Favored Focal Lengths

[Drew Wiley]

I personally gravitate toward longer focal length lenses for tighter perspective. That's
why my first 4x5 was a Sinar monorail with a 28-inch bellows. My idea of "normal" on
35mm (full-frame) is 85mm, so the equivalent angle of view on the 4x5 is around 250,
alghough my first lens was a 210. I also find a 360 lens to be very useful, and sometimes even use the 450, although generally use this on the 8x10 instead. A camera like the Speed Graphic just doesn't have enough bellows extension for this sort of thing.

[Gordon Moat]

With smaller cameras, my approach has often been to isolate detail, though sometimes to go the other direction of overloading details. So that dictated a short telephoto, and a wide lens. I found that the more normal focal lengths worked more in people situations, or for lower light (since they were faster lenses).

My approach with 4x5 is different. The emphasis is on composition over content, with a more geometric or drawn approach. After trying out many lenses, I have found the I use a 135mm the most on 4x5, closely followed by a 180mm. The choice of the 180mm was more to accommodate a greater range of movements than possible with my 135mm. You really should think in terms of movements with a 4x5, since that is a distinctly more useful advantage over smaller cameras; move beyond the simple idea of the larger capture are relative to smaller cameras. Also, if you crop a 24mm by 36mm part out of a 4x5, the result is the same as from a smaller camera; the relationships of foreground and background objects is maintained, with the main change being greater field of view.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

[dazedgonebye]

So rare to see so much consensus on anything...
I will almost certainly buy an old crown graphic with a normal lens included, so I'll get the opportunity to follow the advise here.
I'm trying to understand how it can be so much different that I would not want my extra wide field of view. As one of you noted, I take full advantage of the 3:2 format now (I hate to crop narrower.) Going to 4x5 proportions is one of the things I'm afraid I'll have a tough time getting used to.

I guess I'm just going to have to jump in and start playing.

Thanks for the compliments on the cactus photo. It prints nice in all carbon inks on my r1800.

[h2oman]

I'm very much a noob myself, but would offer this advice: Think about how many lenses you think you might end up with eventually. There are some old threads where people tell what they have, and sometimes tell why. I made a choice that I wanted only 3 lenses, because I want to carry them on my back and because I didn't want to clutter the decision making process too much. From there I decided to go normal, a bit wide and a bit long. Ended up with 90, 150 and 240 and have been happy with that. If I had wanted to go more extreme I could have gone 75 and 300 for the wide and long. If I wanted a 4 lens kit but without extemes I might have gone 90 - 135 - 180 - 240 or 90 - 150 - 210 - 300 or ...

I guess what I am saying that if you have some idea of where you want to end up it might help in deciding on the focal length of your first lens or two.

I will also say that I was a big wide angle fan, but if changing my position a bit can allow me to use either my 90 or 150, I find myself sometimes choosing the 150 just because it is easier to work with. When I first started LF I was trying all sorts of crazy near-far compositions and fooling with lots of movements. Now I try to look for shots that will be easy technically just to make life easier on myself. Lower contrast, reasonable depth, etc.

[venchka]

...Thanks for the compliments on the cactus photo. It prints nice in all carbon inks on my r1800.

Maybe LF will break you of that habit!

Only kidding.

[Leonard Metcalf]

At one stage I bought up big on a range of lenses, from 47mm to 450mm and carried them around trying to use them all. On critiquing my own work I soon noticed that the 150mm (135 or 180 depending on which one I had at the time) were on the camera the most. I soon sold the extreme wide angle lenses as I didn't enjoy using them and they didn't suit my style. And telephoto I have is just so heavy.

Now years down the track I regularly go out with one lens and leave the rest at home. The 150 mm with a large image circle is a great starting point as others have already pointed out. As they have also said under the dark cloth is quite a different experience which is hard to compare to 35mm.

Enjoy, Len

[dazedgonebye]

I'm not a big fan of carrying a large lens selection. Two would be my likely max. Too many choices seems to shift the thought process from composition to gear...that's just me.

Wayne,
Digital output will have to do. No wet darkroom in my future. It's all I can do to get the sink for negatives.

[venchka]

If the output looks like what you posted here, who am I to argue?

I'm jelaous. I can't wet print right now and my inkjet output looks like pooh-pooh.

[dazedgonebye]

If the output looks like what you posted here, who am I to argue?

I'm jelaous. I can't wet print right now and my inkjet output looks like pooh-pooh.

I can proudly say the output is better by far than the screen image.
Going to all carbon 3 black inks was the solution for my relatively inexpensive printer.

Looks and feels great on good paper.

[venchka]

Thanks for the tip.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.