Quote Originally Posted by john_vandale_ View Post
Hi guys! So much good information here!

I have to consider focal plane bending on Petzval lens and sharpness drop off with larger formats...

At this moment I only have a 4x5 camera for my wet plates, though with a few lenses.

Which one do you think will do the better job from this point of view?

- Schneider 5.6/240mm
- Industar 4.5/300mm
- An old brass f8/210mm
- Schneider xenotar f2.8/150mm

(I guess the first 5.6/240mm is out of this game...)
Just try !! you'll see it in the GG, you just need the head of mannequin.

The industar may deliver a softer focus...

For mug shot style you may prefer (or not...) a long focal, having some 3m distance to the subject, as you go closer the nose becomes larger than the ears. We humans do remember other's face like it's seen from around 3m, so in general "pleasing" portraits are not taken at 1m from the subject.

The thing it's not what the lens does. Normally it's the lens that has a problem with the photographer

All lenses you have should be very capable, the brass one may the the one with worse optical performance, but you can take advabtage of its personality.