270mm. general purpose lenses???

[ditkoofseppala]

A question for the encyclopaedic minds out there . . .

Other than the CP Goerz Dagor, has any major lens maker ever carried a 270mm lens with enough angular coverage to serve as a normal, general purpose taking lens for whole-plate (6.5"x8.5") format -- let alone 8x10? AFAIK, for instance, there was never a 270mm Symmar or Symmar-S, nor a 270mm Sironar.

I'm not talking about Tele-Artons and Rotelars; those are telephoto designs with low angular coverage. Nor am I speaking of process lenses -- RD Artars, Computars, Kowas, Apo Gerogon-S's.

And of course I'm quite aware that there are any number of acceptable 300mm lenses that will service nicely as a normal lens for WP. But if one wants a slightly wider angle of view and a 'true' normal for WP format, I'm not sure there's any alternative to the 10 5/8" Dagor, and even those seem to be quite scarce. In fact, I suspect the closest approach to a solution might be the 10" Wide Field Ektar. A Computar might be great, assuming one could manage to find the *right design* of Computar and get one in a leaf-shutter mount; sounds like a long-term project, though.

Am I overlooking something? Perhaps TTH made something of that sort, since WP is said to have survived into the 1960s in the UK as a commercial format? What say ye lens experts out there?

[wfwhitaker]

Sometimes the focal length is implied in the way the lens is marked. Lenses from the 19th and early 20th century were often marked simply in terms of the format for which they were intended. The marking of lenses by focal length is a later practice. A No. 4 Turner-Reich series II f/6.8 anastigmat is thus marked 6 1/2 x 8 1/2, but the catalog from that era shows it to have a focal length of 10 1/2". Since it was intended for that format, it has sufficient coverage. It's also a triple convertible, the front and rear cells being 24 and 18 inches respectively. These were available in Betax and other shutters and occasionally show up. It's a nice lens to have for the format, especially if you're interested in vintage equipment.

270mm or thereabouts was actually a fairly common focal length, at least at one time. I can find a Heliar, a Cooke series IIa portrait and a couple of rapid rectilinears on my own shelf that share that focal length. It's interesting to note that they're all fairly old lenses, making them reasonably contemporary with the 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 format in its heyday.

[John Kasaian]

Schneider G Claron 270m will cover 8x10. I have an old Gennert 270mm brassie in a compound that will cover.

[Dan Fromm]

If you look around, you'll find any number of 260 or 270 mm f/4.5 or f/6.3 tessar types with claimed coverage of at least 300 mm.

[Sal Santamaura]

...has any major lens maker ever carried a 270mm lens with enough angular coverage to serve as a normal, general purpose taking lens for whole-plate (6.5"x8.5") format...Nor am I speaking of process lenses...

The actual image diagonal of my 6.5x8.5 holders is 260.1mm, so I too was interested in such a lens. I ended up with a new 270mm G-Claron; see here:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...352#post256352

for the details. Not sure why you exclude "process" lenses; the G-Claron does this job nicely and, at f/45 or smaller apertures, will probably cover 11x14. Based on diagonals, 270mm on 6.5x8.5 equates to 159mm on 4x5. Weighs 13.25 ounces and accepts 58mm filters.

Should you want a brighter viewing image and prefer to be 10mm wider than a perfect "normal" rather than 10mm longer, a 250mm f/6.7 Fujinon W will also fill the bill. That works out to 147mm on 4x5. Weight is 20.5 ounces and takes a 67mm filter.

Finally, if you'd prefer to go a little wider yet, want an even brighter viewing image and can stand the weight, a 240mm f/5.6 Apo Sironar N (or its Caltar II N equivalent) would be appropriate. Like a 141mm on 4x5. Weighs 28 ounces and uses 77mm filters.

[Chauncey Walden]

I found out last week that a 180 Symmar-S will cover 6.5x8.5 nicely at f/45 and would be usable at f/32. My favorite lens for it, so far, is the 215 Acuton. The 240 Eurynar is fine and the 240 Xenar would be great if it weren't in my 8x10 kit. But you are correct, I have nothing handy between these and 300mm.

[Sal Santamaura]

Another "normal" possibility if a 320mm image circle is adequate for your purposes would be the 250mm f/6.3 Fujinon CM-W. EBC multicoated and available brand new:

http://www.badgergraphic.com/store/c...t_detail&p=170

Weighs 18 ounces and has 67mm filter threads.

[Rob_5419]

Other than the CP Goerz Dagor, has any major lens maker ever carried a 270mm lens with enough angular coverage to serve as a normal, general purpose taking lens for whole-plate (6.5"x8.5") format -- let alone 8x10? AFAIK, for instance, there was never a 270mm Symmar or Symmar-S, nor a 270mm Sironar.

Taylor Hobson (TTH) regularly output Series III and Series V lenses in whole-plate designation from the 1890's - 1920's. Similarly, Ross of London created similar formula for rectilinear and homocentric lenses for every conceivable focal length!

I find I tend to prefer 180mm (over 150mm) in 5x4" format. With whole-plate format, I'm using a 14" focal length which is also slightly telephoto. Check out a slightly telephoto 12" - 14" focal length on your whole plate ground glass and gawp at the breadth of the whole plate format - it might change your mind about needing a wider angle focal length which would invariably come with restricted movement (if your WP can push this) or a hefty price tag.

Watch out for that 270mm G-Claron too ;there were two types, and one weighed a tank and didn't offer significantly better performance than the updated version.

[Jim Galli]

Protar Viia #16 Heptoic is f6.3 275mm and would cover 10X8 with movements. A fine lens. Other than antiques though, the answer to your question is no. The closest thing to what you've described is a G-Claron 270mm f9. Stay away from any of the G-Claron WA f11's. A 10 3/4" Golden Dagor will affect my heart rate and breathing, but they are scarce and expensive and did not make your list in any case.

[Jiri Vasina]

Some time ago (almost exactly a year ago) I bought a Hugo Meyer Doppel Anastigmat 270mm lens from Ole Tjugen. It's lens with a lot of attributes, among others it's a barrel lens, a vintage one, largest aperture f6,8, a bit on the heavy side too. But on the other hand, it's wonderful wide open, and also very good stopped down. What's more, before he sent it to me, he tried it on a 24x30cm and it covered well even wide open - and with some movements too...