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Thread: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

  1. #21

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    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    What a 190 4.5 Ektar looks like http://cgi.ebay.com/KODAK-7-1-2-IN-1...QQcmdZViewItem and well in your price range. Quite sharp at f11

    Caltar Pro but this one is 150mm and the seller is ignorant that it is a Schneider Xenar, not a Rodenstock. Very common. The ignorance, not the lens. http://cgi.ebay.com/Rodenstock-Calum...QQcmdZViewItem

    Pics of the sliding back I tried to describe. Over at Ape hug and I'm not sure if non members can see pix in the classified or not. http://www.apug.org/classifieds/show...p?product=4918

  2. #22

    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    Quote Originally Posted by Gene McCluney View Post
    FYI..a "portrait" lens, traditionally has not been a "tack" sharp lens, as most people do not like to see themselves in the stark reality of all their flaws. So, if you want a "tack" sharp lens, then you really do not want a "portrait" lens, but rather a long-focal-length lens for taking close-ups.
    You obviously have not shot enough older women with lines in their faces. If your bent on a sharp lens to cover a variety of subjects such as landscapes, your time will be well spend in Photoshop learning the tools necessary to please the women sitters... or get a softening filter.

  3. #23
    C. D. Keth's Avatar
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    Apr 2006
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    Red face Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    Quote Originally Posted by seawolf66 View Post
    Still, I'd really rather keep it under $250, if that's a possibility. I'm also into target shooting and rifles and ammo add up.+++++++ To Many hobbies can keep a person broke and not able to enjoy any: Enjoy And have fun:
    Isn't that the truth? I'm a too-many-hobby kind of person as well. I'm into LF photo and target shooting as well but you can also add painting, calligraphy, fly fishing, fly tying, building flyrods, woodworking, miniature gaming, video gaming, being a huge movie buff, and mountain biking to my list.
    -Chris

  4. #24

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    Dec 2001
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    NJ
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    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    Quote Originally Posted by Christopher D. Keth View Post
    Isn't that the truth? I'm a too-many-hobby kind of person as well. I'm into LF photo and target shooting as well but you can also add painting, calligraphy, fly fishing, fly tying, building flyrods, woodworking, miniature gaming, video gaming, being a huge movie buff, and mountain biking to my list.
    What? Why not sleeping in on weekends too?

  5. #25
    C. D. Keth's Avatar
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    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Fromm View Post
    What? Why not sleeping in on weekends too?
    Sleep is for retirement :P I'm a film cameraman, we've been trained by producers to not need sleep except on one day a week....I wish.
    -Chris

  6. #26

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    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    Since the 203mm Kodak Ektar is popular enough to require a considerable higher price than many other lenses of similar age, it might be worth considering the 203mm f7.5 "Optar", presumably a Wollensak product. Like the Ektar, it is single-coated.

  7. #27

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    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    Sharp, cheap, multi coated - Rodenstock Geronar 210 f/6.8. Very often available for under 200.00. Also comes branded as Caltar IIE. You can't really lose with this one if sharp and cheap is what you want.

  8. #28

    Join Date
    May 2006
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    361

    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    Quote Originally Posted by Ernest Purdum View Post
    Since the 203mm Kodak Ektar is popular enough to require a considerable higher price than many other lenses of similar age,
    Just think on that part of ernest post for a while. You said you would be willing to save for the right lens. You won't regret it at.

  9. #29

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    Jun 2002
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    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    Umm it doesn't have to be 190 to 210 to make a portrait...

    All of mine are done with a 150.

    Also, f/7.7 is nearly a stop slower than a nice 5/6 aperture, and that extra stop is important.

    I'd look for a 150 or 180 Schneider Xenar f/4.5 in a good Synchro Compur shutter.

  10. #30

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    Re: Good, sharp, cheapish portrait lens, for 4x5 crown graphic

    You might look at a Kodal No.32 Anastigat or a Wollensak 162mm Velostigmat series II---both super performers for very little $$$ in the 160-ish flavor. A local photograqphy prof at the university found the wolly velo to be her preferred porrtrait lens (and she could have afforded anything she wanted!)
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

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