My Dream lens kit

[David Karp]

For 4x5
My dream kit:
75mm f/4.5 Grandagon N
90mm f/4.5 Grandagon N (for architecture)
90mm f/8 Nikkor SW for backpacking
120mm modern multicoated well-made and quality controlled Angulon-equivalent
150mm Rodenstock APO-Sironar-S
200mm f/8 Nikkor M or maybe a
240mm f/9 Fujinon A or maybe a
300mm f/9 Nikkor M or 300mm f/8.5 Fujinon C or 300mm f/9 APO Ronar - depending on the choice between the above two lenses
450mm f/12.5 Fujinon C

My realized kit:
75mm f/4.5 Grandagon N
90mm f/4.5 Grandagon N (for architecture)
90mm f/8 Fujinon SW (single coated-for backpacking)
125mm f/5.6 Fujinon NW
150mm f/5.6 Fujinon NW
210mm f/6.1 Caltar Pro (Xenar) - backpacking
210mm f/6.8 Caltar II-E (Geronar - lives on my Crown full time)
210mm f/5.6 Caltar II-N (could not resist - use close to home or car and short lens for whole plate
300mm f/9 Nikkor M
450mm f/12.5 Fujinon C

All are used but the Caltar II-E, my first lens, and collected over time. The really expensive lenses were the two longest. The 75 and 90 Grandagon Ns were good deals in Sinar DB shutters and remounted in Nikon Copals. Careful shopping can lead you to really good deals.

If I had it to do over, I might have skipped the 210s for a 240 Fujinon, but, what the heck, I like 210s for some reason. I am happy with these lenses, so I don't expect to go hunting for a 150mm APO-Sironar-S, or Nikkor SW. Well, maybe the Nikkor SW. Or perhaps the 240mm Fuji. Doesn't everyone have a 90mm, 125mm, 150mm, 210mm, 240mm, 300mm kit?

Oh yeah, I forgot about my 180mm single coated Fuji W that I use on my whole plate camera. That's it, really. Uh, oh yeah, the two 135mm lenses with bad shutters that came with my Crown. Now that's it. For sure.

[Gary Tarbert]

I pretty much own my dream lens kit already... 5 lenses, fits into a single Gnass 4 lens case.

Nikkor 90mm f/8 SW
Schneider APO-Symmar L 120mm f/5.6
Rodenstock APO Sironar-S 150mm f/5.6
Fujinon 240mm A f/9 EBC
Nikkor-M 300mm f/9

More of a focus on light weight, plus I don't really "see" in ultrawide.

You know Sheldon i am inclined too agree with you on ultra wides I included the 58XL on my list because i already own it , If i didn't already have it and knowing what i now know about what a pain ultrawides are to use it would not be on a wish list.
I reach for it only on very few occasions.
And i find myself using the lenses that are within the ranges of your current kit a lot more often.Cheers Gary

[Armin Seeholzer]

My dream is:
47mm XL
55mm Grandagon
72mm Schneider XL still missing
75mm Nikkor f4.5
90mm Nikkor f4.5
110mm XL still missing
120 mm APO Macro Sironar
135mm Sironar N
210mm APO Symmar
240mm G-Glaron
250mm Imagon
250mm Tessar f 3.5
300 Tessar 4.5
300mm APO Ronar
360mm Universal Heliar
360mm Sironar N
360mm APO Ronar
480mm APO Ronar
610mm APO Nikkor

I'm almost complet and do not listen the ones from the Jim Galli syndrom!

[Wilbur Wong]

[QUOTE=Frank Petronio;290858 Back in my more mainstream days I started out with a 90-135-210, then added a 65 and 300, just common modern Rodenstocks. I think these are the most popular focal lengths, so they are readily available, less expensive and exotic, and pretty much perfected for general use... After all the manufacturer concentrates on making its biggest sellers the best performers.
/QUOTE]

Ditto, my set is 65 f/4, 90 f4.5, 135 f/5.6, 210 f/5.6, 300M f/9. I acquired them in the same order as Frank did. Mine are all modern Nikkors. I recently added a Nikkor 500T f/11. Note that each of these are about 50% longer in focal length than the next (which is why the 135 although I know that the 150 has a larger image circle.)

I will eventually replace the 90 with an f/8 and the 210 with a 200M f/8, if I can justify the funds to shave about a pound off of my kit.

[Ole Tjugen]

I wouldn't mind another ultrawide, but apart from that I have all I need.

4x5": 65, 90, 120, 135, 150, 180, 210, 240, 300, 355
5x7": 90, 121, 150, 165, 180, 210, 240, 300, 355/360, 480
8x10": 121, 165, 210, 240, 300, 355/360, 480, 640

If that isn't enough I have a casket set which goes from 100mm to 750mm...

[Struan Gray]

I wouldn't mind another ultrawide...

This, I think, is probably an Aviogon clone:

http://cgi.ebay.fr/OBJECTIF-S-F-O-M-...QQcmdZViewItem

It might not cover 30x40, but it would work on the dinky little cameras :-)

[Armin Seeholzer]

My dream is:
47mm XL
55mm Grandagon
72mm Schneider XL still missing
75mm Nikkor f4.5
90mm Nikkor f4.5
110mm XL still missing
120 mm APO Macro Sironar
135mm Sironar N
155 Grandagon
210mm APO Symmar
240mm G-Glaron
250mm Imagon
250mm Tessar f 3.5
300 Tessar 4.5
300mm APO Ronar
360mm Universal Heliar
360mm Sironar N
360mm APO Ronar
480mm APO Ronar
610mm APO Nikkor

I'm almost complet and do not listen the ones from the Jim Galli syndrom!

[Peter K]

Hi Armin!

Is your second dream kit for taking stereo pictures?

Peter K

[Kirk Gittings]

While you probably can't own too many lenses, I do think you can carry to many lenses. There is a kind of discipline that comes from using a few lenses, from limiting your choices. That may sound odd to some. For instance when I used to fly around for Architecture Magazine, I only brought two lenses, a 90 and 210 on a Tachihara. They did the job and allowed me to travel light and concentrate on the architecture.

I currently own the most lenses I have ever owned, but each is part of a kit for various applications. All are modern Schneiders, Nikons or Fujinons. My all time favorite lens for 4x5 is the Nikon 120 SW.

47, 65, 90, 150, 210 for 6x9 commercial architecture.

65, 90, 120, 150, 210 305 for 4x5 commercial architecture.

120, 150, 210, 305, 450 for my 4x5 field/fine art kit. I don't like wider lenses for my art work, lenses that scream I WAS SHOT WITH A VERY WIDE ANGLE LENS which IMO interferes with the transparency of the artist.

[JPlomley]

My wife and I travel together, so we are able to carry more lenses than one person alone could do. So our arsenal is as follows:

All Rodenstock:

55 APO Grandagon
75/4.5 Grandagon N
90/4.5 Grandagon N
135/5.6 APO Sironar-S
210/5.6 APO Sironar-S
300/5.6 APO Sironar-S

Nikkor:

120 Macro ED AM

All shot on an Arca Swiss 4x5 F-Field camera. Best performers? They are all outstanding. I have yet to get a "dog" lens from the modern Rodenstocks. If I were forced to pick a "winner", it would be the 300/5.6 APO Sironar-S. You could cut yourself on this puppy, the images are that tack sharp. But again, my wife and I work as a team. If I were backpacking this stuff on my own, I would opt for a lighter/slower 300mm and consider getting rid of the 90 and 135 and replacing it with a 110 XL. A 75/110/210/300 would meet most of my needs.