Tele for LF landscape with background compression (8x10)

[Steven Ferson]

Hello,

I am new to large format and am shooting and developping my first sheets.

I had the opportunity to buy a used chamonix 8x10 and decided to jump in. After shooting a year on a yashica TLR, i had a good idea of how versatile a single focal length can be. With my fuji 250 and 360 lenses, i have the most versatile medium wide to normal ranges covered.

For compressed landscapes that require a moderate tele on smaller formats, there seem to be some challenges in 8x10.
(Tripod stability, bellows, shutter shock, wind,…).

Solutions:
1) use a smaller format camera and skip these shots in 8x10
2) use a reducing back to 4x5
3) digital crop of the negative
4) spend €€€ on a nikon T600

I was en route for option 1 and 3 until i stumbled on a reasonable priced nikon T600.

What are your experiences for this kind of landscapes or other shots that need tele on 8x10?

Examples photo’s are welcome!



THX
Steven

[Drew Wiley]

How much bellows extension do you actually have with your 8x10? I sometimes use a Fuji 600C on my 8x10, which is a lot more compact than any tele. Long lens work is a lot easier with 4x5 format, however. In terms of distant subjects, the limiting factor in image quality is generally the quality of the intervening atmosphere itself. You might or might not get more detail on 8x10, depending on how clear the air is, whether heat waves are present or not, etc. Wind vibration can be a serious issue too. Frankly, I get a lot more use out of my 450C instead, when it comes to 8x10, although that same lens makes an excellent long length for 4x5 film format as well.

[Vaughan]

The Fujinon T 600mm won't cover 8x10, it just covers whole plate 6½x8½ and 5x7 with some movement, but note that tilt and swing are difficult with telephoto lens designs.

Differentiate between a "telephoto" lens and a "long lens. With large format there is a significant difference in coverage and bellows.

The go-to telephoto for 8x10 is the Nikkor T ED 600/800/1200mm lens (one front cell and three rear cells to change focal length). The Nikkor T ED 360/500/720mm with 720mm rear just covers 8x10 with little movement (despite the specs saying otherwise).

Otherwise any plasmat or tessar (ie, non-telephoto) lens of focal length over 300mm should cover 8x10. Remember that you don't get much compression with 8x10: a 300mm lens is standard, a 600mm lens only has a FFE of 100mm. A 1200mm lens is obviously a FFE of 200mm but it's a real challenge to work with. As Drew said, vibration will be your biggest challenge, and atmospheric haze a close second.

[Mark Sampson]

I've successfully used a 19" (480mm) f/11 Goerz Red Dot Artar on an 8x10 camera in the field, and a friend has long used his 24" (600mm) version of that lens.
But certainly the 600mm Nikkor-T would be your best option here, if you can find one and afford it. A very sturdy tripod and a golf umbrella to shield your setup from the wind will be necessary- but your pictures should be amazing. Best of luck!

[Steven Ferson]

How much bellows extension do you actually have with your 8x10? I sometimes use a Fuji 600C on my 8x10, which is a lot more compact than any tele. Long lens work is a lot easier with 4x5 format, however. In terms of distant subjects, the limiting factor in image quality is generally the quality of the intervening atmosphere itself. You might or might not get more detail on 8x10, depending on how clear the air is, whether heat waves are present or not, etc. Wind vibration can be a serious issue too. Frankly, I get a lot more use out of my 450C instead, when it comes to 8x10, although that same lens makes an excellent long length for 4x5 film format as well.

The Chamonix has 700 mm bellows. This should be enough for a 450 or a tele 600 for landscape. Stability and vibrations are more of a concern.

A fuji 450c is on my whish list because of weight, size and copal1 shutter, but might be a bit close to my fuji 360 and is expensive. Thats why i consider digital cropping.

My question is not about the lens choice - the fuji c450 , nikon T 600 or a 24” artar seem to be the obvious choices- but about the results in relation to the inconveniences and challenges to get a picture at longer focal lengths.

In the replies i see some confirmation of my concerns

[Steven Ferson]

I have my eyes on a Nikon T 600 ED.

I am aware of the limited compression on 8x10 and the challenges to use a T600. I am trying to figure out if a T600 is usable or that most 8x10 shooters switch to a crop for this kind of shots. In that case a 450c might be the better (lighter, smaller, more portable, less shutter shock,…but more expensive) choice.

Meanwhile i can use my 360 and experiment with digital cropping of the negative.

Steven

[ic-racer]

Perspective ('compression') is only affected by subject distance. Film format or lens have no effect.
You are on the right track, cropping your 360mm images to see if you would like the 600.

[CreationBear]

Here’s an article you might find interesting:
https://photographylife.com/best-lenses-8x10-camera
that lays out some options on the long end.

Otherwise, assuming you’re going the hybrid route, simply adding a reducing back to your 8x10 kit might be the most effective way to go—for my own purposes, a 5x7 back on my 8x10 Norma checks a lot of boxes (including the ineffable “ground glass experience”.). Of course, if you’re not into compromise, the Christopher Burkett approach is fun, too
http://www.creekwalker.com/christoph...pher-1998.html

[Steven Ferson]

Thanks for the links!

Christopher Burkett ‘s images and perfectionism are an eye opener.

[Mal Paso]

I have the Nikkor 600/1200 T ED. A true telephoto, the infinity focus is shorter than the focal length. With 40 inches of bellows the 600 will focus to 6 feet and the 1200 to 25 feet.

I'm shooting 4x5. Atmospherics is huge! A lot of days it's too ugly to shoot. How else are you going to get the long shots?