Hello,
I am brand new to all this LF stuff and am restoring an old graflex super speed graphic to working order. I have yet to expose my first sheet. I bought a 210mm grandagon and await the lensboard in the mail. I feel like a kid on christmas eve.

Anyways, I want to get a wide lens but I've searched these forums and read that a 90mm is the widest that can be used on a super speed graphic. Other posts allude to the usability of a 75mm lens by dropping the focusing bed and raising the lens in the front mount. Is this really possible and does this method restrict the lens' usability to any major degree??

I am quite the super wide freak and already have dreams about the schneider 47mm (do these things really have no barrel distortion??). I feel the 90mm just won't be wide enough (similar to a 28mm on 35mm?) and i'm pushing for a 75mm if it'll work. I'll probably focus on landscapes with the LF camera but i'm crazy enough to try shooting stuff like lightning, caves, birds in flight and breaching whales (yes, even with a super wide lens)!!

Because i'm a nutcase like that, I will want a fast lens (for night focusing and wide aperture use). Do any of these perform well wide open? I was leaning towards the 75mm f/4.5 nikkor as it is faster and cheaper than its german counterparts. I also shoot nikon slr's and love their glass. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

Chris