Starting out, no lenses, never shot 4 x 5 before: what FL?

[DennisD]

Hi Nancy,

I would urge you to invest in a normal lens, if that's what you're comfortable with from experience. That's not to say you should pass up the 210 if it's a bargain. My guess, in your case, is that a 210 may feel somewhat awkward and limiting at first.

For landscape and architectural 90-135-150mm lengths are all wonderful to work with. My first lens was a 150, second lens was. 90 and then a 210. I tend to use the 90 and 150 the most. Again, these are personal prefs and you will need to learn and judge from experience. The forum members give great advice, but it may not necessarily suit your taste.

Perhaps the person selling the 210 will let you try it for a short period. If you do buy, heed the advice in some of the earlier posts. Alternatively, you might be able to meetup With someone in your area who would be willing to show you their equipment and lenses. You might always rent a lens or two for a day just to "play" with - no film.

Hope this helps.

Dennis

[C. D. Keth]

If I had a 150 or 180mm and nothing else, I wouldn't feel all that crippled.

[Jac@stafford.net]

You might find the 35mm film equivalent of a 35mm lens on 4x5 'feels' wider because of the different aspect ratio.
As mentioned, just get going, 150mm or 135mm are my favorites, respectively.

[Bruce Barlow]

I used, and still use, a 210 Symmar for most of my 4x5 work. You can't go wrong, and will love it for portraits, and LF portraits are about as much fun as it gets.

Film holders. Don't skimp on film holders. I have 30, and there have been days when I have been one short, losing the best picture of the day for lack of the 31st holder. A dozen ought to be minimum.

Get the camera and lens and sit in a comfy chair and just play with all of it in your lap. At our workshops we call is "camera cuddle," to get you familiar with the camera and lens. At one workshop, we had lovely assistants blindfold the students, and they cuddled their cameras, learning where everything was, how everything worked, without having to take their heads out from underneath their dark cloths, so to speak. Everybody loved the exercise. Spend an hour - set a timer, because you'll think you're getting bored, and that's just about the moment that you should double-down and pay attention. Do it watching American Idol.

I developed mnemonics, and may learn to spell that word. For the lens, the switch that opens and closes the shutter - "Up is open," two vowels, "down is closed," Adjacent adjectives. Now I always know which is which. I played and learned to set the aperture on the lens from behind the camera. With practice I could get within a quarter of a stop, and good for seeing depth of field.

I developed a shutter ritual for when I am ready to make an exposure - a set routine of all the little actions to be ready to press the cable release. Practicing the ritual and using it helps make sure I'm not removing the slide with the lens open, or forgetting to set the aperture, or forgetting to cock the shutter. That way, when the light is perfect, the composition is wonderful, and the adrenaline is in full course, I have much higher odds of actually making a negative, and not screwing it up.

Always guess the exposure before you meter the scene - learn to see light, and what it's doing. Learn how consistent, or not, the light in your part of the world is.

Get film, make pictures. Make lots of pictures.

[Len Middleton]

NancyP,

Is this a test for the forum?

I mean you are asking such a personal question regarding individual likes and dislikes, and with little surprise you have a large variety of answers. Given your initial question was on Valentine's Day, are you looking for our personal advice on potentially a more personal nature??

All kidding aside, it is a very personal matter. Like your initial thoughts, I am one of those that prefer the 210 over the 135 or 150. My first lens was a 150, but I oriented more to the 210 and consider it MY normal lens on that format. And as others have said YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary, a common term here), and my choices need not match anyone else's.

I think you have been given some good advice here, although it will be necessary to sort it all out.

Two very excellent bits of advice are:
1. Bruce's "camera cuddle" activity, as you want to know your camera well, before needing to sort it out in the field; and
2. Get out there and shoot learn what you like and find out what you need to know.

It is a great activity, now make your choices and to quote the old Nike motto "Just Do It".

As others mentioned, if you buy well on the used market, then you are likely to be able to return it back to the used market for close to the same money, so good equipment selection errors are minimal.

Good luck, enjoy the ride, and keep us posted on your results.

Len

[mdarnton]

Another vote for something in the 210 range. Large cameras are so large relative to what people are used to that I feel like I'm crowding the subject with camera, tripod, and stuff with anything wider, except in special circumstances.

[hoffner]

I am an amateur and newbie at LF, and would like some opinions on how to get started.
So, I figured that my first lens (4 x 5) ought to be some approximation of "normal", which to me in 35mm terms is 35mm to 60mm, which should be 135mm to 220mm or thereabouts. I see lots of choices in 135, 150, 180, and 210mm.
-

As you can see, all you get is a lot of personal preferences of other photographers. Why don't you make it easy for your own personal view? Make a simple viewing frame and go out with it to the world you live in. And look through it - with one simple view frame you can judge all FLs you like or dislike. The one you will like most will be the one you should go after. And the choice will be done with your own eye, your own taste in your own photographic world. Why ask others about their preferences then?

[David Karp]

Since you like portraiture, consider purchasing a Caltar II-N branded lens. They are made by Rodenstock, and are usually available at good prices. I have lenses from all the major modern manufacturers, including to many 210s. If I am going to do a portrait, I always grab my 210 Caltar II-N.

[Heroique]

As you can see, all you get is a lot of personal preferences of other photographers. Why don't you make it easy for your own personal view? Make a simple viewing frame and go out with it to the world you live in. And look through it - with one simple view frame you can judge all FLs you like or dislike. The one you will like most will be the one you should go after. And the choice will be done with your own eye, your own taste in your own photographic world. Why ask others about their preferences then?

This is armchair photographer non-sense.

Trust your actual picture taking experience as your guide for a first lens – that is, your preference for 60mm in the 35mm format.

A 210 would be a fine place to start. Then use your experience with that lens (or any other first lens) to make choices about additional lens purchases.

[ROL]

I mean you are asking such a personal question regarding individual likes and dislikes, and with little surprise you have a large variety of answers. Given your initial question was on Valentine's Day, are you looking for our personal advice on potentially a more personal nature??

My love was only then satiated by the rapturous embrace of its velvety cape, its muscular stalwart threesome supporting our carnal desires, while my eager arms felt the full length of its extended majesty, focussing my determined attentions without shame completely, resolutely and forever.