start smaller?

JessicaDittmer said:

thanks! this lens says 9 1/2 on the front - I will test it out and see what I think. The one I have otherwise is a 480 or something crazy and a bit too much for the bellows on my camera - I'll give it a try and see what happens anyway with this shorter one. my boys will humor me while I test. LOL

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Your 9 1/2" Wollensak is almost certainly a Tessar design, it might just barely cover at infinity, but if it does, there will be no image circle left for movements. Close up, it will cover more, and if you have short bellows on your 8x10 it may be your only option. You need a 312 mm image circle to cover 8x10. Note that "cover" means to give a sharp image all the way to the corners, and that "illuminate" does not mean "cover". Many are confused by that distinction. A Tessar design will give about 52 - 55 degrees angle of view, stopping down will increase that by a few degrees.

I like soft edges- so I'm okay with that.- on the bellows I'm maxing out at about 19".

JessicaDittmer said:

I like soft edges- so I'm okay with that.- on the bellows I'm maxing out at about 19".

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You cam make sharp edges soft, but not the other way around.

With 19" bellows, you can use a 12"/300mm lens on a tophat (extension) lensboard. 300mm Symmars are common, with any luck you could grab one for a few hundred dollars. This would give you 70 degrees coverage which means a huge image circle, you can indulge in pretty much all the movements you'll ever need. It might be worth looking out for. As long as you pay a realistic price, you can be pretty certain of getting your money back if you decide to resell.

good points! thanks for all the info - going to keep my eye out for a 12" still while I test out the one I have.