Opinions of 65mm f8 SA

Hi all,

I've search the site and read the previous post on this lens, 65mm f8 SA. Here's my situation:

I've just picked up a nice used Tachihara. With it came a pristine 150mm f5.6 Caltar. Also pick up a nice older (1960) 90mm f8 SA. All this to replace a Busch Pressman with a standard press 135mm and 90mm f6.8 Optar. I shoot only B&W landscapes here in New Mexico. Tight quarters, tall trees, big mountains. I felt I needed movements for what I was shooting.

I know the 65mm barely covers 4x5. But I figure with the bellows compressed on the Tachihara, I won't have much room for movements anyway. I figured I'd have some room for back movements. Sure, I'd like a f5.6 but the f8 runs about $300, the f5.6 2x to 3x that, plus would I be able to take advantage of the movements.

For those of you who have used the 65mm f8 SA, do you think it performed well? Did the limitations this lens have restrict your photography? I know this is subjective but any input will help. The fact that this lens usually have a 00 compur doesn't bother me, my 90mm SA also has that shutter.

Thanks.

Brian

I don't know about the 65mm SA, but I just recently bought a 65mm Nikon Nikkor from Midwest Photo and it covers 4x5 easily with some room for movements. It sits in a Copal #0 shutter and is very compact and light weight - great lens.

Juergen

Juergen:

How is the color cast of your 65 f4 Nikkor? Is it cold (neutral) like Rodenstocks, or warm like Schneiders? Could you comment on this please?

Many thanks

Hi. I've got a 65mm f8 SA in a 00 shutter. It is a good little lens, sharp, and with contrast qualities like a 90mm SA. I've found it covers 5x4 - forget movements! One thing though, I do use a centre filter. Without one the corners are about 1 stop darker, with one negatives are more even than a 90mm SA can produce. The 00 shutter was a pain at first, but now I dont mind. The only other thing is, it is (as you might expect) tricky to compose with due to the wide angle dark corner effect. I would buy it!

Like Richard, I like this lens. It's pretty sharp and is very lightweight. You won't have any movements, but I like the light falloff into the corners. I like how it "highlights" the centre of the image.

If 00 doesn't bug you, the ohter thing you should knor is that the shutter doesn't have an open switch. You have to use B.

Fine lens tho.

Another vote for 8/65 SA. Mine is 35 years old, shutter was cleaned and now it is like new. Lens is very sharp an have nice contrast, I am very happy with it. My friend also made me an adapter ring for '00' shutter so it fits in '0' lensboard.

And another. It is one of my favourite lenses thanks to the great wide angle angle perspective. It is very sharp and the colour rendering is excellent. I use it without the centre filter as I quite like the light fall-off effect. On the debit side movements are minimal and the #00 shutter can be a pain. I would prefer the 65/5.6 but they are quite a bit more expensive. The 65/8 must be the best value large format ultra-wide around.

Still another...

I have the 65mm f/8 SA in a Compur 00. I made an adapter to use mine on a Toyo recessed board for my D45M. Real nice when using a 6X9 rollfilm back...

I too have a 65 F8 / SA. My experience mirrors what the others have said. I find it's a great lens to use and the prints are outstanding.

I just hung a show that included a very difficult shot (extreme SBR) shot with the 65. Printing it was a bitch but all the detail was there. A lesser lens would have blown out as some of the highlights were straight into the lens. This was a shot of heavy industrial stuff (black and greasy), indoor, natural light with bright sunlight coming in from windows behind the machinery.

I use this lens on a Toko field camera. This camera is very similar to the camera you are talking about.

I don't use a center filter because I'm lazy and find I don't have to edge burn then.

One thing to be very careful of is that you don't get the tripod legs or your own body into the shot. This is a very WIDE lens and because of this it's hard to see into the edges when you are composing. I'm speaking from experience here LOL.

Good luck and have lots of fun with it. As far as lenses go, my shooting style finds me using my 150, 90, 65, 300 and 210 the most in that order. 150 being to most popular.

One day I plan on loading up some 400 asa film into my Speed, rate it at 1600 and hang the 65 on the front. Then walk around downtown during the lunch mall crawl and take street shots. Should be easy enough, at f22 or so I should get loads of DOF. Oh ya that brings up another point. I heard people say that this lens should always be used at f22 or smaller for optimal sharpness.

ciao,

Eric

Thanks all.

I'll definitely look into picking up one of these unless a f5.6 falls into my lap real cheap. I can dream, can't I. I called Midwest today and talked to Jim about the one they have. It's in a self cocking Prontor shutter that only goes to 1/25 of a second, that's the FASTEST speed. I passed.

I've got some blank boards coming from Badger so I can drill and mount my 90mm f8 SA with a 00 Compur. One more lens with that shutter should hurt.

Again thanks all.

Brian

Um, Brian, the 00 Prontor Press' top speed is 1/125, not 1/25. You misunderstood.

Its a long story, but my 47/5.6 SA is in an 00 Prontor Press. 1/125 is usually fast enough.

Cheers,

Dan

I made some photos on my 6x7 rollfilm back at f8. Shots were perfectly sharp. However, I did not do any similair shots on 4x5 films. I usually use f16 or smaller. An old habit, probably :)

I own this lens is a Synchro Compur 00 and I really, really like it. Very sharp. Lots of light fall-off and screw-in filters will obstruct your image corners. I shoot print film and lighten the corners in PS.