What's on your LF camera?

J Durr · Feb 19, 2021

What is your favorite all around lens for 4x5 &/or 5x7 LF set up?

Kinda thinking about something different for my Canham 4x5/5x7 that will be here next week.

Thanks

Donald Qualls · Feb 19, 2021

I'm very happy with my 150mm f/5.6 Componon. Yes, it's an enlarging lens, but I've never seen a negative where I felt I was losing sharpness by being in much further from the subject than the baseboard normally would be. As a bonus, if I unscrew the front group, it becomes a 250mm f/13, still with good image quality (pretty much only useful in bright daylight, though, due to the dim ground glass image). Two lenses for the price (and weight) of one. Also helpful that the same lens boards fit both my Graphic View and my Speed Graphic (though I have the Speed's rangefinder calibrated for the 13.5 cm f/4.5 Tessar in an empty shutter shell, so I have to focus on the ground glass if I mount the Componon).

btaylor · Feb 19, 2021

I don’t shoot much 5x7, but for 4x5 I find the one I reach for most of the time for general use is a Schneider 210mm f5.6 (I think it is single coated, probably from the ‘70s). I think they go for around $200 these days- quite the bargain!

Wayne · Feb 19, 2021

My 135 Caltar folds up inside of my Wista 45SP so it gets the most use.

awty · Feb 19, 2021

All my lenses are round and I choose which one is right for the task. Same with any format.

Are there zoom lenses for large format?

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 19, 2021

I don't have a favourite lens. However, there are lenses that I use more often than others.

removedacct1 · Feb 19, 2021

My Voigtlander Petzval f3.2 is a favorite on the 5x7. Not sure what its focal length is, but is doesn't completely cover the format at infinity.

MarkS · Feb 20, 2021

It's a Nikon: Nikkor-M 300/9.

John Earley · Feb 20, 2021

Andrew O'Neill said:
I don't have a favourite lens. However, there are lenses that I use more often than others.

This^^^^^

bdial · Feb 20, 2021

I don’t think I have a favorite for 5x7, but for 4x5 it would be my 210. I suppose, since I use it for both formats, it’s my all-round favorite.

otto.f · Feb 20, 2021

Andrew O'Neill said:
I don't have a favourite lens. However, there are lenses that I use more often than others.

+1. It’s totally dependent on the subject, wide, normal or tele, and what the subjects needs in terms of character. At the moment I prefer for my stills the Heliar 210 above a Schneider, but I seriously doubt whether that would be the case for landscape too

DWThomas · Feb 20, 2021

A pinhole?!

Fits my B&J Press 4x5
(Sorry, I've been snowed in too much ...)

rulnacco · Feb 20, 2021

My only lens, currently, on my Sinar F2 is a Fujinon 250/F6.3 CM-W. I honestly don't have a lot of experience with other LF lenses, but that is one cracking good lens. (I mostly use it for studio portraits, but I'm sure it would work for loads of other stuff, too.)

miha · Feb 21, 2021

For my monorail, I only have one - the latest Schneider APO something 150mm. It offers even illumination even with extreme camera movements that I often play with. Hence my preference for a heavy monorail over any other camera type.

PonySoldier1887 · Feb 21, 2021

For quite a few years now my favorite for 4x5 has been the 135mm f5.6 Fujinon W (Old version with lettering around bezel). Between the small size, large coverage and single coating which I prefer I use this lens almost without exception.
Joel

Besk · Feb 21, 2021

Wayne said:
My 135 Caltar folds up inside of my Wista 45SP so it gets the most use.

Almost ditto: My 135/5.6 Caltar (Rodenstock Sironar-N) folds up inside my Busch Pressman and the field of view matches a lot of the stuff I like to photograph.

removed account4 · Feb 21, 2021

not really sure about 4x5. these days I am using 4x5 box cameras ( falling plate and regular with film holders ) im guessing they are a little wider than 150 but im not sure.

Tel · Feb 21, 2021

My go-to 4x5 is my Gundlach Korona. Last summer I tried out a 6 1/2 inch Ilex Paragon on it and haven't shot 4x5 with anything else. I love it.

nosmok · Feb 22, 2021

For 4x5, I've got a Buhl projection lens that's just a blast to use. It was unmarked when i got it, but after some rudimentary calculations I discovered it's about 140mm and f/3.14-- so I have an f/pi lens, which is cool by me!

Vaughn · Feb 22, 2021

The 5x7 been sporting a Fuji W 180mm...light and sweet. A fine focal length for 4x5, also.

GLS · Feb 22, 2021

I don't have a favourite. You grab the focal length/design appropriate for the specific task at hand, and all my 4x5 lenses have their uses (if they didn't I wouldn't own them).

With that said, the one I probably use the most is a Schneider-Kreuznach Apo-Symmar L 5.6/150.

narsuitus · Feb 24, 2021

J Durr said:
What is your favorite all around lens for 4x5 &/or 5x7 LF set up?

I primarily use large format cameras for architecture, landscapes, large group portraits, and product shots.

The main large format camera I use is the Calumet 4x5 CC-402 that was designed for wide-angle lenses.

The wide-angle lenses I use are:
135mm Fujinon f/5.6 (38mm equiv)
90mm Fujinon f/5.6 (28mm equiv)
65mm Schneider f/8 Super-Angulon (18mm equiv)
47mm Schneider f/5.6 Super-Angulon XL (13mm equiv)

The 90mm is the lens I tend to use more frequently than the others.

Large Format by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Paul Howell · Feb 24, 2021

On my Crown, a Zeiss 135 F 4.5, lucked up matches the rangefinder. On my Speed, 210 Burk and James, Tessar copy, on my Brand, New View Kodak 150 Ektar.

Reinhold · Feb 27, 2021

I just finished mounting a 500mm 6.9 Wollaston Meniscus on an 8x8 metal board for a customers 11x14 Svedovski. (Film, wet plate, and Harmon direct positive papers…). At 86, I’m not strong enuff to play with monster cameras anymore.

Sigh…

Reinhold

www.re-inventedPhotoEquip.com

sc68 · Mar 1, 2021

I have one of these (335/4.6) on my 2-D.
It taught me how to see differently.
... sc68

What's on your LF camera?

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