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[eddie]

90mm f8! it is awesome and relatively cheap

after using only a 165mm for 4x5 for years (only had one lens). i fell straight in love with my 90mm!

[Mark Sampson]

Kodak 135/6.3 Wide Field Ektar.

[ejohnson]

Kodak 135/6.3 Wide Field Ektar.

Are these coated and does it matter for black and white?

Eric

[Don Hutton]

Steve

You're the only fool buying your little act - after your particularly foolish post yesterday, I'm pretty sure that no-one has any doubt about who you are. Why you continue to try and play after the game has long finished, only you know, but it's a pretty pathetic scene for the spectators....

[Alan Davenport]

Eddie is a very perceptive fellow! A 90mm f/8 lens is such a cool tool. Best of all, there are lots of 90/8 Super Angulons still being unloaded by photographers who just couldn't stand the thought of not having something a stop faster (even though they'll still stop down to f/11 or smaller to shoot.) Meaning you can find a 90mm f/8 Super Angulon for a good price.

If you're really lucky, you might find a Caltar W-II 90mm f/8. That's just a Super Angulon that's been rebadged as a Caltar; the exact same lens but usually much cheaper because you're not paying for the Schneider name.

[jdc]

Kodak 135/6.3 Wide Field Ektar.

Are these coated and does it matter for black and white?

Steve Simmons

Steve,
I believe most WF's are coated. It may be that the coating will range from a single soft coating on only some glass surfaces to a harder coating on all. Look for an 'L' incased in a circle. Coating can lower contrast in the image on any film material.

[walter23]

I've got a couple of 90s, both of which have their uses. I like the focal length, though it is a bit wide for a lot of things.

The first is a Rodenstock Grandagon-N f/6.8. Fairly big lens, room for lots of movements. One of the sharpest lenses I've experienced on any format (if not in absolute LPM resolution which I don't check / care about, at least relative to print sizes).

The second is a Raptar 90mm Wide Angle (graflex). Sits on my newly-acquired speed graphic where together they become a very portable landscape camera. This is the tiniest wide angle lens I could imagine; probably the tiniest large format lens period. The optics are about the size of a dime and the shutter maybe silver dollar sized. Barely covers 4x5 though; no movements here.

[ejohnson]

I looked up the specs on the 135 Ektar.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Eric

[Bob Salomon]

Depending on where you live the best way is to rent some different focal lengths and see which work best for your style. Some rental lens dealers in the USA are; FotoCare Ltd, Lens & Repro, Midwest, Quality, PRS in Atlanta, Gasser, K&S, Lighttec, Pro Photo Connection, Levine as well as many more.

[Mike Putnam]

Eric, I have a Rodenstock 135 that I love. It's light, sharp, and fulfills a lot of needs for me(I primarily shoot landscapes) If I didn't already have it , I'd buy it first.
Good Luck,
Mike

Mike Putnam Photography