g-clarons for 8x10

[Joseph O'Neil]

Another dumb question for the day. Just got my used 8x10, cleaning it up, and i have two lenses that will cover 8x10, both are g-clarons, one is the 240mm and the other is the 270mm. Pretty close in size as you can see. Both are mounted for use with my 4x5, but I bought both thinking that eventually one would be for 4x5, and the other for 8x10.

Now that I am there, not sure which one I should mount on the 8x10? I will not be using any other lenses on my 8x10 in the near future ( I do have a couple of process lenses, but that's down the road), the one g-claron will be my "do everything" lens.

With 25 sheets of 8x10 at over $100 a box, before I experiment too much, any suggestions over which one of my two g-clarons I should try first? Anybody used both before? More concerned with the "best" for my 8x10 as first choice, either one is fine for my 4x5 work.
thanks
joe

[Capocheny]

Hi Joe,

Personally speaking... the 240 is my favorite lens for the 8x10. Although I have other lenses, I seem to gravitate towards the 240 because it seems to fit the way I see the world. YMMV.

Cheers

[Daniel_Buck]

I use the 240 g-claron on 4x5 and 8x10, it's nice for both formats! You could probably get a lensboard adapter, so you wouldn't have to keep switching lensboards everytime you want to move one lens from 4x5 to 8x10, and back again. That's what I do, use small linhof boards for 4x5, and use a board adapter to mount on larger cameras that take Sinar boards.

[Walter Calahan]

I don't have a g-Claron 240 mm, instead it is a Nikkor, but that said, I love the 240 mm focal length on 8x10. The perspective simply feels natural to my way of seeing.

[Rick Moore]

I don't have a g-Claron 240 mm, instead it is a Nikkor, but that said, I love the 240 mm focal length on 8x10. The perspective simply feels natural to my way of seeing.

I agree. Since acquiring a 240 Germinar-W this spring, it has become my favorite lens. Like the g-Claron, it is relatively small and light, and as you say, the perspective just seems right on 8x10.

[Drew Wiley]

It should be simple enough to test them both. Although I'm not personally a wide-angle
junkie, I do make frequent use of the 240 G-Claron on my 8x10. It seems to fit this
particular angle-of-view niche superbly. The 270 would give you a litte more coverage, but is fairly close to the 300"normal" perspective. You're lucky to have both.

[Diane Maher]

I have used a 240 G-Claron on 8x10 and it is one of my favorites for that format. I have also used a 270 G-Claron, but not on 8x10 (used on a 5x12). I have not had any coverage issues with either lens and both will suit you nicely on whichever format you choose to use. I would suggest that you try a few sheets using each lens with your typical subject matter. You can then decide for yourself which one you want to use most.

[Vaughn]

I have neither of those focal lengths, instead I have a 210 and a 300. My gut feeling is to go with the 240, and down the line pick up a longer lens (maybe 360).

But I would consider getting an adapter board for the 8x10 that would allow you to use either the 240 or 270 on their 4x5 boards with the 8x10....without having to be switching lenses around on different size boards. Why not have the best of both formats?! And you might find the 270 a tad better for portraits (until you get a longer lens, anyway).

Vaughn

[Jim Galli]

It isn't too difficult to find a "flange" that screws permanently into the lens boards for Copal 1. That way you can trade both of them out on both cameras to see which one you like best. I really love my 270mm on 8X10.

[MIke Sherck]

It's also very easy to make an adaptor board for your 8x10 that allows use of your lenses mounted for 4x5. I made one for mine; all my lenses are mounted in 100mm square boards for my Zone VI 4x5 camera. Over a Saturday I made a 6"x6" adaptor board for my 8x10 Grover monorail that just accepts the lenses in their 4x5 lensboards. It only required a hobby saw and some hobby files, plus an electric drill, and the cost was about US$5, plus paint. I got all the materials at a hobby shop: 3/16" plywood for model aircraft, a strip of brass 1" wide and 12" long, and some misc. screws from the hardware store. Piece of cake and looks halfways decent, too!

I'm the sort of fellow who shouldn't be allowed to use tools, so if I could get it done, anyone can!

Mike