First LF lens

seanE · Feb 1, 2016

Im looking to get into some 4x5 film, And wet plate ''ideally 8x6'' altho none of the lenses that I've been looking at in my price range have covered any more that 4x5,
My budget is around 100-200 euros, ''preferably 100'' il need a shutter since my fomapan is rated asa 100.
If you could have a look at some of the example I've been eyeing up, Or if you have any suggestions, That would be great.
I like LF for the ''soul'' aspect, So altho id like a sharp lens, shallow depth of field, And nice 3d look are more important to me.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Schneider-Kr...280203?hash=item5429aa4f8b:g:1-YAAOSwa-dWm69O

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Schneider-Xe...577933?hash=item35f939bf0d:g:KScAAOSwcOFWayok

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Carl-Zeiss-T...747525?hash=item35f8a3bf05:g:HRYAAOSwgQ9VtRFY

Ian Grant · Feb 1, 2016

The Tele-Arton doesn't cover 5x4 it's for a 6x9 Linhof. The other two have limited coverage.

What cemaera are they being used with.

Ian

removed account4 · Feb 1, 2016

you might look for something like a symmar 210/370 convertible lens.
depending on your bellows draw it might work. the 210/370 i use on 7x5... can't say anything about 8x6 though
( like this one >>>
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Linhof-TECH...924191?hash=item58d503e49f:g:eJoAAOSwT~9WlRI6

there are other symmar convertibles not just the 210/370 .. there is a 150 / 235 and a bigger one, and probably others too .. i can't speak for their coverage
but i do know once the front cell is removed, the lens needs more than the converted focal length to focus at infinity ( that is why i said depending on your bellows draw )
and the coverage circle / illumination circle is bigger too,

older "rapid rectilinear" lenses ( brass, no shutter ) are convertible as well
and give a very nice rendering. for a shutter you can get a packard or roller blind.

with a rr / convertible means, its 1 FL with both front and back cells on the barrel, and a longer one with 1 removed ( like the symmar, turner reich, or wollensaks )
and maybe 1 1/4 - 1/1/2 stops slower

good luck !

MDR · Feb 1, 2016

The Xenar and the Tessar will barely cover 4x5 with movement without movement they will be fine. The Xenar is coated the Tessar is a pre war lens, a good lens but the Xenar would be a better choice. Also look for old plate cameras with shuttered lens, if you don't need a coated lens, they are somtimes cheaper to buy than the lens alone. The old Kodak (B&L) RR lens will cover 4x5 barely but is a nice lens.

Ari · Feb 1, 2016

I'd suggest looking at Fujinon lenses; most of the older single-coated versions have lots of coverage and are of excellent quality.
Both the 180 and 210 "W" lenses, with writing inside the barrel, are great choices, and if you move up to whole plate size (6.5 x 8.5), both will cover with lots of room to spare.

seanE · Feb 1, 2016

A 6x9 won't cover a 4x5? Now thats the type of information i need to know

Alan Gales · Feb 1, 2016

Ari said:
I'd suggest looking at Fujinon lenses; most of the older single-coated versions have lots of coverage and are of excellent quality.
Both the 180 and 210 "W" lenses, with writing inside the barrel, are great choices, and if you move up to whole plate size (6.5 x 8.5), both will cover with lots of room to spare.

+1

I recently bought a clean copy of the 180mm from a Seller in Japan. With shipping included it cost me just over $150 US. I've never owned the 210 but I do own the 250mm f/6.7 which I use on my 8x10. The single coated Fujinons are great lenses at a very reasonable price.

Ian Grant · Feb 1, 2016

Ari said:
I'd suggest looking at Fujinon lenses; most of the older single-coated versions have lots of coverage and are of excellent quality.
Both the 180 and 210 "W" lenses, with writing inside the barrel, are great choices, and if you move up to whole plate size (6.5 x 8.5), both will cover with lots of room to spare.

The prices from Japan are unbelievably low at the moment due to exchange rates, in Europe though we need to factor in between 30-35% extra costs for Import Duty and VAT on the price of the item and the shipping, still very cheap though.

Ian

Alan Gales · Feb 1, 2016

seanE said:
A 6x9 won't cover a 4x5? Now thats the type of information i need to know

Check this out!

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:35mm_MF_LF_Comparison.svg

seanE · Feb 1, 2016

Im seeing a lot of nice photo toys in japan, What is it like ordering on eBay form there? id go for it, But the last time i ordered from america Thur ''the global shipping program'' it took 3 weeks.

Alan Gales · Feb 1, 2016

seanE said:
Im seeing a lot of nice photo toys in japan, What is it like ordering on eBay form there? id go for it, But the last time i ordered from america Thur ''the global shipping program'' it took 3 weeks.

I've shipped directly and also used the global shipping program. With the global shipping program I ship to the shipping site here in the U.S. and then they ship it to the country so it's bound to take longer than shipping direct. Three weeks is an awful long time though. Maybe the Seller was dragging his heals.

