wide angle lens for architecture

Dan's45 · May 25, 2005

hello everyone,
I have a question I'd like to ask. I have a Sinar 4x5 monorail and am interested in working with architecture but the lens I have, a Nikkor 135 W,
does not allow for all of the building to taken unless I am at least 100' away from the building, which is hard to do since the point of interest lies in the middle of the road...not where I want to be. Any suggestions on a lens rec-
omendation? Let me know. I plan on at least getting 3 lens in my arsenal
then I'll be happy . Thanks in advance for any ideas!

User Removed · May 25, 2005

The only lens that I have used is the Super Angolon 90mm. Very good lens.

brent8927 · May 25, 2005

I also use a 90mm (a Rodenstock Grandagon) and it's the lens I use the most for architecture. If you want to do a lot of interiors (in small spaces) then maybe a 65mm or 75mm would be more handy.

David H. Bebbington · May 25, 2005

90 mm is always good - useful angle plus good covering power. You will really need others only if you are a pro and HAVE to produce results in difficult circumstances (tall buildings in city centers, for example). I have a 65 mm Nikor SW for these situations (also good, of course, as a "normal" wide angle with 6x9 cm) but find I don't use it much. Covering power (enough to use movements) starts to be a problem with lenses wider than 90 for 4x5". If I had to cover every possibility, I'd probably go for 90 and 75 Super Angulons (75 still alllows some camera movements) plus a 47 mm Super Angulon XL for extreme cases.

Peter Schrager · May 25, 2005

wide angle?

SinarF1user-I attended a very informative lecture with Kirk Gittings and another gentleman at the LF Conference this past weekend. Believe it or not the super duper wide angle lenses are rarely used in archictectural photography. Sure-have one in your arsenal for the extreme case but do yourself a favor and sit down at Barnes and Noble and spend the time to see what the pros are generally using. Extreme wide angle cause distortion and are not pleasing to the eye.
Best, Peter

Frank Petronio · May 25, 2005

90mms are popular, and therfore less expensive. A good first 90 is the Rodenstock 90/6.8 Grandagon-N MC - look for the "MC" or the "N" on the lenses rim for identification - that means it is a later model with good multi-coating. If you are patient you can find one in the $500 range. Of course you can spend more, but 90s are good for environmental portraits and landscapes too.

The Nikkor 90/8 is also popular and may "match" the look of your 135, although the practical differences between brands of modern lenses are extremely subtle if you can see them at all.

Any of the lenses made by one of the big four manufacturers, made within the last 25 years, will be excellent.

David H. Bebbington · May 25, 2005

It may well be worth mentioning the "Victorian rising front" movement for extreme situations with lenses that don't really have enough covering power. In architectural photography, you will of course wherever possible keep the camera level, with front and back standards vertical, and use rising front. If you haven't got enough coverage for rising front, you can simply tilt the camera upwards and then swing the back into a vertical position. You'll need to stop the lens way down to get all-over sharpness, but it's a useful last-resort method of getting a picture if no other way will work (also means you can use a cheaper lens!).

noseoil · May 25, 2005

If you go with the 65mm variety, make sure to get a center filter as light fall off is pretty extreme. tim

jd callow · May 25, 2005

exteriors can generally be done with 90mm. In tighter urban areas a 75mm is often good. Some times only the very widest will work, but not often.

Interiors are often in the 65mm -90mm range with the shorter end being used more often, but again sometimes you will need to go wider (seldom longer).

A serious Arch photog will have:

47mm and or 58mm, 65mm and or 72mm/75mm, 90mm, 110mm, 135mm and or 150mm and possibly a 210mm.

Most of the time 65mm - 90mm are what will be used.

Pick up Interior design mags, Arch mags and realeastate mags to see what is being used.

Claire Senft · May 25, 2005

The 72mm Super Angulon XL and the 80mm Super Symmar XL should both be very good for your application.

removed account4 · May 25, 2005

i do quite a bit of documentary work for federal + state archives when they want to "record" a building, site, bridge &C. most of the lenses i use are between 65mm and 150mm ( 65, 90, 127, 135, 150 ). my "normal" has usually been a 90mm super angulon. a few years ago, i purchased a 65mm super angulon --- it isn't my "normal" lens like the 90mm, but i tend to use it very often. ( its amazing how often your back is against the wall .)

another nice think about the 65mm SA is that it fits right on the front ( bed down) of a speed graphic, no need for a center filter --- who needs a bunch of movements with a lens that wide ...

-john

Dandy97 · May 25, 2005

I do quite a bit of architectural photography and my lens arsenal includes 65mm, 90mm, 115mm, 150mm and 240mm. I use the 90mm the most followed by the 65mm.

wide angle lens for architecture

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