Wide Angle Lens for round image on 5X7 film

[sanking]

I am interested in information about lenses in the 45 mm to 65 mm range with a circle of illumination of approximately 4 7/8" to give a circular image on a sheet of 5" square film. And by that I mean a natural circle from the lens, with no filters, filter rings, etc. I have a 65mm Super Angulon that almost does this, but the circle is just a tad larger than 5".

Sandy

[Ian Greenhalgh]

65mm Angulon probably as the image circle is a bit smaller than the Super Angulon.

[lee nadel]

hi put black tape around rear element then you can adjust your image size.

[sanking]

Should have also mentioned that I am looking for good sharpness right to the edge of the circle. Circle of a 65 mm Angulon would definitely be a bit less than a full five inches, but even stopped down there is lots of loss of sharpness even 4/5 of the way out from the center. I am looking for something like you would get with a Biogon at the far edges of the image circle.

One could adjust the image size in many ways by vignetting it, but I am looking for a lens that throws a natural circle as is, with no filters, filter rings, etc.

Sandy

[William Whitaker]

Seems like most any lens designed for 35mm or even 2 1/4 might do what you want. (My somewhat naive answer.)

[Dan Fromm]

Sandy, you're asking for a lot. Ian's suggestion -- 65/6.8 Angulon -- and the equivalent Optar/Raptar might do. The big question with them is how far out the illumination goes. There are similar 65s for 6x9 from Leitmeyr and there's a host of UK-made ~65s that claim to cover 100 degrees, much more than you want.

You might consider a 53/4.5 Biogon. It should cover ~ 115 mm cleanly and cut off around 120 mm, not quite as much as you want, and the cutoff is abrupt. This based on shooting a 38/4.5 Biogon on 2x3. I'm sorry that I don't have a 53 to ask for you. Schneider claims the 53/4 SA covers 115 mm, doesn't say where the illumination stops. A 60/6.8 Dagor might do, but they're quite uncommon.

I just asked my 60/5.6 Konica Hexanon and 47/5.6 SA whether they'll do for you. I doubt it, wide open both put visible light at the edge of a 4x5 GG. 45/9 CZJ Goerz Dagor doesn't have the circle you need, nor does the 1.75"/2.8 Elcan.

The 65 and 50 Mamiyas and the lenses mentioned above are the only w/a lenses for 6x9 in your focal length range I can think of. I'm sure I missed some. The Elcan's actually for 6x6, doesn't come close to covering 2x3.

[Oren Grad]

First thing that came to mind was Sam Wang's home-brew 5x7 with the 50mm Mamiya Press lens - but I know you've seen that. Other possibilities: 47mm Super-Angulon (non-XL), maybe 58mm Grandagon, 65mm Angulon or 65mm Raptar.

Some of the new Rodenstock and Schneider digital lenses in the 45-65mm range have specified image circles at wider apertures that would seem to fit, but I wonder about the circle of illumination. My 90/5.6 Apo-Sironar-Digital illuminates way more than its specified 125mm.

[Oren Grad]

Should have also mentioned that I am looking for good sharpness right to the edge of the circle. Circle of a 65 mm Angulon would definitely be a bit less than a full five inches, but even stopped down there is lots of loss of sharpness even 4/5 of the way out from the center. I am looking for something like you would get with a Biogon at the far edges of the image circle.

Oops... just saw this. That's going to be difficult.

[Corran]

I noticed that my 75mm Biogon cuts off pretty hard at the edge of the IC. I don't have a 5x7 though to test with though - but it's sharp right up to the extremity. I think it'd be about wide enough.

This is probably at f/16 so you'd get a harder cut if you stopped down more. This is just a frame I accidentally pushed too far, or the corner of it anyway:

[StoneNYC]

Doesn't this all depend on how close you are focussing?