I need some advice on choosing my first two large format lenses.

[Andy F]

Hi,

I think I am going to buy an Intrepid 8x10. I need some advice on choosing my first two large format lenses. Someone in this forum suggested a 12-inch Ektar. That looks like good advice but how do I know that the shutter works and if I am getting it at a good price. Also, what are some other lenses I should look at. I am looking for a wide angle lens and a normal lens. My goal is to shoot people in the landscape. Kind of like Paul Strand or Walker Evans. Also, any advice on what I should be avoiding with large formate lenses. How do I know that the shutter wont fail.

-Andrew

[Ulophot]

Hi, Andy. I don't shoot 8x10, so l bow to those who do. However, the 12" (300mm) length is the normal for 8x10. For the wide-angle, it really depends on your vision. Before jumping too quickly on advice, why not look through some of the Adams books to get an idea of what sort of focal lengths he used for his landscapes? Clyde Butcher's work is favored by many (not generally my taste, and he frequently uses a very wide angle. Doremus on the forum here may chime in; yo can see work on his site. Anyway, you get the idea.

As for shutters, how do you know it won't fail? You don't know, but you can take one of two general paths, in my view. You can save money at first by buying on low price without knowledge of the seller, or you can pay more from a reliable seller who can tell you when the shutter was last serviced and perhaps whether it was just a CLA or needed more attention. In either case, you may wish to ensure that it can be returned if something's wrong. for the slow speeds, you may be able to time them reasonably closely without special equipment, and you can also make relatively inexpensive tests for accuracy (checking for the metered low values) with strips of film in your film holder. Consistency inconsistency of the same shutter speed is a marker. I would build into your costs that of a CLA.

Others can offer more about specific shutters, such as the Alphax, Compurs, and others beside the Copals, and who may repairs them these days. As you know, none are manufactured any longer, and at some point, you might need to have a part made, which will probably be pricey. but if you're going to shoot 8x10, you're already in pricey territory; it's all relative and besides, a shutter is a long-term investment.

[Steven Ferson]

Hello,

I had the same question in december.

https://www.largeformatphotography.i...rait-landscape

Check the weigth of the lenses you consider.

I ended up with a fuji 250 and a fuji 360. I prefered fuji over Rodenstock, mainly because of weight saving. If a rodenstock 300 would have been for sale at a reasonable price, i might have got it as a one lens option.

https://www.largeformatphotography.i.../LF8x10in.html

Good luck
Steven

[Neal Chaves]

I worked for a long time with just two 8X10 lenses, a 250mm f6.7 Fujinon W in Copal and a 355mm f9 Schneider G-Claron, and made many prints enlarging back through both of them.

[Vaughan]

Whatever lens you use for 4x5, double the focal length for 8x10 to give the same angle of view. A 300mm lens is the equivalent of 150mm on 4x5, a 180mm lens the equivalent of 90mm, a 120mm the equivalent of 60mm.

You will notice that lenses shorter than 210mm that cover 8x10 are usually expensive. The single-coated writing-on-the-front Fujinon W 180mm, 210mm and 250mm lenses all cover 8x10 with modest movement (except the 180mm which only just covers) and are relatively inexpensive. Don't let the lack of multi-coating deter you, they are excellent.

The shortest readily available lens that covers 8x10 is the Nikkor SW 120mm f8 which allows several millimetres of movement, however it's relatively cheap because it's popular for 4x5. Check first whether the Intrepid bellows can compress enough to use it, and whether the front bed will be in the frame at infinity because the lens is really, really wide. The Nikkor SW 150mm f8 lens is probably the gold standard for 8x10 wide angle with huge coverage and movements, but a used lens is 4 to 5 times the cost of a new Intrepid 8x10 camera.

This is why the older Fujinon 210mm and 250mm are popular wide lenses on 8x10: they are unfashionable and cheap.

If deciding between a 300mm or a 360mm, it's worth nothing that Avedon used a 360mm for his Midwest series of portraits.

Lastly and contrary to all logic with 8x10 the SLOWER versions of lenses are MORE expensive than faster versions because they are smaller, lighter and typically in a No 1 shutter not a No 3: example, Fujinon W 360mm f5.6 in Copal 3 compared to Fujinon A 360mm f10 in Copal 1.

[John Kasaian]

I'll suggest starting with a single lens, anywhere between 360mm and 240mm. These are pretty normal focal lengths for an 8x10.
Shoot with them for a year or ten months or so and it'll tell you if your next lens, if you find that you need one, should be longer or wider.

[Mark Sawyer]

I agree with John, buy one lens to start. Everyone should have a "normal" lens, so start with 300mm, then see whether it seems too long or short for your needs.

If you want a second lens right away, I'd look for an Ilex Acuton f4.8 215mm (8.5in). It's a single-coated Plasmat that covers 8x10, and converts to a 14-inch, so you can try that focal length too. Stop it down a ways for maximum sharpness in the landscape, but a little softness won't hurt for portrait work.

