View Camera Lens Coverage

[Tom C]

Just got a Graphic View. Nice body with terrible lenses that allow no movement of bellows.
Can anyone tell me what a minimum image circle is required to allow for full or near full movement of shift/tilt/swing features. I think that 4x5 film is about 127mm across. So a lens that covers this format needs to have at least a 127 image circle. It then appears that in order to shift/tilt a bunch I would need an image circle that covers significantly more area. I don't need super wide angle and could probably live with even a lens greater than normal (about 165mm).
Can you guys give me an idea of what I should be looking for. Needless to say, I am anxious to fire up my new camera body and need a lens asap. I am trying to stay under $300.00 or so - if possible.

 

[Ian C]

The film window in a 4” x 5” Fidelity Riteway holder is 92.5mm (between film-holding rails) x 120.1mm.

So the diagonal is about 151.6mm. That means that the diameter of the infinity image circle needs to be at least that large to cover at infinity with no movements.

Decide how much radial movement you require from the neutral position (lens centered over the film) and you can figure out what lens you need based on the diameter of the circle whose diameter is 152mm plus whatever radial movement you require.

In order to do this you’ll need the image circle diameter of the various lenses you consider.

 

[Pupfish]

IC improves with longer focal lengths (in any given lens design, all else being equal), smaller f/stops, and when focused at closer distances than infinity.

Huge image circles perhaps matter most with rise & fall, such as when trying to fit a building, tall tree or nearby mountain peak into the frame, or to place the horizon at the top of the frame (or people's feet at the bottom) while keeping the camera level (levelled to keep converging lines and perspective under control). Tilting and swinging rarely uses up a huge image circle. If you have a camera with back tilts and swings you can coax a bit more out of a lens with a tight image circle and the swings and tilts occurs within the cone (e.g. it can correct for tilting the camera up or down, etc).

I have a lens capable of "moving" a subject/horizon line in a portrait orientation from the top to the bottom of the frame using rise/fall. It has a 301mm image circle at f/22 at infinity focus. It's a bit longer than you specified, a 210mm Caltar IIN (same as Rodenstock APO Sironar N) a common enough Plasmat type lens that can be found used nowadays for ~$200 USD or even a little less. Another suberb under $300 lens with a good sized image circle would be the classic Ektar 203mm f/7.7.

 

[jeffreyg]

Tom,

Check this website for information on lenses and image circle charts. Dead Link Removed

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[Rick A]

Image circle differs between different manufacturers of the same focal length lens. A Schneider may have a larger IC on a 150mm than say a Rodenstock or Wollensak, or the other way around. I have a 105mm Rodenstock Trinar that just covers 4x5 with no movement allowed, and a Rodenstock Ysarex 127 that has more or at least equal IC as my 150 Schneider. Check the link that jeffreyg provided and you will have a better idea of which lens you would want to use.