Suggestions for 4x5 Lens Sets (3 lens, 4 lens and 5 lens sets)

[orgraph]

I use for traveling:
1. Congo 90/6.3 - Fujinon 150/6,3 - Nikkor 300/9
2. Congo 90/6.3 - Symmar 135/5.6 - Fujinon 180/9 - Nikkor 300/9
3. Congo 90/6.3 - Congo 120/6.3 - Fujinon 180/9 - Claron G 240/9 - Nikkor 300/9 - (Congo 400/8)

Of course, I have about 15 lens for different purpose.

[Doremus Scudder]

My focus is on portability, but I need coverage too for shooting in the city, which I do a lot. I usually carry four or five lenses, which I vary according to need. So...

My "cityscape" 4 (5)-lens kit: 90mm f/8 Nikkor SW, 135mm f/6.3 WF Ektar, 180mm f/9 Fujinon A, (210mm f/5.6 Fujinon L or 203mm f/7.7 Ektar), 240mm f/9 Fujinon A

Interestingly, I find myself using all these quite a bit in the city, with the 240mm being the least-used. And, even though 180mm and 210mm are rather close to each other, with the limited camera positions available in cities, I enjoy the luxury of carrying the one extra lens. I could just leave the 210mm behind though, and crop the 180mm. This kit sacrifices light weight for more coverage at the short end of the scale. I just love the WF Ektars...

My "lightest-weight" 4-lens kit: 100mm f/6.3 WF Ektar, 135mm f/5.6 Plasmat of some kind, 203mm f/7.7 Ektar, 300mm f/9 Nikkor M

I leave out the 300mm often here to end up with just 3 lenses and make things even lighter, especially when backpacking.

My "standard" landscape 5-lens kit: 75mm f/5.6 Fujinon SW, 90mm f/8 Nikkor W, 135mm f/5.6 Plasmat of some kind, 203mm f/7.7 Ektar, 240mm f/9 Fujinon A, 300mm f/9 Nikkor M.

Of these, I'll only carry five at a time, leaving either the 75mm or the 300mm out depending on anticipated need. In close-in canyon country, I don't need the 300mm and I don't usually need a 75mm for expansive landscape shots. This is my usual kit for extended day hikes or short overnighters.

I own a 450mm Nikkor M that I use occasionally, but usually only close to the car (Road-trip shots, etc.) since I need a larger, heavier camera to be able to use it (my more-portable cameras are lightweight wooden folders like the Wista DX or SW).

Like Kirk, I have step-up rings so I can carry just one size filter. However, I have two filter sizes, 67mm and 52mm. All my lenses are stepped up to 52mm, or come with 52mm filter threads except the 90mm Nikkor SW and the 75mm Fujinon SW. When carrying theses and trying to cut back on weight, I grab my filter folder of 67mm filters which also has a 52-67mm step-up ring in it. Often, though, I'll carry two filter wallets, one with 67mm filters and one with 52mm filters. When being really light, I cut the larger lenses out and just carry a few 52mm filters.

Best,

Doremus

[gary mulder]

With my Linhof Technika the set contains;
Schneider super-symmar 80/4.5 XL
Schneider apo-symmar 120/5.6 L
Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-S 150mm f/5.6
Fujinon-A 240/9
Nikkor M 300mm/9

They all fit inside a closed technika. Apart from the 80mm they all take a 52mm filter.

[Greg]

What has worked out for me for years is:

65mm f/4 Nikkor-SW with central ND filter
125mm f/5.6 Fujinon W gem of a lens
240mm f/9 G-Claron
500mm f/7 KOMURA tele that doesn't need all that much bellows extension
plus a very small 120mm single meniscus f/16 with simple shutter off a folding 620 camera.

Also use a 7" f/3.1 Darlot Portrait but always use it alone for specific shoots so don't consider it really part of the lens set

Fortunately I don't need to use filters for the work I do (each lens different filter size). Noticed that my focal lengths are spaced farther apart than most people's... have to think about that and why.

Over the summer changed my 4x5 lens set to
65mm f/4 Nikkor-SW
90mm f/4.5 Nikkor-SW
150mm f/9 G-Claron
210mm f/9 G-Claron
305mm f/9 G-Claron
500mm f/7 KOMURA
Whole 4x5 system easily fits inside a ThankTank backpack

[xkaes]

? 1)Lens caps are cheap (77mm $5) and you have to keep track of the dedicated one too-nothing changes there.
2)Never have had that problem.
3)true, but not a problem for me as I don't use them-never owned one even for color.

advantage? I have the finest filters in the world for all my lenses. 6 lenses, 6 filters-one set.