[Andy F]

Hi,

Thanks again everyone for the input. This is really helping me narrow down what I think I need to do. Ideally I would like to travel with at least two lenses. What Vaughan said about the Nikkor SW 120mm f8 is really interesting. It is a wide angle lens but it is not that expensive. That is really helpful.

The photographers I know keep telling me to read Ansel Adams or multiply my current lens by 6 (i.e. 50mm is 300mm) but the real issue I am having is about how to shop for a lens. Books just give me hypothetical data. A lens can't be just tried on. I have to buy something from ebay without seeing or using it. That is why I like this forum. People will come up with very specific and well grounded advice.

From what people on this forum have told me I think my best choices so far are as follows:

12" Kodak Commercial Ektar 12 in Lens (305mm) US $550.00
https://www.ebay.com/itm/11582243129...Bk9SR-Ss9dWmYw

Nikon Nikkor SW 120mm f/8 S Large Format Toyo Copal 0 At $459.99
https://www.ebay.com/itm/18623884790...Bk9SR87a_NimYw

I typed "360mm 8x10 lens" into ebay and got the following result:
Schneider Symmar-S 360mm f6.8 Sinar Select Multicoated Lens For 8x10 for $575.00
https://www.ebay.com/itm/15601366847...Bk9SR8TbuNWmYw

Fujinon W 250mm f/6.3 Large Format Lens copal for $199
https://www.ebay.com/itm/18625784761...3ABFBMipnQ2KZj

Let me know what you guys think. Do the prices look ok. I need to figure out if the wide angle will work with the Intrepid 8x10. Thanks for making specific suggestions about specific lenses.

[Vaughan]

The Nikkor SW 120mm is really, really, really short, the equivalent of 18mm on full-frame 35mm. It barely covers 8x10 and you'll probably end up with the front bed of the Intrepid occupying most of the bottom of the image. The Nikkor SW 150mm is a more useful wide lens for 8x10 (with a FFE 23mm and quite a lot of coverage) but is 4 to 5 time the cost of the camera. Intrepid themselves specify the range of lenses to be 180mm to 480mm which excludes short lenses like the 150mm probably because the front bed will appear in the image.

IMHO if you're set on two lenses then get a single-coated writing-on-the-front Fujinon W 210mm f5.6 (32mm FFE and about 25mm of movement) ideally in the Copal shutter – it has slightly larger image circle than the Seiko shutter version – and a plasmat 300mm f5.6 of whatever brand you prefer.

That Fujinon W 250mm f6.3 lens on eBay with 312mm image circle (barely covers 8x10) is NOT the one you want, it's the older writing-on-the-front single-coated Fujinon W 250mm f6.7 with 398mm image circle you need. If you get a 250mm then consider a plasmat 360mm instead of a 300mm.

Note that wide angle is HARD on 8x10, short lenses that cover are expensive, big and heavy, and there aren't that many to choose from. The Nikkor SW 150mm, Schneider Super-Symmar Aspheric XL 150mm f5.6 and Super Angulon 165mm f8 are about the only modern-ish choices less than 210mm (somebody will recommend an Artar or Ektar or something else I'm sure) and NONE of those are cheap (most will be more significantly more expensive than the camera) which is why the writing-on-the-front single-coated Fujinon W 210mm f5.6 and 250mm f6.7 keep getting recommended for budget wide lenses for 8x10.

[jnantz]

Hi,

I think I am going to buy an Intrepid 8x10. I need some advice on choosing my first two large format lenses. Someone in this forum suggested a 12-inch Ektar. That looks like good advice but how do I know that the shutter works and if I am getting it at a good price. Also, what are some other lenses I should look at. I am looking for a wide angle lens and a normal lens. My goal is to shoot people in the landscape. Kind of like Paul Strand or Walker Evans. Also, any advice on what I should be avoiding with large formate lenses. How do I know that the shutter wont fail.

-Andrew

Hi Andrew

sometimes the older Schneider convertibles, turner reich or wollensak triple convertible are sleepers and worth their weight in gold (being several lenses in one ). the downside is you might be like some people who don't like the optical quality of a converted lens, sometimes they have focus shift, and when you convert them you lose FStops. regarding shutter failures, .. you don't .. add in a CLA to your purchase price and ship the lens to your camera lens mechanic to be cleaned adjusted and lubricated. if the shutters aren't able to be put back to factory specs, the tech can tell you what the speeds are. some repair people have lathes or people they work with have them, so they might be able to replace parts if need be. I got my symmar 210/370 through KEH (chrome barrel so it's 50-60 years old ) and the wolly triple through Igors ( thanks John K! for the tip! ) it's in a betax shutter and is built like a tank. . I've yearned a turner reich triple but haven't been so lucky to get one ..

good luck with your lens-hunting!