Field 4X5 recommendations

[jeroldharter]

I am happy with my Toyo AX and use lenses from 90 - 300 mm. The newer model with more plastic is very inexpensive and a great place to start.

 

[Troy Ammons]

Super Graphic.

All aluminum and tough, rotating graflok back, full front movements, Strip it down a bit and its light.

Mine with lens, cambo back and a cambo reflex viewer weighs 5.25#.

 

[Donald Miller]

I've been using a Zone VI for several years now and love it! In fact, I can honestly say there is nothing wrong with it -- a masterpiece of design. It has risen to every challenge I've ever given it and never failed to deliver.

They can be found on eBay often, as well as elsewhere, for a grand or so with a lens. Personally, I find the 135mm to be the most useful, but a 150 is also good to have. While many consider the 210 to be "standard," I just don't find I use it that much. Still, to each his own.

Zone VI is a beauty!

'


I've used a Zone VI for over twenty years. No problems and it has the movements that I use.

 

[Donald Miller]

Thanx for all the info. I went to the Midwest web site and will give them a call later this week. If I go to ebay I see a nos. of lens. Any suggestions on a good wide angle?
Bob

I have the 90 F8 Super Angulon...and the 120 5.6 Apo Symmar. Both suit my needs.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

IF you can ever find one, a Goerz WA Dagor 4 3/8" (110 mm) f8 is a fantastic little lens. Slim enough to stay on the camera when closed up on just about everything out there in a field camera. It will cover 5x7 with very limited movement, or 4x5 with generous movement. Weighs next to nothing. I got really lucky when I bought mine - I guess nobody was watching for one that day, as I paid $100 for it. Wider than that, I'm partial to the Rodenstock 90 and 75 f6.8 models. Just a little slower than the 5.6 versions, but very large image circles, still brighter than the f8 versions, and both take a 67mm filter, which is nice since that is the filter 3/4 of my 4x5 lenses use. The only two that don't take that size are my Sinaron 150 and my 4 3/8" WA Dagor. In the long run, you really can't go wrong with anything from the big four (Schneider, Rodenstock, Nikon, Fuji).

 

[Ole]

I'm using a 65mm f:8 Ilex Acugon (great little lens, no movements), a 90mm f:6.8 Angulon (ditto), a 90mm f:8 Super-Angulon (bigger, heavier, darker, but covers 5x7"), a 121mm f:6.8 Leitmeyr Weitwinkel-Anastigmat (not much bigger than the 90mm Angulon, lots of coverage for 4x5") and a 121mm f:8 Super-Angulon (like the 90mm SA, only more so).

 

[dphphoto]

I haven't used a Wista, but I did play with one in the store. I hope that I was looking at a bad sample. I broke the shift knob just by applying gentle pressure. That's not very encouraging./QUOTE]

You must have gotten a bad example. I've had my Wista DX close to 12 years now, and haven't had but one problem. I had to tighten the two little screws behind the front standard that hold the slider for the lens board. It's getting a little beat up looking, but I don't think I'm ready to retire it for a Shen-Hao just yet. Dean

 

[Tom Stanworth]

Have a look at the focal lengths you use. Do you lean wide or long - landscapes? Some cameras are a real pig in terms of weight and the use of wide lenses...some are slow to set up etc. I have heard the Wista Tecnicals are not great for lenses wider than 120mm. Personally for field use I would defintely go for a lighter wooden design, but that depends on how far from the car you intend to go.

Just remember that if the optics are clear, many older lenses are superb performers..just be sure the shutter is in smooth and accurate. 135 convertible symmars are cheap and sharp when used unconverted. 150 Xenar has limited coverage but I never ran out and it was a sharp as hell as well as being in a new shutter. 210 Geronar is sharp when stopped down for landscape use as is the 300 f9 geronar (My 300 is tack sharp and has oodles of contrast). These lenses often go cheap as they are not 'supposed' to be that good. Truth is that opened up they are not, but if shot stopped doen they are every bit as good as your Sironar Ns and Symmars...and half the weight and less than half the cost. I have seen many 180 and 210 Nikkor lenses going for little, dont know why. I cannot imagine that they are anything other than, well, very good (I have never used one but have a 90f8). Roman Loranc has no complaints about his Nikkor 210 f5.6...

Do get the best camera you can as lenses can be gathered later and if there is any way you could stretch to a used Ebony RW45 (Maybe in the $1000 region) then great. The ebonies are light years ahead in quality, smoothness etc than other wooden cameras I have used ot twiddled with...but they are very expensive. A Wista 5x4 field sounds a good bet for overall value.