Lens/Camera combination for portrait closeups

bwphoto · May 24, 2007

Want to do 'head' shots and finish up with platinum/palladium contact prints.

My normal 150mm Toyo lens is a bit wide and requires long bellows extension and time loses sharpness and flash is bothersome, at best.
What to do?
I have a Mamiya 7 with an 80mm lens, same thing though with focal length. What would be a good alternative? Forgot to mention, the medium format would have to be scanned larger and that is a whole new curve to work out for me.

I am sure someone has confronted this issue??

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Nick Zentena · May 24, 2007

Bellows extension isn't really going away. Longer lens will need longer bellows.

I'm guessing 4x5 format? You might want to mention which camera you have so people can make suggestions that will fit the camera.

Rolleiflexible · May 24, 2007

In 4x5, I've found a 12-inch (300mm) lens to be about right. See this example, shot in 4x5 with a 12-inch Commercial Ektar:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I wouldn't go shorter than 10 inches (240mm). A longer lens will present other logistic issues. There are plenty of good 12-inch lenses out there -- Dagors, Commercial Ektars, and the other usual suspects.

Sanders

Jim Noel · May 24, 2007

I use a 10" Wolensak soft focus for all port5raits on 4x5.

bwphoto · May 24, 2007

Actually did not mention 4x5 cameras per Nick's suggestion. I have a Toyo field view 4x5 w/150mm Schneider lens and a Mamiya 7, med. format w/80mm lens. I want to frame the whole head in the picture similar to Sanders' example.
Thanks for your help, perhaps a 300mm or 12" lens will be the right way to go for a 4x5 format?

TheFlyingCamera · May 24, 2007

At a bare minimum, you need a 210mm lens for 4x5. Ideally, as Sanders mentioned, you want something in the 240 (10") to 300mm (12") range. Your Toyo Field may prove somewhat limiting in bellows extension with the 300mm for tight headshots. I would not look for a Dagor, not only because of the cost, but at 4x5, your image will be TOO sharp for a good portrait. The Commercial Ektar in 10" or 12" length would be a great lens. There is also a 12" Ektar f4.5 which makes a great portrait lens for 4x5 and 5x7, but it won't mount on your Toyo most likely, as it comes in a #5 Ilex shutter. Since at 4x5 and larger, film grain is really not an issue, shoot a faster film like HP5+, TriX or Tmax400.

bwphoto · May 25, 2007

You are right about the #5 Ilex, it will not fit on my Toyo field view Scott. The 10 or 12 inch Ektar in a smaller shutter will probably work for this application. Thanks again to all for giving your interest and thoughts.
Bob

PHOTOTONE · May 25, 2007

I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet, but have you considered one of the Telephoto lenses for your Field camera? Such as a 240mm Tele-Xenar, Tele-Arton, or Tele-Raptar? Being of telephoto construction they require far less bellows draw than conventional lenses, and used near wide open, are somewhat soft, especially at the edges. This is what I would use for portraits if I was limited to a 4x5 Field camera such as Toyo, Graflex, etc.

Ian Leake · May 25, 2007

I use a 311mm with about 430mm of bellows for all my 5x4 close-ups. Depth of field is obviously a challenge and so is framing when people sway, but things seem to work out fine most of the time.

BBarlow690 · May 29, 2007

A 210 will be a little short for head-only photographs - you'll start to see awfully big noses. It's wonderful for head and shoulders and more. So I'd second those who say 240 and above. I forget how much bellows you have on the Toyo, and suspect you shoudl "try before you buy" a 300.

Paddy · May 30, 2007

PHOTOTONE said:
... have you considered one of the Telephoto lenses for your Field camera? Such as a 240mm Tele-Xenar, Tele-Arton, or Tele-Raptar?

Here's a portrait I made with a 240mm Tele-Arton. They're reasonably fast, and the older Compur shutter's multi-iris blades provide a very smooth bokeh, not to mention the rapid focus fall-off due to the tele-photo lens being used at close quarters.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Ole · May 30, 2007

Whatever the question is, I seem to end up recommending a 240mm f:5.6 Symmar convertible yet again. The "drawback" is that they tend to come in old Compur #2 shutters, which haven't been made since before the last convertible Symmars were. Of all my lenses, this is the one I most often move from lensboard to lensboard - it's one of my favorite lenses on 4x5", 5x7" and 8x10"!

Lens/Camera combination for portrait closeups

bwphoto

Nick Zentena

Rolleiflexible

Jim Noel

bwphoto

TheFlyingCamera

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