 0,1, mamiya 67 and pentax 645/67 with adapter.

xkaes · May 26, 2025

Keep in mind that when using lenses designed for larger images -- on smaller formats -- only the central section of the image is being used -- and that is generally where the highest resolution is achieved. The best approach is to determine what size image circle you need. Using a 75mm lenses designed for 4x5" film will work on a 24x36mm film or sensor, but you probably don't need an IC of 200mm (8"). So determine the image circles for 75mm lenses designed for smaller formats -- you'll save a lot of money, too.

Choosing a better short range "telefoto" lens for product photography

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