Affordable 12x20 lenses

[MintTin]

So im finishing up a design for a 12x20 tintype camera and I am in the looking for a lens stage. The idea of this build is to stay as cheap as possible and the fact that tintypes take an eternity to expose I dont really have a need for a shutter, just a lens cap. The one I keep reading about is the nikkor 21.25" ektanon but I cannot seem to find one for sale, or any of the other lenses for 12x20 I keep reading about. Im looking for something just a little wide. Is there any copy/process lens thats in the sub $200 range that will cover 12x20 and give me a little bit of movement? One that can be found on ebay? I also have yet to determine the final length of the bellows, probably around at least 48" for some wiggle room. But I'm thinking I need to just find a lens that is cheap and somewhat available first. Love the forum btw, glad I found it!

[Andrew Plume]

IMO, you're going to be fairly lucky to find a suitable lens under $200 for 12 x 20

if you haven't seen it, take a look at this great online resource:

http://www.allenrumme.com/lensdb/DBIntro-1.html

plenty of the old style cheaper process lenses aren't that wide, since I'm pretty sure that they weren't intended for that use - you can pick up a fairly cheap Taylor, Hobson Apo Process lens but seeing wide will be an issue - btw Steve Goldstein on here has, in my opinion, a couple of truly great Kowa's currently listed FS, they're more expensive, are both shuttered, I'm not sure if they will cover 12 x 20 but will definitely 'hold their value' - good luck

regards

andrew

[goamules]

So im finishing up a design for a 12x20 tintype camera and I am in the looking for a lens stage. The idea of this build is to stay as cheap as possible ...lens thats in the sub $200 range that will cover 12x20...

You and everyone else. Sorry for the glib reply, but this is the most common fallacy seen in photography forums. That you need to start wetplating with Ultra Large Format, and that you need the Mammoth lens "really cheap." You can't build a backyard race car and then ask for a cheap Ferrari engine to go in it either.

There are places you can buy a single mensicus lens which is pretty much a magnifying glass, fairly cheaply. Or one of the the original achromat (two lenses cemented together, behind an iris) meniscus landscape lenses. Stopped down to F11 or more, they are sharp. These lenses are the cheapest bet

[Steve Goldstein]

One good choice would be a 355mm G-Claron in barrel. This will be sharp and covers 12x20 stopped down, but may not meet your desired price point as Garrett rightly points out. As it happens I just listed a one of these in shutter as part of my "Getting out of 7x17 sale - Part 2" post in the FS section. It doesn't meet your price objectives, sorry.

[William Whitaker]

But you will not get Sharp, Cheap, and Large coverage at the same time. Pick any two.

And don't even think about Fast... Sorry, don't mean to kick you when you're down, but you might as well be looking for the fountain of youth.

The one I keep reading about is the nikkor 21.25" ektanon but I cannot seem to find one for sale

That's the Kodak 21 1/4" copying ektar. (Nikon didn't have anything to do with it, AFAIK). That's an ƒ/11 lens, so isn't really in the speed class you probably want for wet-plate/tintype. They do show up from time to time on Ebay.

[William Whitaker]

Probably the most economical route to a reasonably fast lens with big coverage would be one of Reinhold Schable's Wollaston meniscus lenses. His 500mm is ƒ/6.9 and will just cover 12x20. Besides, Reinhold is a great guy to work with. Check the recent post here comparing his Wollaston to a Verito. Note that I threw the "sharp" requirement out the window. These are both soft-focus lenses. But depending on your aesthetic goals, the Wollaston may be worthy of consideration.

[Dan Fromm]

Interesting discussion. 12 x 20 wants a lens that will cover 590 mm. Ain't no lenses priced under $200 delivered that will cover 12 x 20 sharply, except perhaps the 900/10 Apo Saphir I bought for that price (delivery included). You'll have to wait a long long time for another to turn up at that price.

The combination of high coverage, sharp, and inexpensive is hard to find. You'll have to give up on one of cost, coverage, or expense.

[Emil Schildt]

You and everyone else. Sorry for the glib reply, but this is the most common fallacy seen in photography forums. That you need to start wetplating with Ultra Large Format, and that you need the Mammoth lens "really cheap." You can't build a backyard race car and then ask for a cheap Ferrari engine to go in it either.

There are places you can buy a single mensicus lens which is pretty much a magnifying glass, fairly cheaply. Or one of the the original achromat (two lenses cemented together, behind an iris) meniscus landscape lenses. Stopped down to F11 or more, they are sharp. These lenses are the cheapest bet

I think I'll make a reverse thread..

I have all the lenses I need - but needs the camera... and knowlegde to follow...

[goamules]

I'm in the same boat man. Anyone got a sturdy 16x18 studio camera to sell me? I've got a couple lenses that need BIG!

[Andrew Plume]

........and yes

subsequent posts pretty well confirm my initial post, you're not the only one looking for such a cheapo lens, and as Will rightly said, Reinhold's lens should be well worth considering

andrew