I agree completely, although some might say that I don't have the finest filters in the world. I mostly use Hoya HMC filters. My filter standard is 77mm. I have step up rings for nearly all of my lenses -- from 37mm Mamiya FISHEYE to 600mm Fujinon T. Step-up rings from 40.5mm to 72mm -- to 77mm. Works great and saves a lot of money and weight. I have a metal front and rear 77mm stack caps, so all of my filters are in one place. I had to pass on a couple of wide-angle lenses that had filter threads wider than 77mm, but I passed them up because of their size, weight, and cost -- NOT because of their filter size. My widest lenses -- 37mm, 47mm, 75mm, and 105mm -- all work great with my 77mm filters (even a polarizer on a FISHEYE!).

[angusparker]

I agree completely, although some might say that I don't have the finest filters in the world. I mostly use Hoya HMC filters. My filter standard is 77mm. I have step up rings for nearly all of my lenses -- from 37mm Mamiya FISHEYE to 600mm Fujinon T. Step-up rings from 40.5mm to 72mm -- to 77mm. Works great and saves a lot of money and weight. I have a metal front and rear 77mm stack caps, so all of my filters are in one place. I had to pass on a couple of wide-angle lenses that had filter threads wider than 77mm, but I passed them up because of their size, weight, and cost -- NOT because of their filter size. My widest lenses -- 37mm, 47mm, 75mm, and 105mm -- all work great with my 77mm filters (even a polarizer on a FISHEYE!).

Great to hear that you are happy with step-up rings. Certainly a more flexible option than sticking with one filter size. The one other advantage of going with a filter system like the Lee is of course grad filters which as they are square or rectangular can be shifted up and down the scene. Something that can’t be done with screw on grads. This can be quite advantageous when you are dealing with a film with limited dynamic range - which in practice really means Velvia 50/100.


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[consummate_fritterer]

What has worked out for me for years is:

65mm f/4 Nikkor-SW with central ND filter
125mm f/5.6 Fujinon W gem of a lens
240mm f/9 G-Claron
500mm f/7 KOMURA tele that doesn't need all that much bellows extension
plus a very small 120mm single meniscus f/16 with simple shutter off a folding 620 camera.

Also use a 7" f/3.1 Darlot Portrait but always use it alone for specific shoots so don't consider it really part of the lens set

Fortunately I don't need to use filters for the work I do (each lens different filter size). Noticed that my focal lengths are spaced farther apart than most people's... have to think about that and why.

If the spacing works well for you then don't worry about it. If you sometimes need intermediate focal lengths then you could add 90mm, 180mm, and 355 or 360mm to your kit. That's very good spacing, IMO.

-- I replied to an old post. Sorry.

[xkaes]

Great to hear that you are happy with step-up rings. Certainly a more flexible option than sticking with one filter size. The one other advantage of going with a filter system like the Lee is of course grad filters which as they are square or rectangular can be shifted up and down the scene. Something that can’t be done with screw on grads. This can be quite advantageous when you are dealing with a film with limited dynamic range - which in practice really means Velvia 50/100.

Standardizing on a particular filter size with step-up/down rings does not negate the ability to use a "filter system" in any way. On my 77mm-adapted lenses, I use the Cokin P system -- which, I think works up to 82mm. So I'm all set with ND and color grads. My only problem is to get it to fit on the rear of my Mamiya 37mm Fisheye. Oh well, another problem for another day!

[angusparker]

Standardizing on a particular filter size with step-up/down rings does not negate the ability to use a "filter system" in any way. On my 77mm-adapted lenses, I use the Cokin P system -- which, I think works up to 82mm. So I'm all set with ND and color grads. My only problem is to get it to fit on the rear of my Mamiya 37mm Fisheye. Oh well, another problem for another day!

True but I find using a step up and a Lee step up ring for its system redundant and fiddly. I standardized on 52mm and 67mm for my LF lenses and 77mm and 95mm for ULF since Grimes customizes a few lenses for me.


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[LabRat]

I standardized my filter sizes to just ser. VI, VII, & VIII, as I mostly use vintage (Ektar's, Dagor's, Tessar's, small Heliar's, TR's etc) lenses, and found the series adapter rings for each lens, and different lens shades etc...

But I use the filters for different formats too, so I have to remember to grab the filter set out of different cases/bags before going out shooting with a different format (and spotmeter etc)...

Steve K