I've had a Schneider SSXL 110mm since early in my LF career. It's really sharp, nicely contrasty, and has huge coverage for movements. I've never owned, used, or felt any need of a center filter for it. It's a great lens design, and first among my go-to lenses. If I could only have a single lens for 5x4, the SSXL 110mm would be that lens.
Bruce Watson
I used the Nikon 120 for several years and loved it. But is is BIG and heavy, and f8. The 110SSXL is small and f5.6 and corrected for both near and far. I have seen no need for a center filter. It also uses smaller filters. But I still miss my 120 because it is just a very satisfying lens and focal length. It is also going to cost you less than 50% of the 110SSXL.
Ed Richards
http://www.epr-art.com
The Fujinon is a lovely lens. Tiny, good and reasonable movements. A1 travel lens.
Slightly outside your FL and lens-age range: The single-coated 108mm f6.8 Wide-angle Raptar can be pretty amazing; it covers 5x7 with movements and their Alphax shutters are amongst the most reliable beasts (and with rounder apertures than Copals), just the filter situation is a bit complicated, but you can get a, say, 52mm adapter made. Weighs less than 200g, fits ~ Copal 0 holes. I've got both it and a 103.7mm version as my normal 5x7" and 6x17cm wides when I don't want to lug the large 90mm Acugon about.
http://www.jeffbridges.com/perception.html "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right."
If you wish to be able to use all 40mm, even in vertical orientation, even assuming no tilt (which would place further demands on the image circle), among the lenses in your original post only the 120mm Nikkor SW and 110mm Super-Symmar XL will cover. This page
provides a summary of useful data.
In my opinion, your camera's front vertical movement range is only relevant if you use it. Do you? Is architecture something you regularly shoot? If so, the large-circle lens choices are worth their extra cost in weight. If not, and especially if ultimate sharpness concerns you at all, the 120mm Super Symmar HM provides a valuable option. Its 211mm image circle only restricts your front rise/fall range by approximately 1mm in horizontal and 6mm in vertical orientations. It's a bit more than half the Nikkor's weight. Should you come across a mint example at a reasonable price and decide against it, please let me know.
Note that I have the 120mm Nikkor SW but don't shoot architecture and instead use it on 5x7. When carrying 4x5, I try to keep things lighter and, for a similar angle of view to what the 120mm Nikkor provides on 5x7, use a 90mm version from the same series. It's important to match tools to the job as well as how one sees.
I do use a lot of rise and fall. However, it looks like the HM will accommodate about 90% of what I need. Now to find one. Thanks for all the help.
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