I can't remember exactly but when I got my lens from Japan it took a few days longer than if I had bought the lens in my own country. I was very happy with everything about the transaction.

seanE · Feb 1, 2016

and thanks lan and alan, That makes no sense to me, but at leas i wont be buying a medium format lens thinking il be using it on a LF

Alan Gales · Feb 1, 2016

seanE said:
and thanks lan and alan, That makes no sense to me, but at leas i wont be buying a medium format lens thinking il be using it on a LF

6x9 is measured in centimeters where 4x5 is measured in inches. Inches are longer than centimeters. The 4x5 negative is larger than a 6x9 negative so you need lenses that have more coverage then what you need for the smaller 6x9 negative.

Luis-F-S · Feb 1, 2016

Your first LF lens for 4x5ish should be a 210. Either a modern Symmar, Sironar, or even an older Dagor. All will cover 4x5 & 5x7 with room for movements and the Dagor will even cover 8x10 inches. Once you've used this lens for a few months and figured out what you're doing, then you can work on a second lens. L

paul_c5x4 · Feb 1, 2016

seanE said:
Im seeing a lot of nice photo toys in japan, What is it like ordering on eBay form there? id go for it, But the last time i ordered from america Thur ''the global shipping program'' it took 3 weeks.

Buying stuff from Japan is pretty painless - I've had a lens from there it it arrived fairly quickly, but I did get clobbered on import duties & handling fee. As for the GSP from ebay, never again. Too damned expensive and I had to play "guess which neighbour" the package was delivered to.

I'm guessing you are in Europe somewhere.... I have a couple of LF lenses I can sell - If you let me know what you want, I'll if I have one and we can discuss price.

If you haven't started shooting LF yet, you do realise that it is not a cheap hobby....

RalphLambrecht · Feb 1, 2016

seanE said:
Im looking to get into some 4x5 film, And wet plate ''ideally 8x6'' altho none of the lenses that I've been looking at in my price range have covered any more that 4x5,
My budget is around 100-200 euros, ''preferably 100'' il need a shutter since my fomapan is rated asa 100.
If you could have a look at some of the example I've been eyeing up, Or if you have any suggestions, That would be great.
I like LF for the ''soul'' aspect, So altho id like a sharp lens, shallow depth of field, And nice 3d look are more important to me.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Schneider-Kr...280203?hash=item5429aa4f8b:g:1-YAAOSwa-dWm69O

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Schneider-Xe...577933?hash=item35f939bf0d:g:KScAAOSwcOFWayok

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Carl-Zeiss-T...747525?hash=item35f8a3bf05:g:HRYAAOSwgQ9VtRFY

I would pick the first;the folal length is close to ideal for a one-only lens

Ian Grant · Feb 2, 2016

RalphLambrecht said:
I would pick the first;the folal length is close to ideal for a one-only lens

The lens only covers 65mm x90mm so us totally useless for 5x4.

Ian

seanE · Feb 2, 2016

what about this?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Excellent-FU...731392?hash=item4af870f1c0:g:tNkAAOSwoydWlFop

seanE · Feb 2, 2016

dose any one have an idea how much the ''pure robbery tax'' would be on it.

scheimfluger_77 · Feb 2, 2016

seanE said:
what about this?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Excellent-FU...731392?hash=item4af870f1c0:g:tNkAAOSwoydWlFop

I have two of these, the image circle is 280mm, enough for whole plate with no movements. But gobs of coverage for 4x5. Ari is right about the older version of this lens, I think the docs give that one a 305mm image circle, almost 8x10. If you are patient you may find another sample with less or no shipping charges at all.

paul_c5x4 · Feb 2, 2016

seanE said:
dose any one have an idea how much the ''pure robbery tax'' would be on it.

Budget around 30% plus a handling fee.

From memory, I got charged 20% VAT on the cost of the item (including shipping costs), plus 5-8% import duty, then an extra £14 handling fee.

seanE · Feb 2, 2016

Thanks, I think il go for the fuji, But before I do, Whats the story with these..V Can you get shutters for them? and which ones.
V

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/INDUSTAR-51-...120833?hash=item1eaaf3c341:g:fS8AAOSwL7VWr5M7

jimgalli · Feb 2, 2016

seanE · Feb 2, 2016

Thanks guys, I'm just after ordering the fuji

Neil Poulsen · Mar 20, 2016

jnanian said:
. . . you might look for something like a symmar 210/370 convertible lens. . . .

I think that this would be a good choice, depending on the type of photography that you wish to do. It's image circle is 297mm at f16, whereas the diagonal of 6x8 is about 250mm. So, room for some some movement. Some of these early Schneider lenses sell for quite reasonable prices.

Schneider's image circle spec is at f16, which would increase at f22. In a conversation that I had with Kerry Thalman, the convertible Symmars can be more effectively stopped down for greater coverage, versus Schneider plasmat designs that followed.

I would not recommend any of the lenses that you included in your original post. As has been observed, the first is designed for medium format 6x9. The 2nd and 3rd are both tessar designs with an image circle of 161mm. They would barely cover 4x5, and then with only minimal room for movement. They would not cover 6x8.

First LF lens

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