Inexpensive (relatively) 8x10 Lenses

[Marc]

Dittos to Sheldons recommendation of a 12-19-24. I have use one converted to 19 and 24 extensively over the last 3 years and if used properly, i.e. with an orange filter behind the lens and focusing at the taking aperture with the filter in place when converted, they produce excellent images.

I am especially fond of the 19 inch focal length in 8X10, but you really do have an excellent lens in the Nikon. As the others have said, explore that focal lengyh, and see what its limitations really are. I used a only a 135mm on 4X5 for 14 years and really got to know and appreciate that focal length. As luck would have it 12" is pretty close to that length in 8X10 so the move over was easy from the stand point of composition but if I weren't as familiar with the focal length, I would have been truly starting from scratch.

[neil poulsen]

I think that the Caltar S II's are excellent lenses, which are Schneider Symmar S's. I purchased a 300mm (415mm image circle) for $625 and a 360mm (500mm image circle) for about $750. They're heavy, but they're excellent.