Hello from London

[MattKHardy]

Hi,

After eight years of digital photography I finally decided to take the plunge and try 4x5 film.

Acquired lots of Sinar monorail components off eBay and now just need to decide on a lens. I intend to use the 4x5 for landscape photography (eventually) but first I want to photograph my daughter for her first communion. So I guess, initially, the 58mm Schneider SA XL I have my heart set on isn't going to be appropriate for full-length portrait photos. So lens what to get first?

Anyway just thought I would introduce myself! Hope to chat to you all soon.

Cheers,
Matt

[minh0204]

Greetings! Plenty of options for full body portrait. I prefer an 180mm (any lens from the big 4 would do) but that's for an adult; you may want to find a tighter lens, like a 210mm. I have a few laying around, if you want to play with one, send me a PM.

[MattKHardy]

Greetings! Plenty of options for full body portrait. I prefer an 180mm (any lens from the big 4 would do) but that's for an adult; you may want to find a tighter lens, like a 210mm. I have a few laying around, if you want to play with one, send me a PM.

Hey thanks for the offer. It would be nice to assess my setup with a lens that's knows to be good.

[Alan Gales]

Minh0204 is giving you good advice and a generous offer. I use a 14" (360mm) Commercial Ektar for my 8x10. A 14" (360mm) on 8x10 translates to 180mm for 4x5. A 150mm will also work for full-length portraits and even a 135mm if you want to include her environment. The 210mm is really popular if you want something a little tighter. Send him a PM so you can see for yourself. You will make a new friend as well.

Welcome to the forum, Matt!

Alan

[MattKHardy]

Minh0204 is giving you good advice and a generous offer. I use a 14" (360mm) Commercial Ektar for my 8x10. A 14" (360mm) on 8x10 translates to 180mm for 4x5. A 150mm will also work for full-length portraits and even a 135mm if you want to include her environment. The 210mm is really popular if you want something a little tighter. Send him a PM so you can see for yourself. You will make a new friend as well.

Welcome to the forum, Matt!

Alan

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the advice. I managed to pick up a cheap Schneider 150mm F5.6 off the bay to start practicing. The 135mm would of been better but I couldn't find one in my price range.

[RJ-]

Hi Matt,

Another welcome from London - there's a few of us here. Also a few of us who never let go of the trusted Sinar monorail too.

Large format work for fast moving communion ceremonies may be challenging to dip your feet into - unless the images are planned in advance, instead holding up the ceremony.

Best take up Minh's kind offer - it may take trialling of a few lenses to settle on a favourite for your own style.

I tend to use what I have at hand instead of any coherent idea of what focal length works - mostly bright standard lenses equivalent - like the Docter Tessar 300mm f5.6 (a little easier to snap focus without a fresnel) or the more portable Boyer Saphir 300mm f9 (a Heliar type construction) when travelling or the low contrast Voigtlander 360mm f4.5 Heliar version if I'm not.

These are for the whole plate format (8 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches). For 5x4", that works out between 150mm - 210mm. Even wide-angle SA XL 58mm lenses make great environmental portraiture work (if your camera can handle it) although chances are the screen will be too dark to realise that the tripod feet have inadvertently been included in the final image. It is more of the extreme wide-angle specialist end, rather than a general purpose lens.

Kind regards,

RJ
.

[MattKHardy]

Hi Matt,

Another welcome from London - there's a few of us here. Also a few of us who never let go of the trusted Sinar monorail too.

Large format work for fast moving communion ceremonies may be challenging to dip your feet into - unless the images are planned in advance, instead holding up the ceremony.

Best take up Minh's kind offer - it may take trialling of a few lenses to settle on a favourite for your own style.

I tend to use what I have at hand instead of any coherent idea of what focal length works - mostly bright standard lenses equivalent - like the Docter Tessar 300mm f5.6 (a little easier to snap focus without a fresnel) or the more portable Boyer Saphir 300mm f9 (a Heliar type construction) when travelling or the low contrast Voigtlander 360mm f4.5 Heliar version if I'm not.

These are for the whole plate format (8 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches). For 5x4", that works out between 150mm - 210mm. Even wide-angle SA XL 58mm lenses make great environmental portraiture work (if your camera can handle it) although chances are the screen will be too dark to realise that the tripod feet have inadvertently been included in the final image. It is more of the extreme wide-angle specialist end, rather than a general purpose lens.

Kind regards,

RJ
.

Hi RJ,

The Sinar worked out nice as it was cheaper to source all the individual components and assemble it (rather than buy the entire camera). So I ended up with:
f1 rear standard
f1 front standard
f2 rail
f2 rail clamp
w/a bellows
Satin Snow glass
3 x Toyo film holders

I was tempted to try and use the 58mm for portraits, but decided it was too much too soon. The 150mm should get me up and running.

[RJ-]

Hi Matt -

that's all the camera you need.

Perhaps a Sinar autoshutter to mount any barrel lens too



RJ

[MattKHardy]

The 150mm has arrived!

First impressions... ooh it's dim!
Second thoughts, actually it's focused really well with the loupe.

My ground glass has no markings and the whole ground glass is illuminated, so I guess I draw some pencil lines on it so I can compose normally?

[RJ-]

Hi Matt,

are you shooting a smaller imaging area than 5 x 4 inch on your Sinar?

Perhaps I'm wondering why you would need to draw pencil lines to compose. Perhaps you are referring to gridding your ground glass, like a mathematics jotter or for horizon markings.

I tend to use spirit levels and a blank unmarked ground glass. I prefer the minimalist groundglass to concentrate on visualising. Whichever way you choose at least it's in pencil - not biro.

Kind regards,

RJ