120mm lens options for 5x7

[Ian Greenhalgh]

Hi folks

I'm just looking for suggestions and experiences of lenses around 120mm for 5x7. My budget is limited so older, cheaper options are the more appealing. I have both a Ross WA Xpres 4/5" and a Dallmeyer Wide-angle Anastigmat 4.5/5" but neither is in shutter, the Ross needs an Ilex #4 which is almost impossible to find here in England, and the Dallmeyer's cells doesn't appear to be threaded to fit anything other than it's original barrel, sadly.

So what options are there? The only ones I see for sale fairly often are the Angulon 6.8/120 and Super-Angulon 8/120. The Super-Angulon is probably a little too expensive for me right now, but maybe an older chrome one would be a good option as a nice price?. Am I correct that theAngulon6.8/120 only has a 211mm image circle?

Small size would be a bonus too, as it will be used for field work, but isn't critical.

Just looking to work out the options, canvas opinions and figure out what kind of cost I'm looking at, might require selling something or saving for a while.

[Lachlan 717]

What's your budget? (Rough is fine).

The 120mm SA is a fairly large lens. They often go for low to mid $300s.

[Ian Greenhalgh]

150USD. If that's unrealistic, I will have to save my pennies for a while.

[Ed Bray]

There's also a 121mm f8 Super Angulon, these tend to go for a little less than the 120mm, they will almost cover 8x10 so have plenty of movements on 5x7, there are a couple on ebay at the moment around $250.

[Ian Greenhalgh]

Cheers Ed. I'm also wondering what older cheaper options there may be.

[Michael Graves]

A 125mm Fujinon 5.6 will cover 5x7 with room to spare. I have seen those go from as little as 125 to as much as 400, depending on condition and other factors. This is a lens as small as the Angulon 6.8, which as you point out covers the format, but with very little wiggle room for movements. You might keep an eye out for one of those.

[Chuck Pere]

The 120 wide angle Congo will cover but just barely. Mine is Osaka branded. Very small, MC and modern shutter. Maybe hard to find used. I haven't looked recently. 220mm coverage. http://www.cosmonet.org/congo/spec_e.htm

[Jim Noel]

I have owned and used a 120mm Angulon in a Deckel Compur shutter for more years than I care to mention. A great little lens.

[Leigh]

The Nikkor 120mm f/8 lens has a large 316mm image circle, affording generous movements on 5x7.

The lens is larger than most 120mm, weighing 610 grams. It's mounted in a Copal 0 shutter, and takes 77mm filters.

I have one. It's an excellent lens, but may not be within your current budget.

- Leigh

[Jody_S]

150USD. If that's unrealistic, I will have to save my pennies for a while.

Fujinon off the 'bay. You'll find one sold by a Japanese seller described as 'junk' but it will probably be a quite capable lens. It may take a month or two before you win one, but keep trying.

I don't know which Fujinon will do, as the 'W' series is a little confusing (to me, anyway).

As for vintage 5x7 wide angles, I have several which I can only use on a packard, but the nicest of the bunch by far is marked only 'Luxor'. the VM hints that it may have been made by Cooke, which appears to be the equal to my more modern wides by Schneider. If you like the look of your present lenses, your cheapest solution might be to get one of those front-mounted shutters made by Wollensak (? - the one that has the slow speeds, not just 'I' and 'B').