Opinion: Would a 90mm f8 or f6.8 lens be too dark for dawn and dusk landscape?

[Oslolens]

The ones you listed are functionally equivalent. Same threading, same correction.

They still exist. I have 4 CFs in the drawer. I don't think CFs are still made, but I haven't checked which, if any, are available new from Rodenstock and Schneider. Used ones are available. I bought all of mine used. I just checked what's offered on ebay.ch, found 45 CFs.

B&H is offering new Zeiss, Rodenstock and Horseman center filters, starting above $1000 for the big ones, luckily I am equipped...

Sent fra min SM-G975F via Tapatalk

[r.e.]

I don't think CFs are still made, but I haven't checked which, if any, are available new from Rodenstock and Schneider. Used ones are available. I bought all of mine used. I just checked what's offered on ebay.ch, found 45 CFs.

See the U.K.'s Linhof Studio/Center Filters for the current status of new Rodenstock and Schneider centre filters. As far as I know, Heliopan no longer makes them. Linhof Studio has very few available for lenses for film. Most of the current offerings are for digital lenses. The Rodenstock center filter that Oslolens refers to in the post just above is for extremely expensive (~US$9,000) Rodenstock digital lenses.

Linhof Studio lists the Rodenstock and Schneider 67/86 centre filters for Daniel's lens as "no longer available". B&H says "discontinued". On a simple eBay search for "center filter", there will be a lot of responses but the great majority are for a different product. It appears that no eBay vendors are currently offering the 67/86. There is one Schneider 67/86 III available, but it comes with a very expensive lens

Having purchased a 67/86 myself last summer, I think that this is a matter of keeping an eye on potential sources until one comes up in good condition and at a reasonable price.

[Dan Fromm]

Having purchased a 67/86 myself last summer, I think that this is a matter of keeping an eye on potential sources until one comes up in good condition and at a reasonable price.

Exactly. Patience helps a lot. FWIW, I found one of my with a Google search. The seller was Spanish camera store. Chain, actually.

[Jim Noel]

I don't understand going to the expense of a bag bellows and a wide angle lens and getting hung up over a centre filter. The one that I purchased recently for a 75mm lens cost about the same as a new name brand polariser. I may soon be able to use it with an additional lens. With a couple of exceptions where the centre filter is unique to a specific lens, they aren't that expensive. Unless stopping down the lens two stops, or losing 1.5 to 2 stops of light, is a significant impediment to making the photograph, or you positively want falloff in the image, why not use one? Reading threads over the years, I'm left with the impression that a lot of people just have a psychological block about centre filters

A $325 filter may not be expensive to you, but it certainly is to me.

[Jim Noel]

Back to the original question, an f8 or f 6.8 lens should not be too dark to focus at dawn and dusk. If it is for you, you may have an eye problem. At 92 i still use an f18 WA lens and focus on plain ground glass. An annual ophthalmologist appointment may be able to do a lot for ones vision.
If it is truly dark I carry a small bright LED pocket light and place it in the image at the point of focus. Of course, it comes out of the scene prior to exposure.

[r.e.]

A $325 filter may not be expensive to you, but it certainly is to me.

Of course. Some people may not want to spend the money or may not be able to. That said, the last few center filters that I know the sale price of, including one for sale on this forum a few weeks ago, sold for less than $325.

[Bernice Loui]

Sheet of 4x5 B&W film cost about $2.50 per sheet. Sheet of color 4x5 film cost about $5.00 per sheet.

Burn then process 100 sheet of 4x5 film equals or exceeds the cost of a center filter at $325.

Much about priorities, values and goals.


Bernice

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

Sheet of 4x5 B&W film cost about $2.50 per sheet. Sheet of color 4x5 film cost about $5.00 per sheet.

Burn then process 100 sheet of 4x5 film equals or exceeds the cost of a center filter at $325.

Much about priorities, values and goals.

Of course.

Usually wide angle photos make up only 10% of my pictures (90-125). 50% are taken with the normal lens (135-210), 40% with long focal lengths (240-600). I take 30 photos per week, so 3 photos with wide angle.

So for $325, at $2.50 per photo, I would have to shoot 3 wide angle photos each for 130 weeks with camera shift, rise, swing and tilt. I would have to print them without cropping. As soon as I darken the corners to keep the view in the photo, however, the photo no longer counts because I would not have needed a center filter to do so.

The expense of a center filter is not amortized by the amount of film. It only adds to the cost of the film. The amount is only amortized if I also sell those wide-angle prints.

What I do in the meantime: I see if I can find a used center filter, for less money. And I make sure I don't shoot flat surfaces, with even lighting. Because I only photograph nature, this is less difficult.

[_tf_]

Make that at least 200 sheets, 4x5 sheet of Foma is $1.20. (Or perhaps 250, the only CF I see on eBay is ~$400, and they will only get more expensive, as is the general trend with all of the analogue camera equipment.) Definitely question of priorities.

[Bob Salomon]

Make that at least 200 sheets, 4x5 sheet of Foma is $1.20. (Or perhaps 250, the only CF I see on eBay is ~$400, and they will only get more expensive, as is the general trend with all of the analogue camera equipment.) Definitely question of priorities.

Except the cf is also needed for many digital view camera lenses.