150mm or 135mm lens for the 4x5 enlarger?

[Donald Brewster]

I'm going uptown with my enlarger -- the old DII is going to get a nice (used) 6 element lens. It probably makes only a little difference, but which size should I get? 150mm or 135mm? What difference would there be between the two? The current lens is Bellows draw isn't an issue here.

[ronald moravec]

135 will make larger prints on the base. 150 works best on the 6 inch cone. a 135 will not like a 6 inch cone. It needs the 3.5 inch cone.

If you put a 150 on the 3.5 cone, it will not make small prints as there is not enough bellows extension.

The answer is buy what fits the cone you have or replace the cone.

As far a quality goes, both can be equal. I have 135 and 150 Comparons which are designed to work 2x to 6x which is fine for 4x5. They work well, but I would not use that design for smaller formats requiring larger magnifications. From 4x5, that is 8x10 to 24x30 prints.

[David Karp]

I have a 135mm Rodenstock, which I really like. The 135mm is better if you have a shorter column.

[John Berry ( Roadkill )]

Unless you plan to do large prints that you don't have enough enlarger elevation for, I recomend the 150. I know I can do 20x24 with a 150 on my 45vxl. I haven't tried 24x30. I am fortunate in that I can use the 150 and a 4x5 carrier in my 8x10 enlarger.

[Joseph O'Neil]

How high is your ceiling? I have both a 135 and 150mm lens, however my ceiling is very low, so I have to use the 135mm lens out of necessity to do 20x24 enlargements, I cannot go high enough with the 150 the way my enlarger is setup.

All else being equal, I perfer the 150mm however.

joe

[Bob Salomon]

You can also use a 120 WA enlarging lens.

[Bill_1856]

Whichever is less expensive.

[domenico Foschi]

I just bought a 150 mm. rodenstock because I am working on a project where everything nees to be sharp, and I have noticed that my 135 mm. Nikon el goes soft at the borders.
This is my experience.
At the beginning I thought it was enlarger misilignment/ negative sagging , but I have concluded that the guilty party is the lens.
If you have an adjustable baseboard I would get the 150 mm.

www.dfoschisite.com

[domenico Foschi]

Also, if you are looking for sharpness I would go with Nikkor, Shneider componon, Rodenstock rodagon/ Rodagon G.

[John Hoenstine]

I find that the longer the lens the less edge burning I have to do. The same neg printed with a 135 requires a lot of edge burn and the same neg with a 180 needs almost no edge burn. Using a Besler with and Aristo cold light.