Suggestions for a long(ish) lens for 5x7 please

[John O'Connell]

In a 450mm lens of normal design, you couldn't get to 1:2, but you could get close enough for most close-ups. 1:2 would require 675mm of bellows, and you're 75mm short. (My copy of VCT is 150 miles away at the moment and I don't feel like re-deriving the formula.)

In 450mm lenses, you've got lots of options for 5x7. The Artar, the Ronar (I have a 485mm f/9 version), the Fujinon C, or the Nikkor M.

[timbo10ca]

I see Midwest Photo Exchange has a 360 f6.8 Sironar-N for $475 (I assume in shutter). Fast lens, and I like my 180 Sironar-N. Anybody have an opinion on this lens?

Also- what about an Apo- Ronar 360mm? What exactly is a process lens, and what are the prices like for these? I mention it because I've read they're nice and small for backpacking.

[Ted Harris]

It s a great performer but a real honker. Not for trucking around in the field if either size or weight are a concern. I own a 300 5.6 Apo Symmar, use it in the studio all the time. In fact it is on the camera now. The only time it leaves the studio is when I take it to one of our Fine Focus Workshops to show participants what a really big modern lens looks like.

My preferred 300 btw is the Fuji 300A but they now sell for over 1000 used. If you are thinking 450 I suggest the 450 Nikkor as another option, it has even more coverage than the Fuji C and is a great performer.

[sanking]

My choice of long lenses for 5X7 are:

300mm Nikkor-M
450mm Fujinon-C
600mm Fujinon-C

It does not get any better than this if size and weight is of consequence. The only reason to look at anything else would be to 1) save money, or 2) you need a wider aperture for composing and focusing. Because of their size and weight I would not bother with telephoto designs unless you don't have enough bellows draw.

Sandy King

[J_Tardiff]

Quite the timely thread for me as I finally decided that I want something longer than my 210mm APO Symmar -- and Jim at Mpex just ordered me a 5x7 Tachihara, so I am trying to reconfigure my lens setup to cover 4x5 and 5x7.

Currently own a 110XL (a recent gift from my better half!) and the above 210. As I hike a fair amount I want any additions to be a bit smaller.

So I have a specific question about the step-up from 210, do you folks with more experience think a 300 will be sufficient or am I better off trying to find a 360? I fear the 450 might be tight (bellows draw).

I do like the idea of the 300-M Nikkor as the cost is reasonable and they are not too impossible to find.

Subjects would be mostly landscape, though I cannot rule out "field portraits" (I currently use a Wolly 12" Velostigmat for "regular" portraits but I'm not hiking with that monster).

Thanks,

JT

[timbo10ca]

My choice of long lenses for 5X7 are:

300mm Nikkor-M
450mm Fujinon-C
600mm Fujinon-C

It does not get any better than this if size and weight is of consequence. The only reason to look at anything else would be to 1) save money, or 2) you need a wider aperture for composing and focusing. Because of their size and weight I would not bother with telephoto designs unless you don't have enough bellows draw.

Sandy King

The Fujinon C 450 is a popular one! How do I figure out how close I could focus it with 610mm (max) of bellows draw?

Tim

[Gene McCluney]

Quite the timely thread for me as I finally decided that I want something longer than my 210mm APO Symmar -- and Jim at Mpex just ordered me a 5x7 Tachihara, so I am trying to reconfigure my lens setup to cover 4x5 and 5x7.

Currently own a 110XL (a recent gift from my better half!) and the above 210. As I hike a fair amount I want any additions to be a bit smaller.

So I have a specific question about the step-up from 210, do you folks with more experience think a 300 will be sufficient or am I better off trying to find a 360? I fear the 450 might be tight (bellows draw).

I do like the idea of the 300-M Nikkor as the cost is reasonable and they are not too impossible to find.

Subjects would be mostly landscape, though I cannot rule out "field portraits" (I currently use a Wolly 12" Velostigmat for "regular" portraits but I'm not hiking with that monster).

Thanks,

JT

I would get the 300mm if you can only get one lens. The 210 is "slightly" wide for 5x7, and the 300mm will be "slightly" long. (my opinion)

Myself, I can't do without (in addition to the above focal lengths) 250mm, 375mm,
and 400mm and 500mm telephoto for certain shots.

[Scott Davis]

Two other suggestions for short(er) lenses - 12" Commercial Ektar f6.3, in an Ilex #4 shutter. This can be mounted directly into a Linhof Technika board, so it will fit on just about any 5x7 field camera. The 14" Commercial Ektar is another terrific somewhat longer lens, but it requires an Ilex #5 shutter, so it is a tight squeeze via a top-hat type adapter to mount it on a Technika board, but it CAN be done. It is also a bit heavy for the front standard of many smaller 5x7 cameras. There is a 12" f4.5 Ektar floating around out there if you need FAST glass, but it also comes in a #5 Ilex. For doing portraits on 5x7, you don't need 1:2 ratio, unless you really really want to take photos of people's eyes full-frame. And then, I wouldn't want a 19" lens anyway, the bellows factor would be too great.

[John O'Connell]

The Fujinon C 450 is a popular one! How do I figure out how close I could focus it with 610mm (max) of bellows draw?

Tim

My back of the envelope calculation is that you could focus on a subject 15" by 11" with that lens and 610mm of bellows on 5x7. Just about 1:2.

I'm guessing that you'd be a little less than a meter from the subject (back of the envelope, 900mm).

[timbo10ca]

Two other suggestions for short(er) lenses - 12" Commercial Ektar f6.3, in an Ilex #4 shutter. This can be mounted directly into a Linhof Technika board, so it will fit on just about any 5x7 field camera. The 14" Commercial Ektar is another terrific somewhat longer lens, but it requires an Ilex #5 shutter, so it is a tight squeeze via a top-hat type adapter to mount it on a Technika board, but it CAN be done. It is also a bit heavy for the front standard of many smaller 5x7 cameras. There is a 12" f4.5 Ektar floating around out there if you need FAST glass, but it also comes in a #5 Ilex. For doing portraits on 5x7, you don't need 1:2 ratio, unless you really really want to take photos of people's eyes full-frame. And then, I wouldn't want a 19" lens anyway, the bellows factor would be too great.

Thanks for the suggestions- The Shen Hao board (with adapter removed) is 5", so #5 Ilex would fit on it o.k. I imagine? These sound like large heavy lenses though- less suitable for backpacking. Are they indeed pretty big to require such large shutters?

Tim