Help with Linhof Color and 100mm Xenotar Lens Question...

[CropDusterMan]

Hello all,
I have a mid 1950's Linhof Color 4x5 rail camera, and a wonderful series of lenses...my question centers around these:

100mm Xenotar
121 Super Angulon

As my camera system comes with the 6x9cm (2x3) back, I am a little confused on the Linhof 100mm Xenotar...
I read that it can't be used with the 4x5 really, and that it was designed to be used with the 6x9cm format back..?
I'm assuming no issues with the 121mm, it's the 100 Xenotar I'm curious about...any info would be great.
Can I use it for 4x5 with the Linhof Color?

All of my past experience in large format was 8x10 Sinars and a limited number of lenses, and I cannot profess to be an expert! ;O)

Best,
Jason

 

[Ian Grant]

A 100mm Xenotar won't cover 5x4, it will vignette at the corners, It may cover at close distances but won't be very sharp unless stopped right down. It is a 6x9 fast standard lens.

The 121mm Super Angulon almost covers 10x8 so no problems at all on 5x4.

Ian

 

[Dan Fromm]

Schneider claims that the 100/2.8 Xenotar covers 101 mm. 2x3 or smaller. If you shoot it with 4x5 film, you'll get a 101 mm circle with good image quality and who-knows-what outside of the circle. Try it and tell us what it did for you.

 

[CropDusterMan]

Thanks Ian and Dan, that matches a few other posts I'd seen...APUG is a great source of experienced
folks, so I like to come here and bounce questions off all of you.

Thanks,
Jason

 

[CropDusterMan]

The vignetting may look cool...I'll mess around with it, but the 121mm will be going into
the bag today...

 

[Ian Grant]

The vignetting may look cool...I'll mess around with it, but the 121mm will be going into
the bag today...

Look at Emmet Gowin's early work he did just that

I have a 105mm Tominon that visually covers 5x4 I've yet to test it but I certainly don't expect it to be a sharp performer at the edges/corners. Thanks to Dan I've come around to his philosophy of actually trying a lens, it was his comments that got me using coated (non Multi-coated) and un-coated lenses. It's better to learn by experience and make your own informed decisions.

Ian

 

[frank]

Look at Emmet Gowin's early work he did just that
... I've come around to his philosophy of actually trying a lens, it was his comments that got me using coated (non Multi-coated) and un-coated lenses. It's better to learn by experience and make your own informed decisions.
Ian

I was just thinking about the OP: you have the lens and the camera, just put them together, look at the ground glass and see what you can see.

 

[CropDusterMan]

Hi Frank,
I did that prior to posting, it was more a case of talking with members and picking their brains...in regards
to my comment on the vignetting, I'm referring more to a slight darkening of the corners, not the look of
Gowins early work. Personally, those look more like technical flaws in an image that a stylistic endeavor, I realize he may have been going for that look, but to me it's not appealing.

I do enjoy Gowins work though...he has a good body of work.

 

[Alan Gales]

I own a 121 SA. It's a nice focal length for 4x5 and feels to me like a 35mm lens on a 35mm camera.

 

[jamie young]

One thing to remember is that coverage is based on infinity focus. If you have an interest in using it for close focus stuff it could cover that as you increase bellows distance. It might be worth checking to se how close you needy to focus to get the coverage you want